USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Braintree > Town annual report of Braintree, Massachusetts for the year 1903 > Part 8
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EXTENSIONS OF MAINS DURING 1903.
Three-fourth inch pipe
.
264
Four-inch pipe
435
6
Six-inch pipe
2,079
Sixteen-inch pipe
15
Six-inch pipe in Hydrant branches
23
3
During the extensions of this season the sixteen-inch pipe referred to was placed in the pond connecting to the intake pipe placed in 1888 by Mr. John Cavanagh.
185
DISTRIBUTION MAINS IN OPERATION
DECEMBER 31, 1903.
Feet 255
Inches
Sixteen-inch pipe
Twelve-inch pipe
12,688
6
Ten-inch pipe
10,502
4
Eight-inch pipe
10,476
Six-inch pipe
102,121
9
Four-inch pipe
·
14,229
6
Two-inch pipe
.
5,514
11
One and one-fourth-inch pipe
287
7
·One inch
1,527
9
Three-fourth-inch pipe
488
4
158,091
8
29 miles 4,971 feet 8 inches.
NUMBER, LOCATION AND DESCRIPTION OF VALVES SET IN CONSTRUCTION DURING 1903.
W. E. MAYBURY, SUPERINTENDENT.
VALVE SIZES.
Valve
No.
STREET.
LOCATION AND POSITION.
3-4 "
4"
6 "
265
On east line of Shaw St.
1
267
On east line of Shaw St.
1
268
On south line of Storrs Ave.
1
270
Butler Road. Stetson Lane. Front St.
On south line of Commercial St.
1
272
In hydrant branch at curb, hydrant in front of B. J. Loring's residence.
1
273
Union St.
In hydrant branch at curb, hydrant in front of Almshouse
1
274
Hancock St,
In hydrant branch at curb. hydrant in front of old paper mill entrance
1
Total Valves Set, 1903.
1
2
7
-
1
266
Cotton Ave. Bellevue Road. Wellington St. Cochato Road. Safford St.
On south line of Commercial St.
1
269
On west line of Franklin St.
On west line of Wayne Ave.
1
271
.
.
186
CONSTRUCTION.
TURN TO OPEN.
BELL OR SPIGOT.
MAKER.
Left. Left.
Bell. Threaded.
Rensselaer Mfg Co. Mueller Mfg Co.
NUMBER, LOCATION AND DESCRIPTION OF HYDRANTS SET IN EXTENSION OF 1903.
Hydrant No.
STREET.
LOCATION, POSITION.
Nozzle.
z Hos ..
1 Steamer.
2 Hose.
Length
Hydrant
Branches.
200
Rice & Hutch- ins Factory in yard. Storrs Ave.
13 feet 6 inches west of northwest corner of Engine room.
1
24 ft. 6 in
201
On west line of land owned by Mrs. Albert Edgecomb.
1
7 ft. 9 in
203
Butler Road. Sherbrook Av.
On west line of land owned by Wm. W. Dyer.
1
204
1
7 ft. 8 ft.
4
CONSTRUCTION.
TURN TO OPEN
BOLTED OR BALL.
FROST CASE.
MAKERS.
Left
Bolted.
No
Coflin Valve Co,, Walker Pattern.
Total Number of Valves in Operation Dec. 31, 1903, 274
Total Number of Hydrants in Operation Dec. 31, 1903, 204
PUMPING RECORD FOR 1903.
Gallons Pumped at Gallons Pumped * t Little Pond. Great Pond.
Total Gallons Pumped.
Daily Average Gallons.
Hours run at Lt. Pond
Hours run at Gt. Pond.
Daily Aver'ge Hours
Total Coal used.
Daily Average Coal
Gallons pumped with 100 lbs. of Coal.
-
January,
8,269,665
9,537,517
17,807,182 574,425
233-55
260-05
15.56
94,332
3,043
18,877
February,
11,683,545
_ 3,890,611
15,574,156
556,219
324-15
104-35
15-19
70,076
2,503
22,224
March,
17,081,897
17,081,897
551,029
447-45
14-26
62,585
2,019
27,294
April,
17,394,386
17,394,386
579,812
434-45
14-29
60,637
2,021
28,686
May,
19,808,393
19,808,393
638,980
463-05
14-56
66,395
2,141
29,834
June,
18,127,132
18,127,132
604,237
470
15-40
62,445
2,081
29,029
July,
19,443,525
19,443,525
627,216
508-15
16-23
68,995
2,225
28,181
August,
18,214,777
18,214,777
587,573
524-35
16-55
69,588
2,244
26,175
September,
11,196,006
6,032,393
17,228,399
574,279
308-55
199-20
16-56
77,768
2,592
22,153
October,
8,449,676
8,888,306
17,337,982
556,064
213-20
272-25
15-40
84,039
2,711
20,630
November,
8,172,162
7,434,295
15,606,457
520,215
212-40
241-15
15-07
77,688
2,589
20,089
December,
7,598,261
8,377,749
. 15,976,010
515,355
196-40
259-15
14-42
77,826
2,510
20,528
TOTAL
165,439,425 453,258
44,160,871 272,597
209,600,296
1336-55
872,374
DAILY AVERAGE
24,003
DAILY AV. TOTAL'
574,247
4338-10 11-55 15-33
8-14
2,390
Largest Day's pumping was May 29, 847,560 gallons. Shortest Day's pumping was June 29, 431,077 gallons.
JOHN W. MULCAHY, Engineer.
187
188
STREET WATERING.
The Department finds the use of water for street watering has been somewhat larger than it was in 1902, the amount of water used in each section as follows:
The South section 1,739,932 gallons
The North section . 1,883,258 gallons
The East section
1,709,000 gallons
HYDRANT CHANGES.
Hydrant in front of B. J. Loring residence, Allen street.
Hydrant in front of Alms House, Union street.
Hydrant in front of Middle street school site.
Hydrant in front of entrance to Paper Mill, Hancock street.
The above hydrants have been replaced with Rensselaer Mfg Co. hydrants, with swing arm attachment for filling street watering carts.
Hydrant on Washington street, Dyer Hill, in front of Thos. Downey residence;
Hydrant on Washington street, Dyer Hill, in front of Alonzo Dyer residence;
Have been"discontinued and replaced by Coffin Valve Co. hydrants.
WATER SUPPLY.
During the past season, we were forced to go to Great Pond for additional water. The temporary pumping station at Great Pond has proved itself valuable as an auxiliary to the Little Pond Plant.
Before starting the pumps at Great Pond, we were obliged to make some extended repairs to the intake pipe as the crib placed there in 1888 by Mr. John Cavanagh, was overturned and broken away from its fastenings by a heavy ice shove.
189
It was thought best by the Department to place a submerg- ed crib or strainer in the pond, which was done by carrying the suction main out into the pond, thus, enabling us to get water a greater distance from the shore, which has proved itself very much more satisfactory.
PUMPING STATIONS.
The station at Great Pond has been temporarily repaired to . meet its demands.
The slate has been replaced on the main buildings; the coal shed has been repaired with sheet iron sheeting and shingles ..
All the woodwork has been painted.
The brick work and foundation have been pointed up.
The superintendent would recommend that all doors and windows of the unused portion of this building be boarded up.
The grounds about the above station have been cleared up . to some extent, all in a temporary manner.
PUMPS.
The pumping machinery is in good condition, both at Little Pond and Great Pond, with the exception of the plunger rods, the pumps having been in use for a number of years without any repairs to the rods mentioned.
BOILERS.
The boilers are in good condition, both at Little Pond sta- tion and Great Pond station. All boilers have been examined by the Hartford Steam Boiler Insurance & Inspection Co., and are insured by them.
It was found necessary the past season to put two new- tubes into the boiler at Great Pond.
190
HYDRANT REPAIRS.
It has been necessary to make a number of changes in hy- drants, taking out the Whittier Machine Co. hydrants and re- placing them by others.
Also, we have taken out and repaired a number of leaking hydrants.
SERVICE REPAIRS.
During the past season, the Department has been obliged to take out and repair a number of the old service connections in the street, which have become rusted out.
Respectfully submitted,
W. E. MAYBURY, Superintendent.
191
TREASURER'S REPORT.
BENJ. F. DYER, TREASURER,
IN ACCOUNT WITH BOARD OF WATER COMMISSIONERS, TOWN OE BRAINTREE,
Jan. 1, 1933 to Dec. 31, 1903 inclusive.
Dr.
Balance on hand, Jan. 1. 1903
$30 35
Received from Henry A. Monk,
collector .
23,379 12
Town for hydrants
4,800 00
State National Bank interest .
64 83
Pay roll overdawn 1902, refunded
1 50
Wm. E. Maybury, superintendent sale of old iron 26 80
Wm. E. Maybury, superintendent
pay roll overdrawn
1 65
Wm. E. Maybury, superintendent wages not called for 27 70
$28,331 95
C.r.
Paid 204 orders drawn by Commis- sioners
.
$15,790 07
Cupons on $250,000.00 bonds 10,000 00
Interest on $6,000.00 notes .
240 00
State National Bank, exchange 40
Balance on hand Dec. 31, 1903
2,301 48
$28,331 95
192
Adjusted the accounts of Benj. F. Dyer, treasurer of the water department from January 1, 1903, to December 31, 1903, inclusive and the balance of $2,301.48 twenty three hundred one and 48-100 dollars deposited in the State National Bank, Boston.
DANIEL POTTER, Auditor.
Braintree, January 21, 1904.
193
Report of the Water Supply Committee
At the Annual Meeting of the Town in the year 1900 a committee of six was appointed, known as the Water Supply Committee, consisting of George H. Arnold, E. L. Emerson, E. E. Abercrombie, G. F. Hussey, F. A. Hobart, and G. D. Willis, to act in conjunction with the Board of Water Commissioners, to take into consideration the whole subject of a future water supply and report to the Town at some future time.
That Committee has been continued from time to time up to the present.
On September 19th, 1900, the first meeting of the commitee was held and an organization perfected.
At that meeting it was unanimously voted as the sense of the committee that the Town was in need of an additional sup- ply of water.
Many meetings have since been held and much work has been done.
So many propositions were presented and the situation assumed such importance that on January 20th, 1902 the com- mittee passed the following vote :
Voted : To instruct the Water Commissioners to secure the services of a competent engineer or engineers to thoroughly investigate the whole matter of water supply ; carefully consider all plans proposed by the committee, and to suggest any new plan he or they might think best.
Voted : That it is the sense of this Committee that all'
194
plans must be submitted to the State Board of Health before the committee makes its report to the town.
In compliance with the foregoing vote the services of Mr. William Wheeler an engineer of large experience and high reputation were secured.
Mr. Wheeler has thoroughly investigated the whole matter and rendered a report to the committee, said report consists of 62 closely typewritten pages ; as it would be very expensive to publish the whole of this report, the committee has thought it best to embody in their own report, the vital points of Mr. Wheeler's report, a copy of said report of Wheeler is on file in the office of the Water Department and will be shown anyone on request.
The subject was considered by Mr. Wheeler under several different heads, as follows :
1. Consumption of water in Braintree and adequacy of presence sources of supply.
2. Relations of Braintree, Randolph and Holbrook to each other with reference to the use of the waters of Great Pond.
3. Plans and cost of works for utilizing the waters of Great Pond.
First-Exclusively and independentdly of Little Pond ;'
Second-In addition to Little Pond but through a separate pumping station.
Third-In addition to Little Pond and through the same pumping station.
4. Filteration of the waters of Great and Little Pond both separately and together.
5. Admission to the Metropolitan system and cost of Metropolitan water supply for Braintree.
6. Comparative cost of future water supply by each of the several plans and methods referred to.
VII-RECAPITULATION AND CONCLUSIONS.
1. The present consumption of water in Braintree has
195
probably fully reached the average available yield of the Little Pond water shed, and certainly exceeds the supply available from that source in the driest period,-which is estimated to be about 435,000 gallons per day, with five feet in depth of stor- age.
2. The supply available from Great Pond during the driest period, with eight feet in depth of storage below present high water level, is estimated at 2,161,000 gallons per day ; and with the additional storage that would be afforded by raising the pond four feet, the dry weather yield would be about 2,703,000 gallons per day,
3. Hence if the use of the water of Great Pond by any town be limited to one-third of the supply, then the quantity available from both sources for Braintree's use during the driest period, would range from 1,155,000 gallons, daily with the high water level of Great Pond unchanged, to 1,336,000 gallons daily, with Great Pond raised four feet.
4. If, however, the waters of Great Pond be used in com- mon by Braintree, Randolph and Holbrook, according to their several needs, until the requirements of all of them shall reach the available dry weather supply, then the quantity available to Braintree from both sources would in the meantime be much greater.
Assuming that the population of Braintree will increase 25 per cent. in each ten years from 1900, with an average daily use per capita of 80 gallons, and that the population of Ran- dolph and Holbrook will increase 20 per cent. each in ten years with a daily consumption of 70 gallons per capita, the dry weather supply available from both ponds will provide for the requirements of the three towns until 1950, without raising Great Pond, and until 1960, by raising it four feet.
5. The use of Great Pond, either as the sole source of sup- ply for Braintree, or in addition to Little Pond, would be more ecnomically and advantageously accomplished through the pumping station at Little Pond than by the reconstruction, completion and equipment of the abandoned works at Great Pond.
1
196
6. Likewise, the filtration of the waters of Great Pond whether used as the sole, or as an additional supply, may be more economically accomplished at Little Pond than at Great Pond.
7. The estimates of the construction cost of the additional supply works and plant that would be required to pump and als > to filter the water of Great Pond, either locally, or at the Little Pond station, respectively, are as follows :
A. FOR SUPPLY WORKS AT GREAT POND.
Completing and equipping Pumping Station and completing forcemain Slow Sand Filters, covered 45,000 00
$30,215 78
Total $75,215 78 .
B. FOR SUPPLY WORKS AT LITTLE POND. Conduit Great Pond to Little Pond Station .
$25,925 60
Additional Pumping Engine . .
. 7,820 00
$33,745 60
Slow Sand Filters, covered
37,500 00
Total . $71,245 60
8. The estimated amount of the investment and construc- tion outlay that would be required to obtain a supply from the Metropolitan Water System is as follows : Pamping Station at the Quincy-Braintree line . $30,000 00 ·
Forcemain from Pumping Station to corner of Washington and Elm Streets .
6,800 00
$36,800 00
Admission to the Metropolitan Water 1
District 35,000 00
Total
71,800 00
197
9. The annual cost of water supplied in the mains of the Town, as estimated by each of the methods described, would be as follows :-
CONDITIONS OF SUPPLY.
Works at Lit- Worksas Metropolita tle Pond. Great Pond. Supply 100 4.
1. TRIPLE EXPANSION ENGINE.
A. 600,000 gals. supplied daily, 66 filtered
2.063 30
2,388 30
Total
$6,166 06
$7,190 86
$13,860 70
B. 800,000 gals. supplied daily,
$4,560 33
$5,380 06
filtered
2,209 40
2,534 40
Total
$6,769 73
$7 914 46
unknown
2. HIGH DUTY ENGINE.
C. 800,000 gals. supplied daily, 66
$4,656 88 $5.411 56
filtered
2,209 40
2,534 40
Total
$6,866 29
$7,945 96
unknown
D. 1,000,000 gals. supplied daily,
$5,163 23
$6,014 06
6.
filtered
2,355 50
2,630 50
Total
$7,523 78
$8,694 56
unknown
10. The total cost per million gallons of water filtered and placed in the mains, as estimated, would be as follows :-
Works at Lit- Wor sat Metropolitin tle Pond Great Pond Supply 1904.
A. 600,000 gals, supplied daily,
$28 13
$32 82
$63 25
B. 800:00 )
23 17
27 08
unknown
C. 800,000 66
23 49
27 19
D. 1,000,000
20 60
23 81
66
In conclusion, as between the sanitary protection and the further development and utilization of one or both of the sources of supply which the town now has at its disposal and in actual use, and the abandonment thereof for a supply from the Metropolitan Water System, it seems clear that sanitary con- ditions, economy of service, and the non-dependence of the town upon external conditions affecting its water service, all point to the policy of retaining the supplies now in hand, and making for such protection, development and improvement thereof as the highest considerations of good service may re- quire.
$4,102 76 $1,802 56
198
For the further development and utilization of the sources already possessed by the town, it is likewise clear that consider- ations of accessibility and convenience, the ultimate amount of money required to be invested, economy in annual fixed charges and operating expenses, and facility for conserving and using the waters of either or both ponds, all point to the con- tinued maintenance at Little Pond of the pumping station, for pumping the entire supply, and the establishment there in due time, -according to the water to be used and the sanitary con- dition thereof,-of a covered slow sand filter plant.
The first work required to carry this plan into effect would be the construction of the conduit from Great Pond to the Lit- tle Pond station, to be immediately followed by the temporary discontinu ince of the use of Little Pond. The larger pumping engine proposed should as a measure of economy, as well as of security in maintaining the supply, be installed at the same time. The town can then deal with the sanitary protection and improvement of Little Pond and the question of filtration at such times and in such manner as condtions then existing may require.
Respectfully submitted,
WILLIAM WHEELER.
Boston, February 24, 1903.
Your committee after a careful consideration of the report of its engineer, voted to recommend the following:
That the Town, at once, cause the waters of Great Pond to to be brought down to our present filter gallery by gravity as suggested by Mr. Wheeler and appropriate the sum of $26,000 dollars for that purpose.
The committee also voted to recommend that the town make an appropriation, the amount to be determined by the Town, for the commencement of a system of meters, to be es- tablished under the direction of the Water Commissioners.
Respectfully submitted, JAMES T. STEVENS,
Chairman of the Committee.
199
REPORT OF STATE BOARD OF HEALTH.
Braintree, April 1, 1903.
TO THE HONORABLE STATE BOARD OF HEALTH,
STATE HOUSE, BOSTON, MASS.
GENTLEMEN-At the request of the Special Committee on Water Supply for the Town of Braintree, acting jointly with the Water Commissioners of said Town, I respectfully submit herewith for such consideration and advice as is appropriate under the duties imposed upon you by the State, a report upon an additional and improved water supply for the Town of Braintree by William Wheeler, Civil Engineer, together with a report and recommendations thereon which the Special Com- mittee propose to submit to the Town at an early meeting.
You will observe by this report that the Committee recom- mend entering upon the first step toward procuring an ad- ditional and improved water supply recommened by Mr. Wheeler.
JAMES T. STEVENS, Chairman of Committee.
REPLY OF THE STATE BOARD OF HEALTH.
OFFICE OF THE STATE BOARD
OF HEALTH, STATE HOUSE,
BOSTON, MASS., May 7, 1903.
To the Water Supply Committee of the Town of Braintree Mr. James T. Stevens, Chairman.
GENTLEMEN :-
The State Board of Health received from you on April 1, 1903, an application for advice relative to an additional and improved water supply for the Town of Braintree, accompanied
200
by a report of your committee and of your engineer, Mr. Wil- liam Wheeler, of Boston, containing the results of investiga- tions of the various sources available to the town and estimates of the cost of an additional water supply by several plans, in- cluding a supply from Great Pond in Randolph and Braintree, either alone or in connection with your other sources, and a supply from the Metropolitan water district.
In response to your application the Board has caused the sources available for the supply of the town to be examined by its engineer, and has carefully considered the results of previous investigations of these sources and the reports and in- formation submitted by your committee.
Experience with the filter gallery and wells near Little Pond has already shown clearly that they are incapable of sup- plying a sufficient quantity of water for the needs of the town in the drier parts of the year and, even if water should be drawn directly from Little Pond, the yield of the works would still be insufficient for the town in a dry period.
The Board has already, in previous communications, called attention to the serious pollution of Little Pond from the large population on its watershed and to the danger of using this pond as a source of domestic water supply without purifying the water. The water of the filter gallery and tubular wells is also affected by the large quantity of sewage discharged into the ground from the population adjacent to the pond on the side upon which these works are located and by imperfectly filtered pond water and, as you have already been advised, while this water may not at present be unsafe for drinking, the circum- stances attending its pollution are such that it is liable to be- come unsafe at any time.
Great Pond, the source of water supply now used by the towns of Randolph and Holbrook, is also available as a source of supply for Braintree, and it appears that the three towns have rights to equal shares of its waters. ' This pond is situated at such an elevation that it is practicable to draw water from it to your present pumping station by gravity, and it is probable that the source is capable of furnishing a sufficient
201
supply of water for Braintree for the next 20 years or more, allowing for a reasonable growth in population and in the use of water and for the quantity of water which may be diverted by the towns of Randolph and Holbrook.
The watershed of Great Pond contains much of the thickly populated portion of the town of Randolph, and when the pond was first proposed as a source of water supply for Randolph and Holbrook this Board advised that measures be taken for removing pollution from the pond by the construction of sewers to remove the sewage from thickly settled areas, but no sewers or works for preventing the pollution of the waters appear to have been constructed as yet. There are also several sources of pollution in the immediate neighborhood of the pond.
The water of the pond at times is quite highly colored and contains a large amount of organic matter, due to the presence of microscopic organisms in considerable numbers and to the con- tact of the water with vegetable matter in swamps on its water- shed and to the character of the pond itself, which is shallow with a muddy bottom over a large area. Owing to these conditions the water of this pond, if used directly for the supply of the town, would be at times objectionable for drink- ing and for other domestic purposes on account of a disagree- able taste and odor and might also be injurious to health unless adequate provision should be made to prevent its pollution by the population on its watershed. The water can undoubtedly be efficiently purified by filtration so that it would be safe for drinking and free from objectionable taste and odor, and it ap- pears from the information furnished you that it is practi- cable to locate suitable filters near your pumping station and to filter the water from Great Pond by gravity at this place.
By taking a supply of water from the Metropolitan water . supply district, an ample supply of good water could be ob- tained for Braintree, but the cost of a supply from this source judging from the information available to the Board, would probably be much greater at the present time than the cost of of taking water from Great Pond, and purifying it by filtration near your present pumping station, and there would be no ad-
202
vantage in the quality of the water of the Metropolitan district over the filtered water if the water filtration works were prop- erly constructed and maintained
Considering all the circumstances the Board is of the opinion that the best plan for enlarging and improving the water supply of Braintree is to take water from Great Pond in Randolph and Braintree and convey it to the neighborhood of your present pumping station and there purify it by filtration. Provision can be made also for drawing water from Little Pond, if neces- sary, since this water would be suitable for the purpose after filtration but, on account of the necessity for pumping, the cost of using water from this source would be greater than the cost of the water from Great Pond.
It is very important also that suitable provision be made for preventing, so far as practicable, all pollution of Great Pond, and if Little Pond is to be used as a source of supply or the filter gallery near it, a sewerage system should be provided for removing the sewage from the neighborhood of this pond.
By order of the Board, SAMUEL W. ABBOTT,
Secretary.
ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE
School Committee
OF THE
Town of Braintree
MASSACHUSETTS
!
FOR THE YEAR ENDING DECEMBER 31, 1903
LOL
EE
M
1640 SSACHUS
BEE PRINT : PRATT & PRATT, PUBLISHERS. BRAINTREE, MASS. 1904.
205
School Committee. -
William C. Harding, Chairman, Hollis avenue, Braintree. Term expires in 1905.
Thomas A. Watson, Quincy avenue, East Braintree. Term expires in 1906.
Mrs. A. M. Brooks, Franklin street, South Braintree. Term expires in 1904.
Albion C. Drinkwater, Elm street, Braintree. Term expires in 1904.
Mrs. Carrie F. Loring, Front street, East Braintree. Term expires in 1905.
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