USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Braintree > Town annual report of Braintree, Massachusetts for the year 1909 > Part 9
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"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 remov- ing pollution from the pond by the construction of sewers to re- move 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 pollu- tion in the immediate neighborhood of the pond.
"The water of the pond at times is quite highly colored and '
163
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 con- ditions, the water of this pond, if used directly for the supply of the town, would be at times objectionable for drinking and for other domestic purposes on account of a disagreeable taste and odor, and might also be injurious to health unless adequate pro- vision 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 appears, from the information furnished by you, that it is practicable to locate suitable filters near your pumping station and to filter the water from Great Pond by gravity at this place.
"It is very important also that suitable provision be made for preventing, as 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."
In providing for the removal and disposal of the sewage it is necessary first to make an estimate of the population to be served by the sewerage system in order to determine the quantity of sewage to be provided for. It is common practice to construct a sewerage system of a sufficient size to provide for the require- ments for a period of from thirty to forty years, except in those portions of the system which can readily be extended at some future time. It is impossible to foretell the future population of any city or town, since the growth in population depends upon so many different factors which cannot be controlled or foreseen. In the case of Braintree, however, situated within ten miles of a metropolis and provided with excellent train service, there would seem to be no doubt that the growth of the town will be constant and rapid. Any design for sewerage should, therefore, contain provision for a large growth in the population. The following table gives the population of Braintree, as shown by the census during each census year since 1875, together with a careful estimate of the future population to 1940:
164
Year.
Population.
1875
4,156
1880
3,855
1885
4,040
1890
4,848
1895
5,311
1900.
5,981
1905
6,879
Year.
Estimated Future Population.
1910
8,300
1915
9,900
1920
11,700
. 13,800 1925
1930
.16,300
1935
.19,300
1940
. 23,000
The built up portions of Braintree are chiefly within the valley of Monatiquot River, which enters Weymouth Fore River at East Braintree. There is considerable population, however, within the watershed of Town Brook, which drains the north- westerly section of the town and flows through the city of Quincy. The general elevation of the village of South Braintree is about 100 feet above sea level, the village of Braintree is in general about 80 feet above sea level, while East Braintree is much lower, some parts of this village being not much above tide water level.
There is no point in the town at which it would be feasible to collect all of the sewage by gravity, but the sewage from a large proportion of the population can be collected either at East Braintree or in the valley of Town Brook near the Quincy line. In either case there would be a small section of the town which could not be served by gravity, and if it is desirable to collect all of the sewage at one point, it will be necessary to pump a small quantity collected from a limited area.
5 Blacks Creek
SEWER
METROPOLITAN
Com
Town
River Bay
Quincy
Quincy Cen.
-
East Braintree
Braintree
N. Y. NH. & H. R.R. MAIN SEWER
R
E/ E
Squth Braintree
Great Pond
WEYMOUTH
- Sketch - Showing Possible Method of Collecting and Disposing of the Sewage of Braintree
William S.Johnson - Sanitary Engineer Boston - Mass
Scale
I'MILE
0
PROPOSED
Quincy Reservoirs
BIR
A
ttle Pond
166
Whatever system or disposal is adopted, it would appear that there are only two feasible plans for collecting the sewage, first, to construct a main sewer from South Braintree through the valley of Monatiquot River to East Braintree, and, second, to construct the main sewer from South Braintree to Braintree and thence by a deep cut into the valley of Town Brook. If the sewage should be collected at East Braintree, it is possible that arrangements might be made for discharging the sewage col- lected within the valley of Town Brook into the Quincy sewers, but it is likely that this would involve considerable difficulty, since the Quincy sewers are probably of insufficient size to take the sewage from any considerable additional area. If all of the sewage should be collected in the valley of Town Brook, leaving East Braintree to be provided for in some other way, it would be possible to collect the sewage from this village at some central point and pump it by a small motor driven pump into the main sewer at Braintree; or, if the town of Weymouth should provide a sewerage system, the sewage at East Braintree could be cared for at the same time, as the sewage of this village could un- doubtedly be discharged by gravity at any point at which the sewage of Weymouth may be collected.
There appear to be only two feasible methods of disposing of the sewage, first, by purifying it upon sand filter beds by the system known as intermittent sand filtration, second, by dis- charging it into the harbor either through an independent outlet or through the Metropolitan sewers. The feasibility of purify- ing the sewage was carefully considered by the State Board of Health in 1900, and as a result of their investigations the follow- ing statement is made by their engineer in the report upon the discharge of sewage into Boston Harbor, presented to the Legis- lature in 1900 :
"The problem of the disposal of the sewage of this town is one of much difficulty; and, so far as investigations have been made, it is likely that it will be found desirable to find a suitable outlet for the sewage, if possible, since there does not appear to be any suitable area available for the purification of the sewage of the town without pumping to a considerable elevation and for a long distance."
Further investigations which have recently been made show
1
167
that it is possible to find an area on which the sewage can be purified, but the only suitable areas which appear to be available are in the southerly part of the town, and in order to reach them it will be necessary to collect all of the sewage at the lower end of the town and to pump it back through a long distance to a considerable elevation. Such a system would be very expensive to construct and to maintain, and, while it would be perfectly feasible to do it, were there no other system of disposal available, the cost would be much more than the cost of disposing of the sewage in some other manner.
The cost of an independent outlet into the harbor at any point where the discharge of sewage would be permitted is abso- lutely prohibitive so that this method of disposal need not be con- sidered. The State Board of Health in the report already re- ferred to suggests means by which Braintree could combine with other towns for disposing of the sewage. The sewage from Wey- mouth and a large part of the sewage from Braintree could be collected at a point near the Braintree and Weymouth line and near Weymouth Fore River, and should the two towns unite, a pumping station could be constructed at that place, and the sewage pumped into the high level sewer of the South Metro- politan Sewerage District. In this case it would be necessary to dispose of the sewage in the valley of Town Brook by pumping, or it might be possible to discharge it into the sewers of the city of Quincy.
If the sewage is collected at East Braintree, it will be neces- sary to pump it at all times in order to discharge it into the Metropolitan ·sewers, which means a constant expense for main- tenance. If the sewage is collected in the valley of Town Brook, it will be possible to discharge it into the high level sewer of the South Metropolitan District by gravity, and the only sewage which must be pumped will be that from East Braintree. To collect the sewage in the valley of Town Brook it would be necessary to lay a sewer through River Street across Washington Street in Braintree with a rather deep cut for a short distance, · but there would be no especial difficulties in the construction of such a line and the expense would not be excessive. If this were done, the sewage could be conveyed to the Quincy line, where, if the town is permitted to enter the South Metropolitan District,
168
the district would take the sewage and convey it to the high level sewer by gravity, constructing at its own expense all of the neces- sary sewers beyond the Braintree line. The sewage of the village of East Braintree could be collected in a small tank and pumped automatically by means of an electrically driven pump into the main sewer near the Braintree Station. The expense of this work would not be large, and it is certain that the expense of disposing of th esewage in this manner would be less than the expense of collecting all of the sewage of the town at East Braintree and pumping it into the Metropolitan sewer from that point.
There is no question but that the town of Braintree could obtain permission from the Legislature to enter the Metropolitan District, since it is obvious from the investigations made by the State authorities and others that the most feasible method of disposing of the sewage of the town is by discharging it into the harbor, and it is also obvious that an independent outlet into the harbor at any point where the sewage would not cause objectionable conditions would be so expensive as to render it out of the question. Towns have been admitted from time to time into the Metropolitan District since the district was established, and the same legislation could undoubtedly be secured for the town of Braintree. The cost to the Metropolitan District of tak- ing the sewage of Braintree would not be large, since a sewer can be laid in the valley of Town Brook through Quincy which will have a good grade without any deep cutting.
The only system of sewerage which can reasonably be con- sidered for this town is what is known as the separate system which is used for the collection of house sewage only and from which all street water and, as far as possible, ground water are excluded. By excluding from the sewers everything but the house sewage the sewers can be made much smaller, and in a case like this, where the sewage must be conveyed for a long distance to some point of disposal, it is desirable to keep the quantity as small as possible. There is no difficulty in disposing of the comparatively clean water from the surface in existing brooks, and this can be done at a smaller expense than by at- tempting to build a combined system of sewers for the town.
In connection with the sewerage system it will probably be
169
found desirable to lay underdrains beneath the sewers for the purpose of lowering the ground water level in the vicinity, which is now very near the surface in places, and thus, at the same time that the sewage is removed, effect another much needed sanitary improvement. These underdrains can discharge into any con- venient water courses, since the water discharged from them will be clear and unobjectionable.
The main sewer would start at South Braintree in the vicinity of Pearl Street and would follow the edge of the hard land on the westerly side of the meadows which border the Monatiquot River to River Street, then along River Street across Washington Street to a point within the valley of Town Brook, whence it would follow a course which has not been determined to the Quincy line. This main sewer would be from 15 inches to 24 inches in diameter, the smaller size being used where good grades can be obtained.
The cost of the main sewer from the Village of South Brain- tree to the Quincy line in the valley of Town Brook is estimated to be about $35,000. This would provide for the removal of all of the sewage from the district which it would serve for a period of from thirty to forty years in the future. The cost of laying the sewers in the streets will not be large, since comparatively little rock is likely to be encountered in excavation, although there will undoubtedly be considerable water in the trenches which must be handled. The underdrains will assist materially in the construction of the sewers, since they will take care of the water in the trenches while the sewers are being laid. The cost of the lateral sewers may be estimated at about $6000 per mile of sewer, and when the main sewers are laid, these lateral sewers can be laid to connect with them from time to time as the neces- sity arises.
The cost of constructing a small tank to receive the sewage of East Braintree and erecting an electrically driven pump with a cast iron force main from the pump to the main sewer in Braintree would be about $12,000.
If the sewage is discharged into the Metropolitan System, the cost of maintaining the sewerage system within the town will be very small, since the only work which will be required is to keep them from getting clogged by occasional flushing. The
170
annual charge which would be made by the South Metropolitan Sewerage District is based upon the population and valuation of the town. The interest and sinking fund requirements of the district are divided among the different towns in proportion to the valuation, and the cost of maintenance and operation in pro- portion to the population. A readjustment is made of this pro- portion every five years, but, according to the apportionment now in operation, the town of Braintree would be required to pay about 1.22 per cent of the total interest and sinking fund in the South Metropolitan District, which would amount at the present time to $5000. For the maintenance and operation of the system the town would be required to pay, under the present system, about 2.60 per cent of the total cost of operation, which would amount to $2300 per year, making the total assessment $7300 per year.
In addition to this it is possible that an extra payment would be required in view of the fact that the other cities and towns in the district have already paid a substantial sum into the sinking fund, and the town might be required to pay a small additional amount as its share of the amount already paid for the construction of the system. The total assessment, however, would probably not exceed $8000 per year.
The Statutes provide that a portion of the cost of the con- struction of the sewerage system shall be paid by those benefited by the sewers, and it is common to assess about one half of the cost in this way, the interest and sinking fund requirements for the remainder of the cost being met by general taxation. The method of making such assessments upon those benefited by the sewers is a matter which requires considerable study of the local conditions. There are various systems in use, based upon the frontage of the property upon the street, the area of the property, the valuation, and in some cases a fixed charge is made for each house or family using the sewers. It is customary to extend any assessment over a period of from five to ten years in order to lighten the burden upon those paying the assessment.
In order to give an indication of the probable cost to the abutters a table is appended giving the assessment in various cities and towns in this part of Massachusetts reduced to a price per front foot. It will be seen from this table that the cost to
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the abutters is in the vicinity of seventy-five cents per front foot,. which would mean that a person owning a lot with 100 foot frontage on the streets would be called upon to pay $75.00 to -- ward the cost of the sewerage system, and if this were divided' into ten equal payments, it would be necessary for the property owner to pay $7.50 per year for ten years. In some cases the. cost of maintaining the sewerage system is paid for in part by an annual rental, the sewer rates being collected in the same man- ner as the water rates, and the amount collected being dependent upon the quantity of water used as indicated by meters. In other cases the entire cost of maintenance is paid from general taxation. The best method of paying for the sewers and for- maintaining them is a matter which cannot be determined with- out a careful consideration of all of the local conditions, but if the sewage of the town is discharged into the Metropolitan sewers, there will be no uncertainty as to the cost of mainte- nance, since this will be practically a fixed charge and an equit- able basis for assessing the cost can be readily arrived at.
As a result of my investigation I would recommend that application be made to the Legislature for permission to enter the South Metropolitan District and that the sewage be deliv- ered to the Metropolitan District at the Quincy line in the valley of Town Brook, so far as it is possible to do so by a gravity system. The sewage from East Braintree should be pumped® into the main sewer at Braintree.
Plans of the town should be made, with accurate profiles of the streets, and a complete system of sewers for all of the built up portions of the town should be prepared. It will be possible- to make accurate estimates of the cost only after this is done, but the figures given in the preceding pages I believe to be sufficiently accurate to furnish a basis for a preliminary report of this nature.
Respectfully submitted, WILLIAM S. JOHNSON, Consulting Engineer ..
172
TABLE SHOWING ASSESSMENTS FOR SEWERS IN VARIOUS CITIES AND TOWNS IN MASSA- CHUSETTS.
City or Town. Cefalee
Proportion of Cost assessed on Abutters.
Total Assessment Reduced to Front Foot.
Arlington .8.603
$0 80
Dedham 7.457
1/2
0 80
Hyde Park
1/2
0 82
Medford
18.2.44
1/2
0 65
Melrose
1/2
0 70
Milton
1-3
1 00
Stoneham
1/2
0 48
Swampscott
0 62
Winchester
1.2.4 8
1/2
0 95
Braintien
5981
DUMPS.
The Board spends all its money set apart for this purpose and before the end of the year, all it ought to be obliged to spend. Instructions to scavengers in the three sections of the town are to burn them out, and cover with dry earth. Some of our residents rather than have the material conveyed to an authorized dump and be properly cared for persist in taking the law in their own hands and deface the highways in their imme- diate localities.
In one or two instances we have succeeded in preventing this, but it must be remembered that this procedure only means added expense in costs and conveyance to specified dumps.
The Hollis Ave., dump has been closed, and one opened on land of N. E. Hollis in the extreme rear of Hollis Block. Any advice or assistance in relation to these matters by citizens or improvement societies will be gladly entertained by this depart- ment.
Respectfully submitted, HENRY L. DEARING, M. D. C. A. SULLIVAN, M. D. F. HERBERT GILE, M. D.
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173
REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES OF THAYER. PUBLIC LIBRARY.
During the year 1909 steady progress has been made on the- card catalogue. About one-fifth of the work is completed. Lack of income prevents more rapid advance.
An increase of thirty-five per cent. in the circulation and of seventy per cent. in the number of borrowers is an indication of the growing interest in and enlarged usefulness of the. Library.
The experiment of arranging for a reading-room and a. place for exchange of books in East Braintree has met with such favor that the Trustees can no longer regard it as an experiment,. but look upon it as their settled policy for that part of the town. The room is open Monday afternoon, and Monday and Thursday evenings.
Mr. George O. Wales has been appointed to fill the place' made vacant by the removal from town of Rev. F. R. Griffin.
ALBERT E. AVERY,
BENJAMIN F. DYER,
WM. GALLAGHER,
WM. C. HARDING,
GEORGE O. WALES.
THAYER PUBLIC LIBRARY. Wm. C. Harding, Treasurer.
Treasurer's Report for Year ending December 31,'1909 .. RECEIPTS.
Cash on deposit Dec. 31, 1908 in State Street
$27 08.
Trust Co., Boston.
1,200 00
From Town Treasurer
400 00
Interest on Town note.
100 00
Interest on Stetson note
Caroline M. Wilkinson, Librarian, for fines, lost books, etc ..
118 25
Refund from Town Treasurer for cash paid for carting books to E. Braintree.
8 00.
Interest on bank balance for year ending Dec. 31,
174
'09 3 98
Interest on deposit ($172 50) in Home Savings Bank, Boston. 3 44
Quarterly dividend on 1 share Faneuil Hall Na- tional Bank. 1 75
$1,862 50
EXPENDITURES.
Caroline M. Wilkinson, librarian.
$600 00
Alice A. Holbrook, assistant librarian 300 00
C. H. Hobart & Son, insurance.
139 00
The Palmer Co., Boston, magazines
92 27
Wm. Leavrus & Co., Boston, chairs for Library and E. Braintree. 91 60
Town of Braintree, electric lighting
74 76
Library Bureau, Boston, catalog case, cards, and date guides. 104 31
Miss Abbie L. Allen, extra work for eight weeks.
64 00
Woodsum Coal Co., coal.
74 00
J. F. Sheppard & Son, coal.
60 00
Supplies, expressing, postage, paper and inciden- tals per the librarian. 52 93
Jno. G. Thomas, Quincy, repairing gutters and roof 18 06
Michelson Bros., Boston, binding books. 17 28
Jas. F. Dacey, 1 stove for E. Braintree reading room
16 50
Herbert R. Lane & Co., Boston, 1 mat.
13 13
H. W. Borden, work at Library
12 61
Michelson Bros., Boston, binding books.
32 14
J. F. Sheppard & Son, coal and wood for E. Braintree 9 15
Oliver A. Tellier, carting books to E. Braintree. . 8 00
Peter Ness, painting door and sash. 6 63
A. Warren Hobart, 1 box for books.
6 00
Derby Desk Co., Boston, 1 umbrella stand.
8 50
Town of Braintree, water tax for 1 year.
11 00
Geo. W. Prescott Pub. Co., Manilla pockets, and printing cards. 9 75
Geo. W. Prescott & Sons, Braintree Observer, 1 yr. 2 00
175
R. Allen Gage, cleaning cellar, etc 5 10
A. L. Hobart, electric fixtures at E. Braintree. . . 5 30
Gaylord Bros., Syracuse, N. Y.,' labels, daters, pads, etc. 3 00
The Century Co., New York, magazines
2 73
Boston Transcript, 1 year.
Oliver Typewriter Co., ribbons. 3 00
2 39
A. W. Baker ,carting 7 bdls. chairs
1 75
Thos. J. Cain, moving table and chairs to E. Braintree
1 50
Braintree Electric Light Dept., cleaning wires in stacks
1 50
Richard Belyea, sharpening lawn mower. 2 25
Wm. F. Bourbeau, repairing pipe.
85
Remington Typewriter Co., 1 record ribbon. 75 . Thomas H. Gould, 1 light of glass in cellar window 60
Cash on hand December 31, 1909
8 16
$1,862 50
Have examined the accounts of Wm. C. Harding, Treasurer for the Trustees of Thayer Public Library, and find the same to be correct as above stated, with vouchers to Dec. 31st, 1909, in- clusive, and balance of eight 16-100 ($8.16) deposited in State Street Trust Company, Boston, Mass.
WM. A. McKEAN, Auditor.
Braintree, Mass., January 20th, 1910.
NATHANIEL H. HUNT LEGACY INCOME ACCOUNT, FOR YEAR ENDING DEC. 31, 1909. Wm. C. Harding, Treasurer. INCOME.
1909
Apr. 22. Cash paid Town Treasurer $320 00
July 7. Cash paid Town Treasurer 100 00
July 27. Cash paid Town Treasurer 200 00
Sept. 7. Cash paid Town Treasurer
50 00
Dec. 4. Cash paid Town Treasurer 60 00
Dec. 31. Cash paid Town Treasurer
198 24
$938 24
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EXPENDITURES.
W. B. Clarke Co., Boston, books $493 77
Dodd, Mead & Co., books .. 90 00
Chivers Book Binding Co., New York, books 42 25
Houghton, Mifflin & Co., Boston, books. 17 50
Ralph L. Gerry, books. 12 00
Elmer E. Hayes, books. 4 50
The H. R. Hunttling Co., Inc., New York, books.
The Catholic World, New York, books 6 76
3 00
The Palmer Co., Boston, magazines
208 16
The American Press. 5 00
Cash on hand December 31, 1909. 55 30
$938 24
Have examined the account of the Nathaniel H. Hunt Legacy Income Account as made by Wm. C. Harding, Treasurer for the Trustees of the Thayer Public Library, and find the same to be correct.
WM. A. McKEAN, Auditor.
Braintree, Mass., Jan. 20th, 1910.
STATISTICS.
Number of books in the Library. 14,856
Number of books added during year 1909 404
Number of books circulated 31,675
Number of books circulated in East Braintree 7,003
Largest daily circulation, April 16.
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