USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Swampscott > Town annual report of Swampscott 1891 > Part 4
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Thirdly, it may be discharged into the bay at deep water, near Dread Ledge, whence the currents will disperse it and by dilution cause it to disappear.
Aside from the question of cost there are both advantages and disadvantages in each of the three methods of disposal. The discharge of the sewage into the Lynn System, or into the ocean at Dread Ledge, would relieve the Town of any further care after it had once entered the outfall sewer. While, if discharged upon filtration grounds, it would require constant attention and must be carefully distributed over, the different beds, so that no nuisance would arise therefrom, and so that purification would be accomplished. It is hardly to be feared that the effluent water from these grounds would ultimately reach the pumps which, about a mile to the north- east, supply the Town of Marblehead with water. But if this, nevertheless, should be feared, several deep drains can be laid to intercept the effluent water, and to conduct it into the brook which discharges near the foot of Beach Bluff avenue.
On the other hand, the disposal of the sewage upon these grounds causes it at once to be thoroughly purified and to obviate any further trouble. While, if discharged into the Lynn system it adds to the quantity eventually to be dealt with by that city, and if discharged into the Bay, which would be entirely unobjectionable in the way , of producing any
75
REPORT OF SELECTMEN.
nuisance, it may, however, be considered by some to be a con- stant menace to the healthfulness of the shores and depreciate their value.
From these considerations I should rank the value of the methods of sewage disposal for Swampscott as follows :
First, a disposal on land near Salem street ; second, a dis- charge into the Lynn system, and, third, a discharge into the Bay near Dread Ledge.
It will now be in place to consider some of the elements which govern the design in each one of these three cases, so as to indicate the general features and to estimate the cost.
There are four independent localities which lie so low that to sewer them to any of the proposed outfalls, it is necessary to pump some sewage. One is near the mouth of Stacey Brook, another near the Ocean House, a third near the foot of Beach Bluff avenue, and the fourth is at Palmer's Pond. As it would, of course, be very costly to have four pumping stations, each with the necessary engineers and firemen, it is intended to have but one, and to use at the other points sew- age ejectors, which lift the sewage by means of compressed air, supplied through special pipes from the pumping station. Such ejectors are used for a similar purpose in several Eng- lish cities and in the Houses of Parliament in London, and in Chicago.
When sewage must be pumped, as in your case, or when it must be treated on land, it is desirable to keep its quantity as small and its flow as regular as possible. We should, there- fore, endeavor to exclude from the sewers not only the ground water, but also the rain water, and confine them to the reception of sewage alone. The separate system of sewerage should, therefore, be adopted in your Town. Both rain water and ground water can be led to any points along the shores by other channels, without objection, and at a less cost than if united with the sewage and, consequently, sharing in its method of disposal. The cost of the latter depends more upon the bulk than the degree of foulness of the water.
The quantity of sewage to be provided for is somewhat dependent on the amount of the water supply. It is given as I25,000 gallons per day in winter, and as 900,000 gallons per day in summer. The latter quantity includes a large amount of water used for sprinkling purposes, and therefore does not represent the amount of sewage to be expected. The popu- lation in the winter is given as about 3,000 and in summer as
76
REPORT OF SELECTMEN.
about 5,000. In winter, therefore, the water consumption is about 42 gallons per head per day. If we assume that that part of the summer consumption which reaches the sewers is 70 gallons per head per day, we will have 350,000 gallons as the amount of sewage which would be collected from the present summer population, by a complete system of sewer- age. It is, of course, necessary in planning works adequate for the future, to calculate for a larger quantity, and in pro- portioning the sizes on the accompanying plans, and for the purpose of making comparative estimates of cost, I have assumed that over three times this amount will be carried away by the sewers.
The slopes which have been given to the sewers are the best obtainable without unduly increasing the excavation or the height of pumping. In some instances, notwithstanding, it was necessary to have deep cuts and some which are in rock.
Details were considered only as far as they affected the general design. At present it is only necessary to determine the manner of disposing of the sewage and to consider the .
elements having a bearing thereon. When this is once decided the sewerage system can be planned in detail to better advantage than now. But to indicate the general alignments which will probably be found most advantageous for those areas which may soon need sewerage, I have drawn such sewers upon the plans with purple lines.
In order to enable you to see more clearly the arrangements required for disposing of the sewage in the three ways men- tioned above, I have prepared three plans as follows :
Project I. Discharge into Lynn Intercepting Sewer. Project II. Discharge on Filtration Grounds near Salem street. Project III. Discharge into Bay near Dread Ledge.
The natural drainage areas are plainly marked with brown lines and show the extent of the territory draining into the brook emptying near the foot of Beach Bluff avenue, into Palmer's Pond, into the swamp back of the Beach School House, and to the mouth of Stacey Brook.
In order to make a fair comparison between the several projects, those sewers which are the same in all of them are colored differently (purple) from those which vary (red), and for which latter alone the comparative estimates of cost are given. Those sewers which are common to each project are nearly all eight inch pipes, the total cost of which, in dry
77
REPORT OF SELECTMEN.
earth excavation, may be reckoned at $1. 10 per lineal foot, including manholes.
If it is desired to sewer the buildings on Humphrey street, between the Farms School House and Ocean avenue, before it is desired to sewer any other part of the Beach Bluff Brook drainage area, it is practicable by a deep cut to lay a sewer down Humphrey street, southerly from Ocean avenue to the Pumping Station, near the Beach School House.
Other minor changes may be found to be indicated when the immediate demands for sewerage of certain localities pre- sent themselves.
As it is necessary to pump some of the Swampscott sew- age near the foot of Stacey Brook, and as there is a small territory in the City of Lynn which would naturally drain to this point, and which will likewise require a pumping of its sewage, it might be well to enter into an arrangement with the City of Lynn for a joint Pumping Station at this point.
While for convenience I have treated the three projects separately, it is of course possible to adopt part of one and part of another. For instance, the sewage from the southern part of the Town may be carried into the Lynn Interceptor, while that from the northern part may be carried to the pro- posed filtration grounds. If it is found that better terms can be secured by admitting a smaller amount of sewage into the Lynn System, I should consider such a division preferable.
It has been endeavored to arrange the alignments so that as little sewage as practicable would require lifting. . Owing to the rocky territory frequently encountered, an interception of the sewage so as to flow off by gravity becomes very ex- pensive, and particularly so when streets are not available at suitable points. Therefore it is often found cheaper to lift the sewage artificially than to intercept it, especially when lifting stations are for other reasons necessary.
PROJECT I.
DELIVERING THE SEWAGE INTO THE LYNN SYSTEM.
The joining sewer is an .18 inch pipe. A large portion of it would be within the limits of the City of Lynn. It follows Superior to Pine and Boynton to Burrill street, then decreases in size and follows Burrill to Humphrey street. At Monument avenue it receives from an ejector the sewage which is col- lected from the low district near Stacey Brook and from Par- adise Road. At Blaney street it receives the sewage from
78
REPORT OF SELECTMEN.
the Pumping Station back of Beach School House. At this station the sewage from Orient street and from the northern part of the Town is collected. From Palmer's Pond and back of the Hotel Preston, the sewage reaching these low points by gravity, is lifted by ejectors into a pumping main passing along Atlantic avenue to Forrest avenue, whence it runs by gravity through Humphrey street to the Pumping Station.
PROJECT II.
DELIVERING THE SEWAGE UPON FILTRATION GROUNDS NEAR SALEM STREET.
I am informed by Mr. A. R. Bunting and Mr. Charles W. Gay that the territory which is indicated upon the map by a light green tint, consists of gravel and sand, such as may be seen in the gravel pits near by. The surface layer, about 12 to 18 inches in depth, is loam soil. For the purpose of sew- age filtration this covering would have to be removed so as to expose the porous material below. I am informed that this soil could be taken off without expense, the value of the loam being greater than the cost of its removal. The land availa- ble in the locality within the Town limits is about thirty acres, which with suitable care would suffice 'for purifying the sew- age of Swampscott for many years. It is unnecessary for me to say that the method of disposing of sewage on porous sand or gravel, is an entirely satisfactory one in every way, if managed with proper care. Where a high degree of purifica- tion is desired it is the method which has given the best results both in Europe and America.
The large territory which is indicated in the plan by a light red tint, can be drained to these filtration grounds by gravity. The remaining area of the Beach Bluff Brook Watershed can have its sewage delivered at the grounds by means of a sew- age Ejector placed near the mouth of the Brook. The south- ern part of the Town will best have its sewage concentrated at a Pumping Station to be located near the mouth of Stacey Brook. The pumping main would follow the streets as far as the railroad crossing at Walker ' Road, and thence it must be carried over private ground, about as shown upon the plan. Beyond the railroad crossing, where it reaches an elevation of about 75 feet above low water, it can flow by gravity. In the rear of the Beach School House there would be another ejector, which would raise the sewage reaching it from the low surrounding territory, into the main sewer on Burrill street, as shown on the plan.
79
REPORT OF SELECTMEN.
PROJECT III.
DELIVERING THE SEWAGE INTO THE BAY NEAR DREAD LEDGE.
Discharging sewage into the 'Ocean is practiced in many localities with entire success. Where the amount of sewage is small, such as it would be in the case of Swampscott, it is not known to cause any objection in the vicinity by floating matter drifting ashore, provided it is screened before entering the outfall sewer, and delivered in deep water at a point where there is a good current. A glance at any map show- ing the entire coast and an examination of the depths of water will prove that near Dread Ledge, the dilution from the currents passing into and out of Nahant Bay will give a wide dispersion and dilution.
To deliver the sewage at this point during high water, or even at mean low water level, will require pumping near the mouth of Stacey Brook, near the Beach School House and near the mouth of Beach Bluff Brook. As means of pump- ing will eventually have to be provided at these points, it is better to slightly increase the quantity of sewage to be pumped rather than to keep it reduced at the expense, for in- stance, of giving the sewers along Burrill and Humphrey streets less slope, in order to intercept a greater territory for a gravity discharge. The main features of this project can be readily seen from the plan.
In estimating the comparative cost of the three projects I have assumed the following prices. For pipe sewers in earth trenches averaging 8} feet in depth : -
IS inches in diameter $1.50 per lineal foot.
15
66
12
66
66
66 66 66
66
- I.IO
66 6.
10
66 S 66
1.00 .90
66 66 66 66
66
66
1.35 66
66
When the depth is greater than 82 feet the additional ex- cavation is estimated at 50 cents per cubic yard. Rock in trenches is estimated at a width of 2 feet 9 inches for an eight inch pipe, and three feet for larger pipes. The price is estimated at six dollars per cubic yard.
In gravel 15 cents per running foot is added to provide for pumping ground. water.
Manholes are estimated at $40 apiece,
80
REPORT OF SELECTMEN.
Comparative estimates of the cost of the three projects and of the annual expense of pumping and disposing of the sew- age according to each, are appended. · I have not included the cost of right of way or the cost of land for filtration area, which can best be estimated by yourselves. I have likewise not included the compensation which the City of Lynn would require for receiving the sewage of your Town.
COMPARATIVE ESTIMATES OF COST.
PROJECT I.
Sewers indicated by red lines. $38,902 00
Pumping machinery, pumping mains, buildings, etc. 37,480 00
$76,382 00
Add for contingencies 15 per cent.
11,457 00
Total
$87,839 00
PROJECT II.
Sewers indicated by red lines. $42,770 00
Pumping machinery, pumping mains, buildings, etc. 41,080 00
$83,850 00
Add for contingencies 15 per cent
12,577 00
$96,427 00
Cost of land for filtration grounds, and right of way for pumping main, and outfall sewer ‘?
Total
PROJECT III.
Sewers indicated by red lines. $66,521 00
Pumping machinery, pumping mains, buildings, etc. 38,830 00
$105,351 00
Add for contingencies 15 per cent.
15,802 00
Right of way
$121,153 00 ?
Total ?
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REPORT OF SELECTMEN.
Annual cost of pumping and disposing of the sewage in projects.
I.
II.
III.
One Engineer and two Firemen
$2,500 00
$2,500 00
$2,500 00
Coal at $4.50 per ton .
2,412 00
2,880 00
1,890 00
Oil, packing, waste, repairs, tools, etc .. .
500 00
500 00
500 00
$5,412 00
$5,880 00
$4,890 00
Care of filter beds
1,500 00
Annual charge for entering Lynn inter-
cepting Sewer.
?
Total
?
$7,380 00
$4,890 00
If the interest on the first cost and the depreciation are added to the annual cost of maintenance, it will indicate that Projects I and III are about equally expensive, and that Project II would be more expensive by about $2,000 per annum.
While the above estimates are extended beyond present needs so as to obtain a fair comparison of the schemes for the future, it would not be necessary to invest now the sums given. I therefore append further estimates of the expense required for constructing the main sewerage for the drainage areas constituting only the southern portion of the Town, which I understand is the only territory in need of sewerage at present.
PROJECT I.
Sewers indicated by red lines. $40,717 00
Pumping machinery, pumping mains, buildings, etc. 1 5,600 00
$56,317 00
Add for contingencies 15 per cent.
8,447 00
Total.
$64,764 00
PROJECT II.
Sewers indicated by red lines. $42,770 00
Pumping machinery, pumping mains, buildings, etc. 24,800 00
$67,570 00
Add for contingencies 15 per cent .
10, 135 00
Cost of land and right of way.
$77,705 00 ?
Total
?
82
REPORT OF SELECTMEN.
PROJECT III.
Sewers indicated by red lines. $66,521 00
Pumping machinery, pumping mains, buildings, etc. 21,950 00
$88,471 00
Add for contingencies 15 per cent .
13,271 00
Right of way
$101,742 00 ?
Total
The relative preference between these projects will largely depend upon the cost of land and the compensation for unit- ing your system of sewerage with that of the City of Lynn, both of which items I must at present leave to your own de- termination.
Respectfully presented,
RUDOLPH HERING.
BEACH AVENUE .- One of our most important thorough- fares having never been properly laid out or graded, and whose dangerous condition requires some action of the Town to render it more safe, we have therefore laid out the same in accordance with plans and profile drawn by C. W. Gay, and submit the same for your consideration, and we recommend an appropriation to put the same to grade in accordance with said plans.
HURON STREET .- At the close of the year a petition was received for the laying out and acceptance of Huron street. It meets with our approval, and as time was not had for action we respectfully refer the subject matter to our successors for their consideration.
All of which is respectfully submitted.
AARON R. BUNTING,
ANDREW L. HARRIS, Selectmen of ARTHUR C. WIDGER, Swampscott.
Report of Committee on Purchase of Stone Crusher.
At the adjourned annual meeting the selectmen, with three citizens, were appointed as a committee to purchase a stone crusher and necessary apparatus for operating it. In accordance with the report of the previous committee, which was accepted and adopted, they have purchased of Perrin & Seamans of Boston, and placed in the lower gravel pit, a 9 x 15 machine of the Farrell and Marsden make, with revolv- ing screen and a twenty horse power Cleveland & Hardwick boiler and engine, over which a suitable building has been built.
As the present location contains a large supply of stone for breaking, it was thought best by your committee to elevate the machinery, so as to do its work as economically as possible. An embankment wall 30 x 14, with a platform 24 x 30, on level with top of crusher, has been constructed. By an easy incline teams drive upon the platform and deposit their loads, doing away with the expensive work with wheel barrows, noticed by your committee at most of the plants visited. The crusher, engine and boiler, are skidded and can be moved to any part of the Town, if desired. All of the apparatus has been thoroughly tested and is satisfactory to your committee, and also to many of our citizens who have seen it in operation.
Being late in the season when the work was completed, no large quantity of stone was used upon our streets, with the exception of the Swamp Road, the improved condition of which shows the superiority of crushed stone over gravel for road-building. The matter of providing a crusher has been before our Town for a number of years, and your Committee are satisfied that, with the improved condition of our streets
84
REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON CRUSHER.
the coming year, by the proper use of broken stone, our citi- zens will in no way regret their final action. A detail of the expenditures in this department will be found in the Auditor's Report.
A. R. BUNTING, A. L. HARRIS, A. C. WIDGER, D. P. STIMPSON, KENDALL POLLARD. )
Committee.
REPORT OF THE LIBRARY TRUSTEES.
TO THE CITIZENS OF SWAMPSCOTT :
In making our report we are pleased to note an increase in our circulation, over the year previous, of about 1,000. This year we have delivered 16,076 volumes to patrons.
We have added to our collection, during the year, 250 books, and as usual have had to discard many copies that have become badly defaced or worn out; many we have re- placed, but others we have thought best not to renew. A number of valuable works have been purchased, among which are the "Century Dictionary," in four volumes, Stan- ley's " Darkest Africa," "Narrative and Critical History of America," and many others. We gratefully acknowledge the receipt of ten volumes from Mrs. Ernst of Boston, also one volume each from Miss Weld and Miss Lodge of Boston, and Mr. Larremon of New York. Our total number of books is 5,781, 326 of which are in our Reference Library.
Our receipts from fines and the sale of catalogues amounted to $23.50, and right here we would mention that we have a number of copies of our catalogue remaining unsold, which we offer for sale at the Library at 25 cents each, which is hardly half the cost. It is a carefully prepared work and should be in every household in town.
The Library is open every Saturday from 2 to 9 P. M., and on Wednesday from 4 to 9. We renew our invitation to all readers to visit the Library, and if they do not find upon our shelves any work of interest they desire to peruse, we will do our best to secure it, if considered proper, by mentioning the title to the Librarian.
BARNETT W. REDFERN, 1
Public FRANK F. STANLEY, Library CURTIS V. MERRITT, Trustees.
REPORT OF BOARD OF HEALTH.
TO THE CITIZENS OF SWAMPSCOTT :
The Board of Health respectfully submit the following report for the year ending 1891. During the year we have received and investigated all complaints brought to our notice, and have received ten official notices of contagious diseases, consisting of eight cases of scarlet fever, one of diphtheria, and one of typhoid fever, which proved fatal. The collecting of offal by Mr. McDonough has proved very satisfactory, there being very few complaints.
There have been several complaints entered in regard to the stench which arises from the beaches, more especially from King's beach, which has been covered with a scum the greater part of the season, creating a stench which was very offensive in that locality. This has caused an extra expense which should be provided for in the future. In relation to the Lower beach we would recommend that the westerly drain be cut off up to high water mark, giving a better sys- tem of drainage. There has been only one death from con- tagious diseases this last year, and the general health of the Town has been good.
JOHN I. ADAMS, Board CHARLES E. HARRIS, of
D. W. NISBETT, Health.
.
REPORT OF MILK INSPECTOR.
TO THE CITIZENS OF SWAMPSCOTT :
Herewith I submit my report as Milk Inspector for the year ending February 28, 1891. The receipts for 12 licenses amount to six dollars ($6.00), and this has been paid to the treasurer.
The proper inspection of the milk sold in our town ap- pears to me a subject of considerable importance, and one in which our citizens should co-operate with the inspector in a rigid enforcement of the statutes of the Commonwealth upon this question, with fairness to the licensees and justice to the public.
Our neighboring cities and towns are zealous in the execu- tion of these laws for the protection of the consumers of this popular article of food, and I recommend that my successor be supplied with apparatus for properly conducting his duties in a thorough manner.
During the year I have been prepared to investigate all complaints. But one has been made, and upon inspection of same the quality was found not up to test and returned to producer at Rowley as not salable. Otherwise the milk sold has been of good quality, as far as possible to judge.
Respectfully submitted,
CHARLES E. HARRIS, Milk Inspector.
SWAMPSCOTT, FEB. 14, 1891.
Report of Superintendent of Cemetery.
TO THE CITIZENS OF SWAMPSCOTT :
During the year the wall at the rear of the Cemetery, and platform to the House, have been repaired at the cost of twenty-nine dollars ($29). As there are but few lots remain. ing unsold, I would recommend grading the hill at the rear of the tomb, to be laid out in lots ; would also recommend that fifty dollars ($50) be appropriated for the painting and repair- ing of the house.
Number of lots sold at $25 each. 6
Number of lots unsold . .
7I
Number of interments . 24
Number of bodies in receiving tomb 4 Expenditures for the year · $313.08
J. S. BROWN, Supt.
POLICE REPORT FOR 1890-91.
TO THE CITIZENS OF SWAMPSCOTT :
Whole number of arrests
15
Drunkenness
8
Assault
2
Keeping of disorderly house
I
For non-support
I
Larceny
I
Insane
2 I5
Disposed of as follows : -
Committed to House of Correction for non-payment
of fines
·
5
Fined and paid .
4
Insane Asylum
2
Continued cases .
3
Probation .
I 15
MISCELLANEOUS BUSINESS.
Accidents reported
4
Assisted other officers
6
Buildings found opened and secured .
7
Complaints investigated
87
Disturbances suppressed
I
Dogs killed
.
8
.
·
.
·
.
.
.
90
REPORT OF POLICE.
Fires extinguished without alarm I Intoxicated persons taken home belonging in Swampscott, 6 Intoxicated persons left at Swampscott Depot, non- residents . 28
Injured and sick persons assisted
3
Lights furnished for dangerous places
6
Street obstructions removed
7
Stray teams put up
I
Stray children put up .
.
2
POLICE IMPLEMENTS.
Helmets
8
Badges
I4
Whistles
IO
Pairs handcuffs
8
Twisters
7
Lantern .
1
Revolvers
5
Billies
12
Buttons
VALUATION.
Helmets
$15 00
Handcuffs and twisters
26 00
Revolvers and badges
55 00
Billies and whistles
15 50
Lantern and buttons .
.
3 5º
REIMBURSED TO POLICE SERVICES, 1890-91.
T. E. W. C.
$1 00
Old Folks' Ball .
1 00
.
91
REPORT OF POLICE.
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