USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Swampscott > Town annual report of Swampscott 1903 > Part 10
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I71
REPORT OF ENGINEER.
1903]
Omission of Private Ways.
Reference has been made to the probable necessity of omitting the sewer construction upon Lincoln House avenue. Cliffside avenue is also a private way and must also be omitted. It has been determined that a sewer cannot be laid in a private way without the possibility of the owners of such way demanding damages for trespass, and the owners abutting upon such private way cannot be assessed as upon public ways. There are two methods whereby the Town can meet this condition upon the same basis as in public ways : first, by accepting the street, there- by making it a public way, and, second, by obtaining from all owners abutting upon the property a signed agreement in due form that they will exact no damage for laying such sewer, and that they will pay the assessment in like manner to those levied on public ways. These methods are open to your Town for your consideration. Until one or the other has been adopted I should recommend no sewer construction upon a private way.
Norfolk Avenue Drain.
Reference has been made to the Norfolk avenue drain in con- nection with the sewer construction upon Section 5. This drain was put in some years ago by the Town for the relief of a certain section draining through the Mudge Brook. It was found, upon cutting through Paradise Road, that this drain was in an extremely bad condition ; the sewer pipe forming it was cracked and would not hold itself together when uncovered. This condition was practically uniform throughout the entire sewer. It was im- possible to maintain the sewer construction alongside of this drain for this reason : the water from the drain leaked out in great quantities into the sewer trench, thereby causing a large amount of pumping. After consultation by your Board with the Select- men, it was determined that this drain should be repaired and put in proper condition under a contract with Mr. Mayo, so that it would perform its duties. This was done in connection with the sewer construction. As no appropriation was had by the Select- men for the repair of this drain, the expense of the work has been temporarily met out of the sewer construction and carried as
172
TOWN DOCUMENTS.
[Feb. 20
a separate account. This amount to date is $2,848.37. The Town should, by proper vote, reimburse the Sewer Board for monies expended on this drain in putting the same in repair. I recommend, therefore, to your Board, that a proper article be in- serted in the Town Warrant to include this item. It is probable that in constructing the sewer in Norfolk avenue there may be other expenses, but so far as possible avoidance of this drain will be had. It is unfortunate, however, that in Norfolk avenue there are two drains ; one, a 12-inch, and the other, an 18-inch, as well as a gas and a water pipe. With so many pipes in the streets and with the haphazard way in which some of the pipes are found to be laid, it is practically impossible to avoid some inter- ference. A sewer, to be properly constructed, must be upon true lines and grades, and the range on grades in this district is ex- tremely narrow, owing to the flatness of the territory. I trust there will be but little more expense in connection with this drain, but at present it is impossible to predict with any accuracy what results the situation will develop.
Assessments.
The sewer act for the Town of Swampscott provides for the assessment of certain amounts on the abutting properties in sewered streets.
This assessment is to be levied and paid within a certain time after the sewer is ready for use. By this means the sum of ap- proximately $30,000 will be received by the Town, and is to be used in payment of the debt created for sewers or to make exten- sions as the Town may vote. This assessment will probably be made about September 1, 1903. The surveys and plans to de- termine these assessments are now being prepared, and it is ex- pected that these will be complete by March I.
Financial Statement.
The financial statement embodied in your report shows the entire expenditures to February 10 on account of the work in the sum of $109,726.97. It is unnecessary to repeat these items, therefore, as they are shown elsewhere.
·
1903 ]
REPORT OF ENGINEER.
I73
There are due upon reserves held for work done done the fol- lowing amounts :
Miscellaneous labor, Michael McDonough $67 16
Tunnel Section, No. 3, C. H. Eglee Company, 10,352 74 Street Mains, Sec. 4, Michael McDonough 1,739 00
5, Frederick D. Mayo 2,956 69
Engineering, E. Worthington 2,333 60
Receiving Basin, Tuttle & Edgerly 2,978 05
Norfolk Avenue Drain, Frederick D. Mayo 250 00
Making a total of
$20,677 24
The approximate cost of work contracted for but as yet unfin- ished and not included in the above accounts is as follows :-
Tunnel Section, No. 3, C. H. Eglee Company, $16,776 78 Street Mains, Sec. 4, Michael McDonough 1,869 20
60 5, Frederick D. Mayo . 5,846 18
Receiving Basin, Tuttle & Edgerly . 678 00
Teaming Pipe, Michael McDonough 146 00
Iron Pipe, F. A. Houdlette & Son 7,500 00 Outfall Main, Joseph G. Falcon. · 12,720 00
Engineering and Supervision on uncompleted work, E. Worthington 4,098 25
Total liabilities on contracts let for uncom- pleted work $49,634 41
Total payments to February 10, as before . shown $109,726 97 Reserves held on work completed . 20,677 24 Estimated cost on work contracted for but not done · 49,634 41
Total cost of work done and contracted for, $180,038 62
I74
TOWN DOCUMENTS.
[Feb. 20
To meet these expenditures and liabilities are the following assets :
Bonds issued (face) $124,000 00
Premium and accrued interest 4,008 74
Bond issue to be made
60,000 00
Amount to be repaid by Town for expenditures
on Norfolk Ave. drain
2,848 37
Total
$190,857 II
Deducting the liabilities as stated above 180,038 62
Leaves a balance of $10,818.49
The contracts yet to be made are for pumping plant and pumping station. These will aggregate in the vicinity of $10,- 500.00, depending in some degree upon pumping station. Bids for the plant have been received substantially in the sum of $6,000.00.
It is not possible to estimate what the premium will be upon the $60,000.00 issue, but it is fair to assume that not far from $1,800.00 will be received. If this amount is received, there will probably be a sufficient sum at the disposal of the Sewer Department to meet all contingencies of construction.
I have not included in the above statement any estimates for unsettled land damages of which, I understand, there are two disputed takings, and there are, also, certain incidental accounts which at present are impossible to estimate. It is possible that these contingencies may call for a slight increase in the amount now at the disposal of your board.
Conclusions and Recommendations.
I have appended to this report certain tables as follows :
I. A cost by streets to date for sewers which have been con- structed therein. This statement is necessarily incomplete, and when the work is finally completed an accurate statement will be made.
2. A list of bench marks established upon the works.
3. A schedule and valuation of stock on hand belonging to the Sewer Department.
175
REPORT OF ENGINEER.
1903]
I have understood that there are certain demands for extensions of the sewers upon certain streets, and that there may be articles in the Town Warrant calling for action thereon. I have made estimates on the cost of the construction of sewers in such streets as have been called to my attention, and presented them to your Board in a separate report. If the Town should vote to extend the sewers into any of these streets, it will be necessary to pro- vide for the payment of the cost in some manner other than from the present fund at the disposal of the Sewer Commissioners. Under the terms of your Act it is perfectly possible to make these extensions out of the returns from the sewer assessments ; but these réturns may not come in soon enough to be directly available. I should recommend, therefore, in case funds are needed for extensions, that the Sewer Commissioners be author- ized to instruct the Town Treasurer to issue the note or notes of the Town for a period sufficient to cover the receipt of these as- sessments, or a substantial portion thereof; such note to be met from the amounts received from assessments. It will also be advisable to have Town action to recompense the Sewer Depart- ment for money expended in the repair and reconstruction of Norfolk Avenue drain. It is advisable, also, to have Town action with regard to the payment of the principal and interest which becomes due on the bonds of the Town issued for sewer purposes, and to make the first payment of interest on the issue of $124,000.00, which is due on March Ist, 1903. A provision should be made by the Town for this payment, so that the Town Treasurer may charge such payments to the appropriation there- for.
It is the expectation, at the present time, to have the sewer in operation by September Ist, and all street work, so far as at present laid out, completed by June Ist. With proper vigilance and energy on the part of the contractors this result can be ac- complished, and the sewer ready for connections therewith by the first of September.
In concluding this progress report I wish to express my thanks to Mr. Edward B. Roberts, C. E., who has been Resident As- sistant Engineer in charge, and to whom much of the executive work in construction details has fallen. Mr. Roberts' work in
176
TOWN DOCUMENTS.
[Feb. 20
this direction has been energetic and painstaking. To a consid- erable degree the smooth progress of the work and excellent re- sults accomplished so far have been through his efforts.
There have also been employed on the Engineering and In- spection force the following men, who have faithfully discharged the duties entrusted to them :
Abram French, Daniel F. Crowley, Albert G. Adams, John Cunliffe, Jr., Henry Manley, Jr., Henry G. McCarthy, L. E. Kollock, William J. Dotten, Horace T. Almy, Frank A. Gan- nett, Fred W. Stowers, Walter H. Stowers, H. W. Grant.
Respectfully submitted,
E. WORTHINGTON,
Engineer.
DEDHAM, February 14, 1903.
SWAMPSCOTT SEWERS. Statement of Cost of Sewers Built to February 1, 1903, by Streets.
In Section 3.
Street
From
To
Size
Length
Rock
M. H.
F. M. H.
Cost
Connection Rec. Basin. .
Humphrey St.
Receiving Rasin . .
36 in.
81.2
2.00
O
$530.95
Cross Line-
Humphrey St. .
New Ocean St. ..
20x30 in.
638.0 § 1,129.5
0.00
2
O
3,871.68
Humphrey . . .
Receiving Basin . .
Car Barn .
20x30 in.
( 1,727.0 tunnel. 1,153.0
559.40
II
-
0
47,808.26
In Section 4.
Blaney. .
Humphrey Street .
Redington Street .
S in.
633.0
12.94 32 00
2
I
$749.89
Rose .
Blaney Street
Rockland Street
8 in.
221.0
I
O
353.91
Rockland
Redington Street .
Rose Street
S in.
246.4
157.00
O
I
913.55
Redington .
Humphrey Street . .
Rockland Street
8 in.
56S.o
35.40
3
O
794.36
Burrill
Monument Square
Claremont Terrace
8 in.
602.0
0.0
2
I
664 49
Tuttle's Court
Humphrey Street .
Orient Court
12 in.
309.0
0.0
I
O
933.72
Orient Court
Tuttle's Court
Orient Street
12 in.
.382.5
0.0
2
O
1,403.86
Woodbine Avenue
Orient Street .
Orient Street
S in.
477.0
88.0
O
I
876.73
Orient . .
Orient Court .
Pass. to Beach
10 in.
2247.0
223.00
11
O
3,823.68
In Section 5.
Andrew Road
Paradise Road
Thomas Road
8 in.
535.6
0.0
2
I
$626.17
Berkshire .
Paradise Road .. .
Middlesex Road
8 in.
654.0
0.0
2
I
1,237.22
Burrill
New Ocean Street
Railroad Avenue . .
20 in.
1,126.0
6.0
7
0
5,220.03
Hampden .
Middlesex Street .
.
Berkshire Street.
8 in.
815.3
0.0
3
0
1,197.S2
Middlesex
Hampden Street . .
Near Berkshire Street. .
8 in.
385.0
0.0
I
I
399.13
New Ocean .
Gravity Outlet .
Burrill Street
24 in , 20 in.
728.5
292.7
4
O
4,067.88
Paradise Road
Burrill Street .
Ellis Road ..
18 in., 15 in.
1,543.0
0.0
0
4,134.68
and 12 in.
Pine
New Ocean Street
Railroad Avenue
8 in.
1,274.0
0.0
6
I
1,140.38
Railroad Avenue.
Near Burrill Street .
Pine Street .
§ in.
302.1
0.0
I
I
314.95
Shaw Road
Paradise Road
Thomas Road.
Io in.
426.0
0.0
I
O
675.30
Thomas Road
Elmwood Road
Walker Road .
10 in.
319.5
0.0
5
0
856.61
187.4
Total
139 79
1903]
REPORT OF ENGINEER.
177
. 8.274 ..
. $82,595.25
.
Humphrey to New Ocean
24x36 in.
.
428
5685
.
178
TOWN DOCUMENTS.
[Feb. 20
SWAMPSCOTT SEWERS, List of Bench Marks. Datum is low tide.
No.
Location. Elevation.
I Centre Town Bound, cor. Humphrey St and Eastern Ave. . 18.340 Top Hydrant, North side Humphrey St., at house No. 44 . 18.894
3 6 Northeast corner Humphrey and Phillips Sts., 21.708
8 Right outer corner lower stone step at walk to Monument, North side Humphrey St. . 25.884
II Top eye-bolt on curb hitching post opp. house No. 150 Hum- phrey St., North side
32.396
13 Southeast corner stone post flush with sidewalk on property line West of house No. 202 Humphrey St. .
14 Corner circular curb, East corner Humphrey and Blaney Sts. Hydrant opp. house No. 278 Humphrey St., North side St. .
37.983 32.493 32.179
66 North side Humphrey St., opp. house No. 312 · Curb opp. line between houses Nos 312-322 Humphrey St. .
27.393
66 house No. 374 Humphrey St. . 19 466 14:779
26 28 Southwest corner large slate drain manhole cover at property line East of house No. 491 Humphrey St. 15.197
13.357
Top Hydrant, South side Humphrey St., near Tuttle's Court, 19.439
18.046
66 Orient and Woodbine Sts. . 18.745
17.325
Hydrant on Orient St. opp. Lincoln House Ave.
20.471
Curb opp. house No. 163 Orient St.
Hydrant opp Ocean House 20.128
Northeast corner stone post at West corner Orient St. and passage to beach 22.420
Southeast corner Stone Bound, East corner Blaney and Rose Streets 38.486 ·
29 32 33 35 36 38 39 40 42
" guard stone West corner drive to house No. 57 Orient St., " Hydrant opp. School, No. 80 Orient St. ·
19 374
South end capstone, sea wall Orient St. .
17.213
66 66 house No 209 Orient St. . 21.549 44 49
29.555
16 18 19 22 24 West side drive to rear of house No. 432 Humphrey St. Northeast corner large slate drain manhole cover, Marshall and Humphrey Sts.
I79
REPORT OF ENGINEER.
1903]
No. Location. Elevation.
Top Hydrant on Blaney St., opp. Rose St. 41.230
50 51 Northeast corner Blaney and Redington Sts. 42.477
54
66 opp. house No. 40 Burrill St. 34.393
Hydrant, cor. Burrill St. and Claremont Terrace 41.681
56 57 Stone post, centre gateway to house No. 82 Burrill St · 36.419
59 Stone Bound West side Thomas Road, 54 feet South of Elm- wood St. 28.094 .
61 Centre Bound curb, Southeast corner East side, opp. house No. 65 Burrill St. 23.276 Hydrant, junction of Thomas and Farragut Roads . .. 32.539
62 63 Water service, West side Andrew St., at house No. 18 .
27.683
65 East corner curb Southwest side Paradise Road, at house No. 86 . .
21.778
66 Massachusetts Highway Bound, Paradise Road, Southeast 85 feet from Ellis St. . Stone Bound, Northeast corner Ellis and Hampden Sts. ·
21.476
67 68 69 70 Northeast side Norfolk St., stepping stone at house No. 142 .
22.910
North corner Stone Bound Northeast side Middlesex St., at house No. 113 24.057 Hydrant, Middlesex and Norfolk Sts. ·
29.330
40.540
71 Southwest hydrant opp. house No. 113 . .
37.125
74 On line stone steps corner house No. 205 Middlesex St. ·
32.360
End curb, Railroad Ave. opp. house No. 19 .
35.17I
77 Hydrant, corner Pine and Ontario Sts.
35.769
79 End curb, West side Pine St., near Huron St.
27.764
81 Hydrant, corner Pine and New Ocean Sts. ·
18.854
83 Top Town Bound, New Ocean St. at house No 6 . ·
20.178
85 Stone Bound, South corner Burrill and New Ocean Sts. · 21.974
86 Hydrant, South side Paradise Road, near Norfolk St. ·
24.933
West side Stetson Ave. at house No. 112 . 50.855
89 90 Marked stone in abutment wall on West side of Stetson"Ave. near Essex St. 57.940 . Top Hydrant, cor. Rockland and Rose Sts. 61.470
75 76 Curb, West side Pine St. on property line opp. house No. 84,
33.989
180
TOWN DOCUMENTS.
[Feb. 20
SWAMPSCOTT SEWERS.
SCHEDULE OF STOCK ON HAND FEBRUARY 1, 1903.
Pipe and Material at Water Works Yard, New Ocean Street.
Clay Pipe, First Quality.
Size of Pipe
Length of Piece.
Number of Pieces.
Total Feet.
List Price. Amount.
Total.
24 in.
3 ft.
II
33
$3 25
$107 25
20 in.
3 ft.
5
15
2 25
33 75
18 in.
3 ft.
4
I2
I 70
20 40
15 in.
3 ft.
5
15
I 35
20 25
12 in.
3 ft.
619
1,857
1 00
1,857 00
Less 62 per cent.
$2,038 65 1,263 96
$774 69
24 in.
2 ft.
31
62
$3 25
$201 50
24×5 Y's
2.5 ft.
9
16 353
147 20
24 in. split
2 ft.
4
8
I 95
15 60
24 in. stub
I ft.
I
I
3 25
3 25
20x5 Y's
2.5 ft
12
II 25}
135 06
20 in. split
2 ft.
4
8
I 35
IO 80
20 in. stub
I ft.
I
I
2 25
2 25
18x5 Y's
2 ft.
IO
7 65
76 50
18 in. split
2 ft.
I
2
I 02
2 04
18 in. stub
I ft.
I
I
1 70
I 70
15×5 Y's
3 ft.
5
7 45
37 25
12×5 Y's
2 ft.
I38
4 50
621 00
12×8 T's
3 ft.
2
5 50
11 00
12 in. split
2 ft.
8
16
60
9 60
12 in. ¿ bends
4
4 00
16 00
12 in. ¿ bends
2
4 00
8 00
20x6 Y
2.5 ft.
I
II 252
II 25
$1,310 00
Less 64 per cent.
838 40
$471 60
1903]
REPORT OF ENGINEER.
18I
Size of
Length of Piece.
Number of Pieces.
Total Feet.
List Price.
Amount.
Total.
10 in.
3 ft
643
1,929
$
75 $1,446 75
8 in.
3 ft.
1,519
4,557
50
2,278 50
$3,725 25
Less 65 per cent.
2,421 41
$1.303 84
$2,550 13
Io in.
2 ft.
I
2
$
75
$1 50
IOX5 Y's
2 ft.
176
3 40
598 40
10X6 Y's
2 ft.
4
3 40
13 60
10 in. § bends
4
3 00
12 00
Io in. Į bends
2
3 00
6 00
10 in. split 2 ft.
IO
20
45
9 00
Io in. stub
I ft.
2
2
75
I 50
8x5 Y's
2 ft.
338
2 25
760 50
8 in. split
2 ft.
66
132
30
39 50
8 in. stub
I ft.
3
3
50
I 50
8x8 T's
3 ft.
I2
2 75
33 00
8x8 Y's
2 ft.
II
2 25
24 75
8x6 Y's
2 ft.
9
2 25
20 25
8 in. ¿ bends
17
2 00
34 00
8 in. 4 bends
IO
2 00
20 00
6 in. pipe
2 ft.
26
52
30
15 60
6x5 Y's
2 ft.
30
I 35
40 50
6x6 Y's
2 ft.
3
I 35
4 05
6 in. stub
I ft.
4
4
30
I 20
6 in. Į bends
2
I IO
2 20
6 in. § bends
3
I IO
3 30
5 in. pipe
2 ft.
907
1,814
25
453 50
5×5 Y's
2 ft.
24
I I3
27 [2
5 in. ¿ bends
16
85
13 60
5 in. Į bends
I2
85
IO 20
6 in. stoppers
22
IO
2 20
5 in. stoppers
475
8 3
39 58
5 in. stub
IO
25
2 50
5 in. slants
80
75
60. 00
$2,251 15
Less 67 per cent. .
1,508 27
$742 88
$3,293 01
Pipe.
182
TOWN DOCUMENTS.
[Feb. 20
49 sets manhole frames and covers
$9 53
$466 97
641 manhole rods
14
89 74
27 manhole steps
48
12 96
II flushgates
5 00
55 00
$624 67
$3,917 68
Pipe and Material at Railroad Yard.
Clay Pipe, Second Quality.
Size of
Length of Piece.
Number of Pieces.
Total Feet.
List Price.
Amount.
Total.
15 in.
3 ft.
8.
24
$1 35
$32 40
12 in.
3 ft.
I22
366
1 00
366 00
10 in.
3 ft.
696
2,088
0 75
1,566 00
8 in.
3 ft.
974
2,922
0 50
1,461 00
$3,425 40
Less 73 per cent.
2,500 54
$924 86
15X5 Y's
3 ft.
7
$7 45
$52 15
12X4 Y's
2 ft.
12
4 50
54 00
12×6 Y's
2 ft.
4
4 50
18 00
10X6 Y's
3 ft.
4
4 15
16 60
10X4 Y's
2 ft.
40
3 40
136 00
8x4 Y's
2 ft.
137
2 25
308 25
8 in. ¿ bends
20
2 00
40 00
6 in. pipe
2 ft.
497
9 94
,0 30
298 -20
6x4 Y's
2 ft.
34
I 35
45 90
6 in. ¿ bends
12
I IO
13 20
4 in. pipe
2 ft.
795
15 90
0 20
318 00
4×4 Y's
7
0 90
6 30
4 in. stoppers
326
0 063
21 73
6 in.
8
0 10
80
$1,329 13
Less 75 per cent.
996 85
$332 28
$1,257 14
.
.
Pipe.
.
183
REPORT OF ENGINEER.
1903] ·
Cement on Hand, February 1, 1903. AT STONE'S BOAT HOUSE.
26 bbls. Invicta, at 6
$2 25
$58 50
66 Atlas, at
2 90
17 40
AT EVANS & COLE'S STABLE.
8 bbls. Alsen, at
2 63
21 04
Total
$96 94
Total value of stock on hand, Feb. 1, 1903 · .
$5,271 76
184
TOWN DOCUMENTS.
[Feb. 20
Report of Water Commissioners.
To the Citizens of Swampscott :
The Water. Board herewith respectfully submits the fifth annual report. At our last Annual Town Meeting held in March, Article 30 being before the meeting, Benjamin G. Ingalls made the following motion : That whereas, at a Town Meeting held April 22, 1901, the Water Commissioners were authorized to borrow upon the bonds of the Town $20,000 for the purpose of purchasing land for the erection of a water stand-pipe and the laying of such pipe as might be necessary to connect the water supply of the town with said stand-pipe, and whereas the sum of $2,237.44 of the money so raised is unexpended and there is more urgent need that said balance should be expended in providing and laying a 12-inch cast-iron pipe from the hay scales, at the corner of Humphrey and Orient streets through Orient street to a point thereon east of the Ocean House, instead of spending said balance upon the water pipe as specified in said vote, the Water Commissioners are therefore authorized and directed to apply said balance towards supplying and laying said 12-inch pipe on Orient street as aforesaid.
The vote upon this motion was unanamous and we proceeded at once to order the pipe and material, being desirous of com- pleting the work before the arrival of the Town's summer res- idents. The trenching and refilling for the distance of 2,600 feet was let by contract to M. McDonough for the sum of $600, the laying of the pipe being done by the department under the supervision of Superintendent Pollard. Work was commenced May 5 and completed May 15 at a total cost of $4,410.10 the balance to the amount of $2, 172.66 being paid from our surplus funds.
185
REPORT OF WATER COMMISSIONERS.
1903]
After having had seven breaks in the old cement pipe on Humphrey street, between the Lynn line and the Monument, at quite an expense for repairs, we decided it would be on the part of economy to relay the same with 10-inch cast-iron pipe. Work was commenced October 29 and completed November 8. The length of pipe relaid was 1,300 feet, and with the completion of this link it is very gratifying to be able to announce to its citizens, that the Town now has one continuous line of first-class iron pipe from both its connections with the Metropolitan system at Broad and Silsbee streets, Lynn, and at the Nahant line on Nahant beach through Ocean and Humphrey streets to Beach Bluff avenue and on Orient street from the hay scales to a point opposite the estate of Miles Blanchard. For other work of construction of less importance you will see under head of extension of pipes.
Out of a total of twenty miles of pipe in the Town there remains only 18,419 feet of the old cement pipe, and you are no doubt aware it is only a question of a very short time when it will be- come imperative to relay the same with iron pipe. It has been the policy of your board in the past to relay from year to year as much of this old pipe as our surplus fund would permit, and as soon as the season opens we shall continue in the above policy by the taking up of such of this pipe that is giving us the most trouble by frequent breaks, thereby causing much annoyance and expense. When this work (which we hope will not extend over a very long period of time) shall have been completed, the town of Swampscott will have a water system second to none in the State.
Deeming it advisable to dispose of all remaining machinery in the old pumping station, two experts were called in and appraised each separate piece. We have since disposed of two Deane pumps at appraised value and shall dispose of the remainder as soon as customer can be found at satisfactory prices.
We were called upon for help from the Marblehead Water Commissioners and it was responded to with pleasure, as it gave us the opportunity to repay in part for the generous assistance received from them in the past. Our gate at the Marblehead line was opened for a period of twelve days to assist in the regulation
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186
TOWN DOCUMENTS.
[Feb. 20
of their pressure during repairs, as stated below in theirjacknow- ledgment.
MARBLEHEAD, MASS., June 9, 1902.
To the Swampscott Water Commissioners :
GENTLEMEN,-We thank you sincerely for the favor extended to us during the painting of our stand-pipe. Trusting we may be able to reciprocate when the opportunity arrives, ¿we remain,
Very truly yours,
BOARD OF WATER COMMISSIONERS,
By W. H. B.
As we have been approached upon the subject of water meters, we consider it our duty to herewith state some of our reasons why it would be inexpedient at this time to make any change in our present system. This question of water meters is a complex one and has received the serious consideration of your Board for the past three years. Of the fifteen cities and towns in the metro- politan water district, only 8 per cent. were metered in their report of February, 1901. Investigation has shown us that where meters are generally in use a large revenue is collected from manufactur- ing interests, rendering it possible to reduce individual rates by the use of meters. Swampscott being wholly residential is with- out such income, and we do not see how it would be possible to meet our yearly indebtedness under a meter system.
You will notice in our report of February, 1899, we commenced business with a surplus of $9,342.20, and since that time we have received from the sale of land and machinery $2,637.53, making a total of $11,979.73. You will observe by our report of this year our surplus is $6, 173. 16 less than this amount, showing con- › clusively that the needs of the department have exceeded the in- come during the past four years, and with the introduction of meters the expense of the department would be considerably in- creased.
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