USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Swampscott > Town annual report of Swampscott 1904 > Part 8
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operate the machinery. It also became necessary when the system was put in use, December 1, 1903, by the connect- ing of houses and buildings with the sewers, to have a super- intendent who should have a general oversight of the sewers and attend to all necessary details in connection with the operation of the system. The Board have appointed I. Irving Edgerly as sup- erintendent. Mr. Edgerly entered on his duties December 12, 1903. The salary of the clerk of the Board has been fixed by the Sewer Commissioners as $240 per annum. The salary of the
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engineer at the station, which requires the entire time of the engineer, including Sundays, in connection with his duties at the station, has been fixed by the Sewer Commissioners as $910 per annum. The salary of the Superintendent has been fixed at the sum of $250 per annum .
Completion of Sewer Construction Authorized.
With this report the Sewer Commissioners present the comple- tion of all sewer construction which has to this time been author- ized by the Town. This construction has continued during the last two seasons and the report issued by the Sewer Commission- ers for 1902 was in the nature of a Progress Report. The system of sewers as installed, consists of the main artery sewers from the western and central sections, the general receiving basin, de- signed to take care of the whole system, together with the pump- ing station, pumping plant and outfall main. The lateral sewers which have been constructed in the western and central sections of the Town embrace a considerable portion of the more thickly settled districts. The Town of Swampscott now possesses an adequate sewerage disposal plant for the entire Town. The future sewer construction will be in the nature of adding to the territory covered by the sewers any extensions of the system. Reference is made to the report of the engineer, Mr. Worthing- ton, which is presented herewith, for details of construction. It will be unnecessary to repeat these details in this report as they are contained in the Engineer's Statement.
Particular Sewers.
The special features which the Commissioners have this year met over and above the completion of the system started in 1902, have been the construction of particular sewers and connecting drains in the streets so as to provide a ready means of making house connections, and the extension of the sewerage system, voted by the Town, March 17, 1903. The construction of partic- ular sewers by the Town was brought about by the action of the Town Meeting of March 17, 1903, at which meeting the Sewer Commissioners were instructed to petition the legislature for an Act which would enable the Town to construct these particular
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sewer connections at the expense of the Town in the first instance, the Town to be reimbursed by the parties and estates benefited, through an assessment. In accordance with the vote of the Town the Sewer Commissioners obtained an Act, which is Chapter 40[ of the Acts of 1903 of the Legislature of Massachusetts. This Act became a law May 29, 1903. Besides providing for the par- ticular sewer connections at the expense of the Town, the Act also provided for a further sum of $50,000 which might be raised upon notes, bonds or scrip by the Town of Swampscott for sewerage purposes. This made the total amount for which the Town could issue bonds, in connection with the sewerage system, $250,000. This Act was presented to the Town at a Town Meeting, held July 22, 1903, and was accepted by the Town at such meeting. At the same Town Meeting, the Town, by specific vote, authorized and directed the Sewer Commission- ers to construct these particular sewers and connecting drains and to make assessments therefore at the average cost per foot. The Commissioners have, therefore, had prepared these assessments in accordance with the vote of the Town and with the legislative Act, and these assessments will be issued about April 1, 1904. A detailed statement of these particular sewers and connecting drains will be found in the Engineer's Report.
Extensions of 1903.
The Town voted, on July 22, 1903, to extend the sewerage system through Ellis road, from Paradise road to Farragut road ; on Farragut road, from Grant road to Thomas road; on Elm- wood road, from Thomas road to a point above Hardy road, and on Norfolk avenue, from Stetson avenue to the house of Mrs. H. L. White. These extensions have been made during the last year and are shown upon the statements submitted in the Engi- neer's report.
Land Easements.
The land easements for the crossing of the sewer through pri- vate lands were all acquired in 1902, except those of Fred E. Baker and Mabel W. Glidden. The Sewer Commissioners hav-
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ing been unable to agree on a price with these owners, this ques- tion of price on these easements has been left to special com- missioners. These commissioners have had a hearing on the subject, but as yet no report has been made in regard to their findings. These claims therefore, remain to be adjusted.
-
Drainage Petition.
The Sewer Commissioners received a petition from Weston K. Lewis and others in relation to the brook and Town drain that crosses Orient street, near Woodbine avenue. This brook drains the low land lying in the rear of the new Ocean House and between Orient street and Humphrey street. The Sewer Commissioners have had a report made by their engineer, Mr. Worthington, in regard to this situation and this report has been presented to the petitioners. While the Sewer Commissioners feel that there is an opportunity for considerable improvement in this brook and drain, the expense of this undertaking, which has been estimated as about $1,600, seems considerable for the Town to undertake, and the Board have no authorization from the Town to proceed in this matter. They feel, moreover, that the improvement of this ditch is to a large degree directly bene- ficial to the land owners in the vicinity and that it might be advisable for these land owners to stand at least a portion of this expense should the work be undertaken. The report of the engineer on this matter is on file with the Board.
The following is a statement of the bond issues and borrow- ings made by the Sewer Commissioners for sewer construction to the date of this report. This statement includes all the bond issues and borrowings from the first start of construction, this being for the purpose of showing the entire financial statement in a concise form as relates to construction :
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REPORT OF SEWER COMMISSIONERS.
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Receipts on Construction Account.
Nov. 17, 1902. Bond issue
$124,000 00
Premium
3,092 56
Accrued interest
916 22
March 1, 1903.
Interest on deposit.
352 II
May 16, 1903.
Bond issue
60,000 00
Premium
623 40
Accrued interest
·
431 67
W. G. Nash, for cement bags ·
empty
94 46
E. B. Roberts, for pipe
5 00
Temporary loan on bonds .
25,000 00
Interest on deposits . 256 34
M. D. Porter, insurance rebate 9 00
Norfolk Avenue Drain re- imbursement
3,000 00
City of Lynn, for cleaning brook 12 25
$217,793 OI
Feb. 26, 1904.
Expenditures for construc-
tion
217,773 86
Balance
$19 15
Feb. 26, 1904.
Receipts from assessments .
$3, 181 42
Expenditures for mainte- nance
2,002 57
Balance
$1, 178 85
Liabilities.
Lyons & Mather, balance due on contract for particular sewers, held for repairs . · Engineering contract, balance due to March I, 1904
$100 00
596 64
$696 64
Oct. 17, 1903.
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TOWN DOCUMENTS.
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It will be seen from this statement that the total bond issue sold or pledged for sewer construction has been $219,000. Of this amount $7,288.78 has been expended in the construction of particular sewers and connecting drains. This amount is to be covered by an issue of bonds, payable in from one to ten years, and the entire amount will eventually return to the Town from these assessments. This makes the total cost of construction of the sewerage system to the Town to date, including the liabilities, $211, 181.72. The returns from sewer assessments as issued on the frontage and area basis will bring to the Town about $25,000. This will make the net cost to the Town for sewer construction to date $186,000 substantially. The total bond issue as authorized by the legislative acts is $250,000. The present issues are $219,000, of which $10,000 is still in the hands of the Treas- urer. The Town has a right to issue $31,000 in bonds for · further sewer construction at such time as they may deem expe- dient. Your Commissioners feel that should the Town desire to extend the sewerage system in the immediate future that so far as possible it would be advisable to meet the cost of such exten- sions from the assessments. In this manner the indebtedness of the Town will not be increased as it would be by an issue of bonds. The Commissioners therefore recommend that the Town appropriate a sufficient sum annually for maintenance, retiring of bonds and interest on the sewer loan.
Those portions of the Town where the sewerage system was most needed having been provided for, your Commissioners recommend that no extension of the system be made the present year unless the construction is imperative.
The question of maintenance of the system demands the more immediate attention of the Commissioners at the present time. Under ordinary circumstances the Sewer Commissioners feel that the expense of this maintenance will not exceed $3,500 per . year. This cost is made up as follows :
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REPORT OF SEWER COMMISSIONERS.
1904]
AT PUMPING STATION. -
100 tons of coal at $4.50
$450 00
Supplies .
100 00
Salary of Engineer . .
910 00
Total
$1,460 00
MAINTENANCE OF SYSTEM.
Superintendent
·
.
$250 00
Labor .
500 00
Total
750 00
Clerical services
240 00
Salary of Commissioners
600 00
Miscellaneous expenses .
450 00
Maintenance, 1903
$3,500 00
The Commissioners recommend that this sum, $3,500, for maintenance for 1904, together with the cost of maintenance for 1903, viz., $2,002.57, be appropriated.
A statement is included in the Engineer's Report showing the cost of each individual item of sewer construction, which will be of interest.
In conclusion, the Commissioners desire to express their appreciation of the services of Mr. Worthington, Engineer, and his assistants, for their conscientious and faithful performance of the exacting duties required in the supervision and inspection of the construction of our system of sewers.
AARON R. BUNTING, HENRY B. SPRAGUE, OSCAR G. POOR,
Sewer Commissioners.
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TOWN DOCUMENTS.
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SWAMPSCOTT SEWERAGE SYSTEM.
Engineer's Report of Construction
To MARCH 1, 1904.
AARON R. BUNTING, Board of Sewer Commissioners,
HENRY B. SPRAGUE, Swampscott, Mass.
OSCAR G. POOR,
GENTLEMEN,-I present the following report on the Construc- tion of Sewers in Swampscott to March 1, 1904. This report embraces all the construction work at present authorized by the Town of Swampscott, the system including about 7.456 miles of sewers and 2.52 miles of permanent underdrains. A progress report was submitted on February 1, 1903, showing the work done to that time, and this report is to a large degree a contin- uation of the previous report.
In the summaries of costs and work the entire system which has been constructed during the last two years is included.
By reference to the report submitted on February 1, 1903, the various details of the contracts which had been entered into at that time will be found, including all work which was done upon these contracts up to the date of such report.
The work in 1903 has been the completion of the contracts already entered into for the Distribution System, which embraces Sections 3, 4 and 5 of the street mains, the work upon the receiv- ing basin has been completed, the pumping station built, the pumping plant installed therein, the Outfall Main to Dread Ledge laid, certain extensions of the sewerage system as voted by the
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Town were also laid, and also such particular sewers and con- necting drains as were required upon public streets and ways where a sewer had been laid, have been introduced. By further reference to the previous report, the division of the work into various contracts is shown therein. Certain other contracts were entered into this last season in regard to the pumping plant and particular sewers. For convenience, however, the various con- tracts which were entered into last year in their due order will be · taken up in the same way in this report.
Material Contracts.
These contracts were three in number, as follows :
I. For the vitrified clay or sewer pipe.
2. For the cast-iron pipe.
3. For the manhole iron work.
Sewer Pipe.
This contract which was entered into with the Portland Stone Ware Company of Portland, Me., in 1902, was completed at the time the report was rendered, February 1, 1903. Some additional material was required, however, to carry out the exten- sions of the system authorized at the Town Meeting held March 17, 1903. This additional material was bought from the Port- land Stone Ware Company, in continuation of the previous contract.
Cast-Iron Pipe. .
The cast iron pipe required for the Outfall Sewer from Whale Beach to Dread Ledge was purchased through F. A. Houdlette & Son, from the United States Cast Iron Pipe and Foundry Company. The following bids were received for this work :
Chas. Millar & Son $32 20
U. S. Cast Iron Pipe and Foundry Co., 29 45
J. W. Holmes, agent for Donaldson Pipe Co. .
29 23
F. A. Houdlette & Son .
29 10
The bid of F. A. Houdlette & Son was the lowest presented, and the contract was therefore awarded to them.
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TOWN DOCUMENTS.
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Manhole Iron Work.
The manhole iron work required for construction of sewers to carry out the work authorized by the Town was purchased of the Hayes Foundry Company, and was all supplied prior to Febru- ary 1, 1903. The Hayes Foundry Company, however, continued their same rate of prices for the extensions authorized in 1903, and the material therefore supplied was in continuance of this contract.
Labor Contracts.
These contracts are :
I. For unloading and stacking pipe and material received on cars at Swampscott.
2. For laying the Outfall Main or Sewer from Whale Beach to Dread Ledge, termed " Section I."
3. For laying cast-iron force main to receiving basin, termed " Section 2."
4. For the receiving basin.
5. For the pumping station.
6. For the pumping plant.
7. For a portion of the street mains, including the heavy work of the tunnel through Humphrey street, termed " Sec- tion 3."
8. For the street mains lying east of New Ocean street not included in the tunnel section, termed " Section 4."
9. For street mains designed for present construction which drain through New Ocean street to the main outlet. and the extensions authorized by the Town Meeting of March 17, 1903, termed " Section 5, Extensions."
IO. For the particular sewers and connecting drains within the limits of the streets and public ways of the Town where a sewer had been constructed.
Unloading Pipe Contracts.
The work of 1903 under this heading consisted in teaming the cast-iron pipe for the Outfall Sewer from the railroad to Whale Beach. The bids received for this work were as follows, on March 6, 1903 :
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ENGINEER'S REPORT OF CONSTRUCTION.
1904]
M. McDonough
H. S. Tuttle · .
$0 70 long ton. 75
W. T. Ryan
1 00
B. T. Getchell
I IO
66
The contract was awarded to Michael McDonough as the low- est bidder, and has been fully completed.
Outfall Main and Sewer From Whale Beach to Dread Ledge, " Section One."
The work of laying this Outfall Sewer was of a peculiar nature and required a contractor, fitted by both experience and plant, to perform this work in an economical and satisfactory manner. A considerable amount of correspondence and effort was devoted to obtaining bids upon this work and personal visits to several contractors were made for this purpose. It resulted in being able to get practically but one bid upon this work, that of Joseph G. Falcon of Evanston, Ill., who makes a special busi- ness of this class of work. Other contractors who examined this work declined to bid on account of difficulties which they foresaw and also because of the work which was then under way by the Metropolitan Sewer Commissioners at Quincy, and which occupied their time and plants. Mr. Falcon, besides performing he labor required furnished also a certain amount of material, which consisted of a special flexible joint which enabled lengths of pipe to be joined together beneath the surface of the water in a substantial manner, and also allowed a certain flexibility in the ocation and bedding of the pipe. A contract was made with Mr. Falcon for this work on Jan. 21, 1903. This work was tarted May 15, 1903, and was completed August 10, 1903, and has been satisfactorily performed on the part of Mr. Falcon. This Outfall Sewer is laid beneath the surface of the beach and edded in the sand to a point two feet below low water. From his point to Dread Ledge the pipe rests upon the bottom, being partially bedded, however, in the sand and supported at special points by stone piers and oak timber platforms. It is also ecured from lateral movement by its bedding in the sand and by oulders which have been placed on either side of the pipe.
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TOWN DOCUMENTS.
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Piles have also been driven at certain points to further secure its stability. At one point, where an extensive piece of ledge was found, the pipe is secured as it runs over this ledge by straps and lewis bolts. Considerable care was devoted to the location of this Outfall main, and the pipe lies on a practically even grade with a continuous fall to its end which is about 320 feet due south from the beacon on Dread Ledge. At this point the depth of the water is about 60 feet at high tide. A temporary relief outlet has been provided near Black Rock, should con- tingencies require its use, and this can be made available by unbolting its cover at any time. At the extreme end of the Out- fall main is located a foot piece with an elbow, throwing the discharge from the sewer upwards at an angle of about 45°, to prevent the possibility of a deposit near the mouth of the sewer. The location of this sewer and all points upon it are shown upon the plans which have been filed with your Board, so that its course can be determined at any time by reference to such plans. The sewer has been in use since the first of December, 1903. It is an impossibility to determine any difference at the surface of the bay when the sewer is discharging from the normal condition of the water at that point, and it may be confidently asserted that it would be impossible to detect any discharge from this sewer during its operation.
Force Main.
SECT. 2. The cast-iron force main was fully completed last year and covered in the report presented for the last year's work. This force main is 18 inches in diameter and connects the Out- fall Sewer with the pumping station. The location of this force main is shown on the location plans filed with your Board.
Receiving Basin.
The contract for the receiving basin with Tuttle & Edgerly of Swampscott was not fully completed in 1902, work having been suspended on it December 17th by reason of weather conditions. This work was resumed on March 30, 1903, and completed May 4, 1903. At the lower end of the receiving basin the walls were continued to a point two feet above the surface of the
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ENGINEER'S REPORT OF CONSTRUCTION.
1904]
ground, forming the foundation walls for the pumping station. Tests of this receiving basin showed it to be a very substantial and tight structure. The concrete composing the arch covering and a portion of the walls was found to be of a specially good character and it is an extremely difficult piece of work to cut through this structure at the present time. The receiving basin has been in use since about June 1, 1903, when the water was turned into it from the sewers, and has been in use for sewerage purposes since the first of December, 1903. The details of this receiving basin are as follows :
In plan it is a rectangular receptacle about 112 feet long and 40 feet in width, and when full contains 250,000 gallons. The sides are composed of heavy stone masonry walls with a concrete bottom. It is roofed over with two long concrete arches which are supported in the middle by brick piers and arches. Entrance and inspection manholes are provided at the upper end near the street, At the lower end there are hatch- ways located in the pumping station which permit of access to its interior. The pumping station is placed on the lower end and the bottom pitches two feet from front to rear to secure ready drainage of the basin to the pumps. The entire basin is covered over, no portion of it being visible on the ground. Ventilation is provided through the chimney of the pumping station. All possible odors, therefore, from this basin will be taken upwards through the chimney and during the time that a fire is maintained in the boiler it is probable that a more or less complete combustion of gases will ensue. The sewage which is received in this basin does not remain there for a sufficient length of time to permit any amount of putrefaction, which would pro- duce gases to any extent. The entire discharge being pumped as it is to a point beyond Dread Ledge makes it safe to predict that there will be absolutely no annoyance from this basin. At the end where the pumping station is located a pump chamber is provided with a special sump or depression in the bottom from which the pumps draw their supply. The sump enables the pumps to draw all the sewage from the main basin without interfering with their operation. This pump chamber is sepa-
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TOWN DOCUMENTS.
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rated from the rest of the basin by a solid brick division wall, except at one point where heavy metal screens are provided. These screens strain the sewage so as to keep sticks and larger matter back, which would otherwise reach the pumps and inter- fere with their operation. These screens are raised and lowered by means of a specially designed hoist located in the pumping station, and are operated through a hatchway in the floor of the boiler-room.
Pumping Station.
Bids were received for the pumping station on June 19, 1903.
The following bids were received :
O. J. Markee, Swampscott, Mass. $4,738 00 Edw. D. Dearborn, Lynn, Mass. 4,985 00 Charles C. Blanchard, Lynn, Mass., 5,613 00
The contract was awarded to Oval J. Markee of Swampscott. Work was begun under this contract July 1, 1903, and completed September 1, 1903.
The pumping station consists of a plain, substantial brick structure erected over the lower end of the receiving basin. The foundation walls of the pumping station are a continuation of the walls of the basin. The dimensions of the pumping station are 30 feet by 40 feet. It is divided into two rooms, an engine room and boiler room. The roof is slate and is provided with a ventilator. A brick stack 55 feet high is constructed at one cor- ner of the station. The design of this station has been to furnish a competent and serviceable building for the pumping plant used in pumping sewage from the receiving basin through the outfall main to the point of discharge beyond Dread Ledge. In connec- tion with the station means of access to the basin below have been provided by traps in the boiler room floor. One of these is over the location of the screens already referred to in connec- tion with the basin. A screen hoist is provided also to permit the raising and lowering of screens when the occasion requires. Connected with this pumping station is a wooden coal shed which will hold when full thirty-five tons of coal. A portion of the coal shed is also partitioned off for a small tool room. This
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ENGINEER'S REPORT OF CONSTRUCTION.
1904]
coal shed is in the rear of the station and made accessible by a gravel drive. A platform extends from the boiler room door along the front of this shed for convenience in handling the coal. Considerable grading has been done about this pumping station, and with a little expenditure the space in front of the station can be made a green lawn, forming a great improvement in the conditions which existed prior to the construction of the station and basin.
It has been before stated that the smoke stack, or chimney, also provides a ventilator for the basin, to carry off odors and gases which may arise from the sewage contained.
Pumping Plant.
The primary question in relation to the pumping plant was to determine what motive power should be used. A question arose in regard to the use of gasoline engines, in view of the limited time pumping would probably be required, as by this' means a greater compactness of plant could be obtained with less difficulty of freezing in cold weather. After a considerable study and research on the part of your Board, in conjunction with my own investigations, it was decided to install a steam plant, this decision being reached by reason of probably greater economy in actual operation and the possibility of extensions in the future. The cost of the plant, whether operated by steam or gas, did not materially differ. Proposals for this plant were received at various times, the last being received on December 18, 1902. The bids received were as follows :
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