USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Swampscott > Town annual report of Swampscott 1904 > Part 9
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13
Holmes & Blanchard Co.
$6, 185 00
Stillwell-Bierce Co. 6,225 00
Westinghouse, Church, Kerr & Co., 7,673 00
The contract was made with the Holmes & Blanchard Co., on May 15, 1903, for the furnishing and installing of the pumping plant, their design and layout of machinery being considered the most advantageous for the Town, as well as their price being the lowest. The installation of this plant began on September 1, 1903, and was completed and in operation on December 1, 1903.
152
TOWN DOCUMENTS.
[Feb. 20
The installation was begun as soon as possible in connection with the construction of the pumping station. In brief, this plant is a duplicate set of machinery and boilers throughout, so that in its operation temporary repairs in any portion will not interfere with the operation of the system. The plant consists of the following parts : Two vertical, rotary, centrifugal pumps, which have an 8-inch discharge; these pumps are located in the pump sump, or well, of the basin; two 50 H. P. stationary engines, constructed by the Valley Iron Works; two horizontal boilers of the Scotch marine type of 50 H. P. each. A feed pump is provided to supply the boilers while running, and all feed water passes through a heater, which is heated by steam from the exhaust from the engine. The power transmission is provided for by belting from the engine to a jack shaft and from this jack shaft over a vertical pulley situated on the pump shaft. This power transmission is so arranged that either engine can be operated by both pumps, or either pump individually, or both engines and both pumps can be run together. The arrangement of the steam is such that either boiler can supply either engine or both engines. This arrangement has been made with special reference to interchange- ability in running. The pumps are connected by means of a 12-inch discharge pipe to the 18-inch force main which runs through to Whale Beach and connects at that point with the Outfall Sewer to Dread Ledge.
In connection with the plant a tell-tale guage has been intro- duced by means of a float and weight with pulleys, so that the depth of water in the basin can be determined at a glance at the guage. Hand gates are provided, so that either of the pumps or both can be connected through the discharge main. Provision has also been made for the addition of a third pump in case this is required.
This plant was guaranteed by the contractors to pump with one pump and engine 240,000 gallons in three hours or 80,000 gallons per hour. This required an engine speed of 275 revolu- tions per minute, making the speed of the pumps 400 revolutions per minute. This would be practically 1,400 gallons per minut
153
ENGINEER'S REPORT OF CONSTRUCTION.
1904]
pumped through the discharge to Dread Ledge outlet. A trial of these engines was made in the latter part of November and the first part of December, each engine and pump being run sep- arately. The engines were run from 213 to 218 revolutions per minute, this being substantially 20 per cent. less than the contract speed and the sewage was discharged at the rate of about 100,000 gallons per hour, when run at this decreased speed. This is an excess of 25 per cent. over the contract requirements. The plant will therefore be seen to have a capacity for about 30 per cent. in excess of the contract requirements. The plant operated smoothly throughout this test, and is easily operated. There are some minor adjustments of belts, shafting and other details which will have to be made from time to time during the early period of operation of the plant. There is no reason, how- ever, why this plant should not fully answer all your require- ments for a great many years. The combined capacity of the two pumps will take care of one-half a million gallons in three hours, or one and one-half million gallons in an ordinary day's run of ten hours. At the present time the operation of the plant is necessary, by filling the basin, under usual conditions, about once every two days. Certain extraordinary conditions require the operation of the plant oftener. These conditions are brought about by extremely wet weather and snow upon the ground which introduces a large amount of surface water through the manhole covers into the sewer. This condition of affairs exists largely on the streets having a street car track upon them, the car track being below the remaining portion of the street. At such times it appears that when the snow is upon the ground the excess of water from the streets, to a large degree, runs down such tracks. At these times the conditions will be most favorable for an increase of discharge into the basin. This condition has already occurred and has about doubled the discharge into the basin at such times. This condition is not a serious trouble at the present time ; should, however, in the future there arise diffi- culties from too large an inflow, it is comparatively a simple matter to close the openings in the manhole covers left for ven- tilation and thus exclude surface water to a large degree. This is a matter of operation which may be necessary in the future.
I
154
TOWN DOCUMENTS.
[Feb. 20
The economy of the plant is shown by the amount of coal used. From nine to twelve pounds of coal are required per horse power. About 500 pounds of coal is required in making steam from a cold boiler and making the run required to empty the basin. During the cold weather sufficient fire is maintained on the boilers to keep the water in the boilers warm and prevent freezing. In the summer time this will not be necessary. It is found that in operating the plant from a ton to a ton and a half of coal is required per week. It is probable that seventy-five tons of coal will be required to operate the plant throughout the first years of its operation. This will make an expense of from $400 to $450 per year for fuel. If there be added to this the expense of the engineer and the miscellaneous supplies for the plant, the cost of the maintenance at the station will be easily ascertained.
Collecting System.
The remainder of the sewerage plant has been termed the Collecting System and consists of the main sewers in the streets used for collecting the sewage and bringing it up by gravity to the basin. This collecting system is divided into several con- tracts. These contracts will be taken up separately.
Tunnel Section.
This section was partly completed in 1902, the contractors being the C. H. Eglee Company. Work continued on this sec- tion practically without interruption until June 19, 1903, when the section was completed. This included the work through Humphrey street and all of the concrete sewer up to the foot of New Ocean street. It will be recalled that this Tunnel Section is the main outlet for the western part of the Town, embracing the low territory lying along the Lynn line and the Mudge and Stetson properties. It furnishes an outlet for this section through to the receiving basin, and does away with any pumping in this western district. As has been previously pointed out, this does away with any disagreeable feature of storage of sewage in a thickly settled portion of the Town.
155
ENGINEER'S REPORT OF CONSTRUCTION.
I904]
The concrete sewage is oval or egg shaped in form, the upper portion being 30 inches high by 20 inches in width. This size continues from New Ocean street through to a point on Humphrey street, opposite Greenwood avenue. From this point at Greenwood avenue to the entrance of the receiving basin on Humphrey street the size of the sewer is 36 inches by 24 inches. The connection to the receiving basin is 36 inches in diameter and circular in form. The portion of this which was built in tunnel is from Monument square through to Greenwood avenue on Humphrey street, a distance of about 1,818 feet. The tunnel section runs in straight lines with two angles in its course. One angle is at the summit on Humphrey street, opposite the Millett residence, and one further towards the receiving basin opposite the Foster residence. At these points shafts or chimneys extend from the surface down to the tunnel proper. At the Millett residence the depth of the tunnel below the street surface is 34 feet, and at the Foster residence is 24 feet.
The tunnel work to a large degree was in rock excavation and was carried forward without intermission until about February 18, 1903. Construction of the sewer in this excavation was then begun. Upon completion of the work the sewer was tested for smoothness and leaks, and a very satisfactory condition was found to exist. The size of the sewer was such that a man could enter and make any repairs necessary, and this greatly facilitated operations. If in the future any difficulties occur, this feature will be of material benefit in making repairs.
A local sewer has been laid in Humphrey street above this tunnel to connect the houses and buildings along the line. The purpose of this local sewer being to render it unnecessary to dig down to meet the tunnel line proper for each house connection. These local sewers lead into the tunnel at various points. The contract for the tunnel section included these local sewers as well as the deeper portions of the tunnel proper.
-
Street Mains Under Section 4.
The sewers constructed under what is known as "Section 4" embrace the following streets :
156
TOWN DOCUMENTS.
[Feb. 20
Street.
From.
To.
Blaney St.,
Redington St.
Humphrey St. Claremont St.
Burrill St.,
Humphrey St.
Lincoln House Ave.,
Orient St.
Lincoln House Ave.
Orient St.,
Humphrey St.
Orient Court.
Orient St.,
Orient Court
Pass. to Beach.
Tuttle's Lane.
Orient Court,
Humphrey St.
Orient St.
Redington St.,
Humphrey St.
Rockland St.
Rockland St.,
Redington St. Rose St.
Rose St.,
Rockland St. Blaney St.
Woodbine Ave.,
Orient St.
Orient St.
The contract was practically completed in 1902 by Michael McDonough, contractor for this section. Mr. McDonough fully completed his work on this contract on June 4, 1903, after resumption of work in the spring of 1903, the work done in 1903 being largely on Orient street.
Street Mains Section 5.
This work was done under a contract with F. D. Mayo of Lynn, Mass. A portion of this work was done in 1902, as has been shown in the previous report. Mr. Mayo continued his work in 1903 and completed the original work laid out in this section August 24, 1903, which was on the following streets :
Street.
From. To.
Andrew Rd.,
Paradise Rd.
Thomas Rd.
Berkshire St.,
Middlesex Ave.
Paradise Rd.
Boynton St.,
Burrill St.
Pine St.
Burrill St.,
Railroad Ave.
Paradise Rd.
Burrill St.,
Paradise Rd. New Ocean St.
Burrill St.,
New Ocean St.
Claremont Ter.
Elmwood Rd.,
Paradise Rd.
Thomas Rd.
Hampden St.,
Middlesex Ave.
Berkshire St.
Middlesex Ave.,
Burrill St.
Norfolk Ave.
1904]
ENGINEER'S REPORT OF CONSTRUCTION.
157
Middlesex Ave., Norfolk Ave.
Hampden St.
New Ocean St.,
Burrill St.
Pine St.
New Ocean St.,
Pine St.
Cross Line.
Norfolk Ave., Paradise Rd.
Stetson Ave.
Paradise Rd.,
Burrill St.
Norfolk Ave.
Paradise Rd.,
Norfolk Ave.
Shaw Rd.
Paradise Rd.,
Shaw Rd.
Ellis Rd.
Pine St.,
Railroad Ave.
New Ocean St.
Railroad Ave.,
Pine St.
Burrill St.
Shaw Rd.,
Paradise Rd.
Thomas Rd.
Stetson Ave.,
Norfolk Ave.
Franklin Ave.
Stetson Ave.,
Franklin Ave.
Essex St.
Thomas Rd.,
Elmwood Rd.
Shaw Rd.
Thomas Rd.,
Shaw Rd.
Walker Rd.
The Town having voted at its meeting on March 17, 1903, to further extend the system on Ellis road, from Paradise road to Farragut road ; on Farragut road, from Grant road to Andrew road; on Elmwood road, from Thomas road to a point above Hardy road, and on Norfolk avenue and Stetson avenue to a point near Mrs. H. L. White's house, this work was also under- taken by Mr. Mayo this year. Mr. Mayo's contract provided that the lengths of sewer as set forth could be increased 25 per cent. over the original amount set forth in the specifications, if the Sewer Commissioners so desired, during the continuance of his work on the contract, and this extension work was done under this provision and at the same prices given in his contract. The work on these extensions was completed by Mr. Mayo, November 20, 1903.
In connection with Mr. Mayo's work a considerable number of permanent underdrains were laid, these underdrains being provided for the purpose of connecting wet cellars with a drain sufficient and satisfactory to carry off such drainage to a suitable place. These underdrains have been laid on the following streets :
158
TOWN DOCUMENTS.
[Feb. 20
Street.
From.
To.
Andrew Rd.,
Paradise Rd.
Berkshire St.,
Paradise Rd.
Burrill St.,
New Ocean St. Paradise Rd.
Thomas Rd. Middlesex Ave. Railroad Ave. Hardy Rd. Middlesex Ave.
Elmwood Rd.,
Hampden St.,
Berkshire St.
Middlesex Ave.,
Hampden St.
Burrill St.
New Ocean St.,
Stacey Brook
Burrill St.
Norfolk Ave.,
Paradise Rd.
Stetson Ave.
Shaw Rd.,
Thomas Rd.
Paradise Rd.
Stetson Ave.,
Norfolk Ave.
Thomas Rd.,
Elmwood Rd.
Ellis Rd.,
Paradise Rd.
Farragut Rd.
Farragut Rd.
Ellis Rd.
Grant Rd.
Essex St. Farragut Rd.
These give a total length of 22 miles of permanent underdrains. These underdrains all empty into King Brook on New Ocean street. With proper care and trapping, and provisions so that no foreign matter shall be introduced, these underdrains are fully competent to give the much-needed relief to this section by per- mitting dry cellars. The depth at which this underdrain is laid is sufficient to drain this entire territory, and it will to a large degree drain the surrounding soil, although no surface or sub- soil drains other than those which are directly connected with the cellars should be permitted to drain into this underdrain, as it might otherwise be so burdened as to fail to perform its duties in a satisfactory manner.
These three sections, termed Sections 3, 4 and 5, constitute all the sewers which have been at the present time voted upon by the Town for construction. Future extensions will be laid to connect with these various sewers, which constitute the larger mains of the system.
Particular Sewers and Connecting Drains.
The Town at its Town Meeting on March 17, 1903, deter- mined by vote that it would seek legislation allowing it to put in sewer connections and drains within the street limits at the
159
ENGINEER'S REPORT OF CONSTRUCTION.
1904]
Town's expense in the first instance and by means of a special assessment make a charge of the cost of these connections to the owners benefited. £ An Act was obtained by your Board from the Legislature, which is Chapter 401 of the Acts of 1903. The Act was approved May 9, 1903, and was accepted by the Town at the Town Meeting held July 22, 1903. At this same meeting provision was made whereby the necessary expense of putting in these connections within the street limits was to be paid for, in the first instance by the Town, and the assessment as provided for in the enactment could be made. In accordance with these provisions and the Town's action, a contract was entered into with Messrs. Lyons & Mather of Swampscott, Mass., on Sep- tember 8, 1903, such contract being awarded after due advertis- ing and receiving of proposals. The proposals which were received were as follows :
Lyons & Mather, Swampscott, Mass., . $7,277 50
Edward B. Roberts,
. ( . 8,000 00
M. McDonough, 66 . 8,640 00
C. E. Trumbull Co., Boston,
. 10, 130 00
F. D. Mayo, Lynn,
. 10,725 00
F. A. Snow, Boston,
. 10,950 00
D. A. Lynch, “
. 15,825 00
Lyons & Mather being the lowest bidders, the contract was awarded to them, as is before stated. Work was begun under this contract on September 18, 1903, and completed on December 8, 1903. This contract required that all material, including pipe and fittings for the work, must be provided by the contractor, as well as all labor employed in prosecution of the work. Under this contract 463 connections for particular sewers were made and 103 connections with the permanent underdrains.
The enactment and vote of the Town provided that an assess- ment should be made for a sewer connection and for an under- drain separately, such assessments to be the average cost per foot under these various headings. The following is the statement of cost of the particular sewers, the average cost per foot being $0.57. The list of assessments under this vote has been pre- pared on this basis and is in the hands of your Board.
160
TOWN DOCUMENTS. [Feb. 20
Statement Showing Computation of Average Cost Per Foot of Particular Sewers Laid on Assessment Section I, in 1903.
5-inch Particular Sewer, vitrified pipe laid, · 5-inch particular sewer, cast-iron pipe laid, 318
11,594.7 feet, at $0.44 $5,101 67
feet at $1.00 · 318 00 · 6-inch particular sewer, vitrified pipe laid, 77.2
feet at $0.50 · 38 60
S-inch particular sewer, vitrified pipe laid, 23.5 feet at $0.70 16 45
Rock excavation on particular sewers, 158.25 cubic yards at $3.00 474 75
Portland cement concrete on particular sewers, 40.00 cubic yards at $6.00 . · Refill on particular sewers, 4.50 cubic yards at $1.00 . ·
240 00
4 50
Extra work on chimneys and Andrew road con- nection 19 75
Total cost on contract .
$6,213 72
Iron pipe from Philbrick & Pope on Elmwood rd., 15 40
Advertising . II 07
Engineering and inspection . 539 87
Clerical work, etc.
.
67 57
Total cost
$6,847 63
Total length of particular sewers laid, 12,013.4 feet.
Average cost per foot, 57 cents.
Total number of particular sewers laid, 465.
In connection with the underdrains the following is the state- ment of the cost of the underdrains, showing an average cost per foot of $0.17. Similar tables and assessments have been prepared for these underdrains, as in the cost of the particular sewers, and are also in the hands of your Board.
161
ENGINEER'S REPORT OF CONSTRUCTION.
1904]
Statement Showing Computation of Average Cost Per Foot of Connecting Drains Laid on Assessment, Section I, in 1903.
4-inch connecting drains, vitrified pipe laid,
2,700.2 feet, at II¿c. . $310 52 4-inch connecting drains, cast-iron pipe laid, 20
· feet, at 50c. 10 00
5-inch connecting drains, vitrified pipe laid, 37 feet, at 30c. . II IO
Rock excavation on connecting drains, 2 cubic yards, at $3.00 . ·
6 00
Portland cement concrete on connecting drains,
10.6 cubic yards, at $6.00 . 63 60 Refill on connecting drains, 1.5 cubic yards, at $1.00 . I 50
Total cost on contract . $402 72
Engineering and inspection
34 84
Clerical work, etc.
4 69
Total cost
$441 15
Total length of connecting drains laid, 2,757.2 feet. Aver- age cost per foot, 16 cents. Total number of connecting drains laid, 103.
Norfolk Avenue Drain.
The repairs on Norfolk avenue drain as shown in the report presented to you last year, were practically completed at that time. A small amount of work has been done this season, as was necessary in resurfacing and smoothing Paradise road, and a few incidental charges in relation to the removing of pipe and material. The cost of Norfolk avenue drain, as shown else- where in this report, for repairs, etc., is $3,377.74. There remains in the hands of the Sewer Commissioners pipe to the value of $174.37. This pipe will be of material advantage to the Town in construction of drains in the future, but will prob- ably not be of special value to the Sewer Department. The
162
TOWN DOCUMENTS.
[Feb. 20
Town, at its Town Meeting on March 17, 1903, appropriated $3,000 for expenses on the repair of Norfolk avenue drain, as done by the Sewer Commissioners. As will be seen by refer- ence to the financial statement, a small amount still remains as yet unprovided for by the Town on this drain repair, by any appropriation. It would seem that the best method of adjusting this matter would be to pay to the Sewer Department this excess expenditure of $377.74 and have the Town reserve the material remaining from this work for the use of the Street Department.
Assessments.
The original Swampscott Sewer Act, which is Chap. 86 of 1902, provided that an assessment would be levied on all properties abutting on a sewered street or way, and fixed the amount of this assessment as $0.25 cents per running foot of frontage and $0.003 per square foot of area, running back 125 feet from such sewered street or way. In accordance with this provision, sur- veys, maps and plans have been made of all streets and properties liable to such an assessment, and a complete list with the amount of the assessment has been furnished to your Board. These maps, plans and assessment data are on file at your office and can be examined by any one who has a desire to ascertain any special assessment. In conformance with the Act your Board issued on January 1, 1904, an assessment levy to the Tax Col- lector and these assessments are now before the Town. In future extensions it will be necessary to go through with the same process with regard to assessments.
The special assessments in relation to particular sewers and connecting drains have already been referred to under this head- ing. These assessments can be levied at any time that your Board think desirable and the proceeds from these assessments are to be applied to the indebtedness incurred by the Town in putting in these particular sewers and connecting drains. As in the assessment on the streets, it will be necessary to repeat this process of assesment for particular sewers and connecting drains as often as this work is done.
163
ENGINEER'S REPORT OF CONSTRUCTION.
1904]
Financial Tables.
The financial tables which are given here show the complete cost of all the work which has been done in the process of con- struction up to the first of February, 1904. For the purpose of showing the exact cost of each part of the system, the amounts of money which have been expended on each particular portion are shown in this statement in detail and as an aggregate. This aggregate includes the material, labor, engineering services and other features which enter into the cost of the work. The tables which are shown in your Commissioners' report show to whom this money has been paid and this is not, therefore, repeated in this statement, for the sake of brevity.
In connection with the costs of the collecting system, each street is shown separately, with an approximate cost per foot, this being done for the purpose of showing the cost of sewers in the various sections. These costs are largely affected by the character of the material which is encountered, such as rock excavation, by the sizes and construction of the sewer put in, whether a large or small pipe sewer or concrete construction, the depth of excavation and other features which are peculiar to the particular locality. These costs will, however, form a basis on which the cost of extensions may be, to a considerable degree, estimated by comparing like conditions and sizes. There is always, however, an unknown quantity which enters into the making up of the statement, and that is the cost of material and labor at the time that the construction is to be undertaken. During the last two years you have seen marked fluctuations in these prices, and it is impossible to pre- dict what the situation will be at any given time. It is, how- ever, usually possible to state what the cost of sewer construction will be in a season just commenced, unless unusual conditions occur, such as existed in 1902, when the prices were largely increased in a very short time. The tables given below show these cost items.
164
TOWN DOCUMENTS. [Feb. 20
Outfall Sewer.
SECTION I
Cost of 18-inch cast-iron pipe
$7,481 12
Cost of labor under contract
12.880 03
$20,361 15
Engineering and supervision
1,761 56
Total cost
$22,122 71
Force Main.
SECTION 2.
Cost of 18-inch cast-iron pipe
$4,577 07
Cost of labor under contract
3,618 41
$8,195 48
Engineering and supervision
709 03
Total cost
$8,904 51
Receiving Basin.
COST OF MATERIAL FURNISHED BY TOWN.
Cement .
$5,277 62
Screens, pipe and fittings
660 09
Cost of labor under contract
. .
14,753 97
$20,691 68
Engineering and supervision
1,790 13
Total cost
$22,481 SI
Pumping Station.
Cost of labor and material under contract $6,427 84
Engineering and supervision 556 48
$6,984 32
Pumping Plant.
Cost of material and labor under contract
$7,026 14
Engineering and supervision
607 86
Total cost
$7,634 00
.
165
ENGINEER'S REPORT OF CONSTRUCTION.
1904]
Pumping Station Lot and Grading.
Cost of pumping station lot
$600 00
Cost of grading and filling . .
453 45
Engineering and supervision
91 18
Total cost
$1,144 63
Particular Sewers and Connecting Drains. .
Cost of labor and material . $6,642 41
Engineering and supervision
574 66
Total cost
$7,217 07
Norfolk Avenue Drain.
Cost of labor and material .
$3,108 63
Engineering and supervision 269 II
Total cost
$3,377.74
Value of material on hand unused in Norfolk avenue drain .
$117 00
Value of pipe excavated from Norfolk avenue drain
57 37
Total value of material on hand $174 37
Administration.
Administration charges including legal expenses,
clerk hire, advertising, etc. ·
$827 10
Land damages and easements .
.
598 40
$1,425 50
Furniture and fixtures .
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.