USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Swampscott > Town annual report of Swampscott 1915 > Part 17
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This question was met by the generosity of Professor Thomson, who donated to the Town a portion of his land on Burrill street for the pur- pose. An exceptionally good location was thus secured, and the com- mittee (and no doubt the citizens as well) highly appreciated the gift.
The next step in the work of preparation was to solicit the Carnegie Corporation to change the views that they had expressed that the fourteen thousand dollars previously tendered us for a library building would erect a building large enough for a town of our size and to allow us to use the money to be applied toward a larger building.
A building to cost fourteen thousand dollars would be too small for our use, and we reasoned that we should be allowed to add enough to that sum to enable us to increase the size of the building to one that we could comfortably use, and a deal of correspondonce passed to and from the Carnegie Corporation, in our efforts to convince them of that fact, but without success. Then one of the committee, Mr. Sprague, in the endeavor to harmonize, if possible, all differences of opinion, made a special effort by two separate visits to New York for a personal interview with the secretary of the Carnegie Corporation.
Mr. Sprague, shortly after his last interview with the Secretary of the Carnegie Corporation, was taken ill and was obliged to give up the effort. Correspondence was then again taken up and letters and plans were sent to the Carnegie Corporation but without gaining an altogether favorable response. In the meantime the committee held meetings from time to time during the spring, summer and fall, for consideration of the size of the building, the arrangement of its rooms and many other details neces- sary in securing a practical, useful and efficient, and still a good building, architecturally.
In pursuance of the committee's plan to secure for Swampscott the best possible library for the money invested, libraries in nearby cities and towns were visited and inspected by members of the committee, and in the early fall of this year library experts were consulted that the committee be assured that the building planned would meet the needs and uses of a library before the actual erection of the building was begun, and thus avoid errors tending to inefficiency found in many library buildings.
The Carnegie Corporation suggested to us in their last letter a building rectangular in shape, measuring 23 feet deep by 60 feet frontage, but as we had previously stated to them, a building of that size would be too small, inasmuch as it would serve but little more than to hold our present number of books. The reading or waiting room space after the books were in would be reduced to about 19 x 24 feet, which would not meet our needs for two reading rooms, one for children and one for adults, both larger than the space mentioned above.
At this time, arriving at the conclusion that we must not lose further time and delay giving up our room in the Town Hall, which room is much needed for other purposes, irrespective of what the Carnegie Cor- poration might finally decide to give ns, we started work upon the cellar,
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TOWN DOCUMENTS.
[Dec. 31
making it of a size to hold a building that we should be able to erect and equip with the money the Town had appropriated and meet present needs. This cellar measures about 47 feet wide by 59 feet front.
The floor area of a building put upon a foundation of that size will be sufficient to allow space for two reading rooms, one measuring about 20 feet by 30 feet, for children, and the other nearly the same size for adults. These rooms have each ample seating capacity for twenty people with an equipment of three good sized tables. There is also a room, measuring 12 feet by 15 feet, for the librarian. Around the sides of the children's room there are to be bookshelves to the height of about four feet six inches, which will be used for children's books, and there will be room for about 2,400 books. Around the adults' room the shelf racks will be higher, and consequently there will be more shelves and they will contain about 3,400 books. Other books will be put in movable book racks placed back of the loan desk. These stacks will contain about 5,600 books.
At the rear of the building there will be book shelves built against the wall which will afford room for about 1,000 volumes This book space will be used as the library needs may require.
In the basement will be space allotted to the use of a boiler room and coal bin, two toilet rooms, a large work room for the librarian and a spe- cial storeroom. The remaining space can some day be used for a lecture room and its connections, if desired, the size being about 18 feet by 30 feet. The attic will afford a large amount of storage room.
As soon as the need for more room for books is serious a stack room can be built in the rear of the building, for which we have plenty of room for any size that our needs may require for many years to come. It will also be practical to build a balcony over the rear of the present book stack space to hold_the needed book stacks up to a capacity of at least 10,000 volumes.
We believe, therefore, that besides providing for present needs we have given full consideration to providing in a very economical way for future growth.
The building is to be built of red brick, and the endeavor of the archi- tects will be that it shall harmonize as one of a group of buildings in its immediate surroundings.
The architects, Messrs. Kelley & Graves, were requested at the time when work upon the cellar was begun, to make from their preliminary . sketches and plans working drawings and specifications to accompany them, that bids may be advertised for and the work carried to completion as soon as possible. They have now completed their work and advertise- ments for bids will soon appear. A picture of the proposed building may be seen at the library room in the Town Hall.
Respectfully submitted,
FRANK F. STANLEY, F. KEELER RICE, FRANK E. INGALLS, ELIZABETH J. HADLEY, ELIHU THOMSON, HENRY B. SPRAGUE,
Majority of the Building Committee.
Mr. John Albree dissenting.
SWAMPSCOTT, January 24, 1916.
181
BUILDING COMMITTEE AND LIBRARY TRUSTEES.
1915]
Report of Mr. John Albree.
To the Citizens of Swampscott :
The report of the Library Building Committee, prepared by the Chair- man, is indefinite and in my judgment lacks detailed information that should be submitted to the Town, and I am therefore unable to concur in signing it.
Among the reasons for non-concurrence I may mention :
First. Provision for "present needs" only is reported as being made. It is suggested, however, that the "serious" need for more book room can be met by the erection of a stack room at the rear or by building a bal- cony, but no estimate is given of how soon this need will become "serious" or of how much the Town will have to appropriate for the purpose.
Second. The capital investment proposed, $25,000, is larger than in libraries recently built for less amounts and accommodating more books. No reason for this difference is reported.
Third. No estimate is given of the probable cost of maintenance of the proposed library, for which annual appropriations will have to be made.
In general I am unable to acquiesce in the results as reported because :
(a) Building operations have been begun before final detailed plans have been agreed upon, approved and accepted.
(b) The requirements of the library service of the Town are not met unless adequate provision is made for a book capacity based on the experi- ence of other communities working under library conditions similar to those that may reasonably be anticipated will exist in Swampscott.
(c) No plans should be finally adopted until they have been submitted for the comment and criticism of those who are trained and experienced in the art of library administration and whose opinions would therefore have weight, the object sought being that in the plans there shall be incorporated the best practical suggestions.
With the filing of this report my service as a member of the Committee terminates, and I ask the Town to accept my resignation.
JOHN ALBREE.
SWAMPSCOTT, January 27, 1916.
13
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TOWN DOCUMENTS.
[Dec. 31
Report of Committee Upon Sale of Lands on Pine Street.
To the Citzens of Swampscott:
Under Article 41, the Town voted to dispose of its property upon Pine street and New Ocean street. That portion upon New Ocean street has already been reported upon under the Selectmen's report.
The Pine street land is being used in part by the Board of Water Com- missioners, and they were added to the Committee, consisting of the Board of Selectmen, to dispose of this property, the proceeds of which were to be placed to the credit of the Sinking Fund, of which the Water Commissioners are trustees.
We have had surveys and plans made of this territory, said plans being on file in the office of the Town Engineer, and dated October 21, 1915. The plan shows proposed extension of Erie street from the Lynn line to Pine street, which makes available for salable purposes three blocks of land, containing 13,642 square feet, 15,680 square feet, and 22,223 square feet respectively.
In subdividing this property, we have reserved for the use of the Town of Swampscott such amount as is necessary north of the present shop, allowing also enough land to include the new Paradise Road drain, which runs through this property. We have also reserved strips of land to pro- vide for any future construction of culverts through the channels of brooks which run through this property to Stacey Brook.
The sale of this land was advertised in the local papers, but no bids were received. . .
We report progress, and recommend that the same committee be con- tinued. with power to dispose of this property should an opportunity occur.
Respectfully submitted,
CLARENCE B. HUMPHREY, JAMES F. CATON, ELIAS G. HODGKINS, SAMUEL M. KEHOE, GEORGE D. R. DURKEE, CHARLES E. HODGDON.
Committee.
183
COMMITTEE TO CONSIDER DRAINAGE.
1915]
REPORT OF THE Committee to Consider the Drainage OF THAT SECTION OF THE TOWN, INCLUDING PHILLIPS PLAYGROUND AND VICINITY.
To the Citizens of Swampscott :
This Committee, consisting of the Board of Selectmen and the Board of Sewer Commissioners, was appointed at a Special Town Meeting held on Thursday, August 26th, 1915, to see what action the Town would take to regulate the surface drainage of the land bordering on Humphrey street and vicinity.
The report of the Ways and Means Committee upon this proposition is as follows :
This is a large question and should not be disposed of without most careful consideration. The Town has already acquired an ease- ment and has constructed a drain connecting with the Marshall Brook outfall, and the Board of Health has required this to be opened in or- der to take care of the excess water during the season. It is therefore necessary to provide a permanent culvert to replace this portion of the drain. Your committee, however, feels that the large question of car- ing for the brooks that drain the Phillips swamp should be referred to a special committee, consisting of the Selectmen and three others to be appointed by the Moderator, and so recommend. We recommend that the sum of $700, as estimated by the town engineer, be appropri- ated for a cement culvert to extend from Orient Street to the property of the New Ocean House.
This Committee organized with choice of Samuel M. Kehoe, Chairman, and Clarence B. Humphrey, Clerk. Soon after organizing we studied the territory involved, and realizing that it was a proposition involving the drainage of all that portion of the town south of the railroad, east of Millett Road and west of Forest Avenue, where the same enters Humphrey Street, called the Town Engineer into consultation, and after talking the matter over with him decided to have him make plans of this territory, taking such elevations as were necessary, and then to make a plan show- ing these elevations and the grades of the drains already in existence, at the same time instructing him to make a study of this entire proposition and prepare tentative plans for a proposed system that would drain this entire district. His report is as follows :
Board of Selectmen and Board of Sewer Commissioners, of the Town of Swampscott : GENTLEMEN :
I submit herewith a report to your joint Boards in relation to the drainage of the low land or swamp situated between Humphrey street and Puritan road in the Town of Swampscott.
The portion of the low land acquired by the Town, and known as Phillips Park, is the major factor to be studied for drainage, as this area
184
TOWN DOCUMENTS.
[Dec. 31
is the basin or reservoir to receive, during heavy rains, a large dis- charge of water from the following sources:
First. The concrete culvert constructed this year by the Town, in Humphrey street, between Pleasant street and Glen road, and extended, by private parties, several hundred feet in Glen road withan 18-in. pipe, is an outfall for the drainage of the low land situated between Pleasant street, Forest avenue and a point beyond the Boston and Maine Rail- road location. This culvert will in the future drain a greater portion of the Shaw Estate and therefore will discharge a greater quantity of water than at the present time.
Second. The new 15-inch pipe drain connecting Humphrey street and Millett road catch basins and the drainage from the Millett Estate, discharges into a 24-inch pipe, parallel to Humphrey street, near the Pumping Station lot.
Third. A small brook from the Phillips Estate spreads out over the marsh land and empties into an open ditch, which forms the southern boundary of Phillips park.
At the present time this low area, which receives the discharge of water from the above enumerated sources, is drained by a 24-inch pipe to the Puritan road culvert. This pipe is laid with a broken grade and serves in a very small degree its intended purpose.
It is evident that the remedy for the existing conditions must be the diverting of the present discharge of storm water, from this low section, into separate channels through which it will flow unobstructed to the main outfall on Blaney beach.
Investigation of this low area shows the depth of peat from five to 16 feet. A pipe drain laid upon this foundation could not be kept to grade unless extensive piling was used, which would greatly increase the cost of construction.
The type of conduit best fitted for the above foundation is a rein- forced concrete one with a rectangular section, which when constructed will float as one unit for its entire length, at the grade established.
The conduit should be of reinforced concrete 3 feet wide 2 feet high constructed upon a 2-inch spruce plank mudsill, with a 4-inch layer of broken stone between the mudsill and the bottom or invert of the con- duit. The roof and bottom walls of the conduit should be 6-inches thick and reinforced both crosswise and longitudinal with 72-inch steel bars, with sidewalls 6-inches thick and reinforced with 72-inch steel tie rods, as the lateral pressure is very small.
Two-inch iron inlet pipes with their outside side ends covered with broken stone, to be placed in the side walls, at the proper distance apart to serve as a drain for the ground water for the entire distance of the conduit lines.
The present concrete conduit 3 feet 6 inches x 2 feet 6 inches which was constructed to the New Ocean House boundary line, by the Town this year should be extended about 150 feet to a proposed street.
From this point there should be two conduit lines, one running northerly in the proposed street to Humphrey street, thence turning and ruuning parallel to Humphrey street through Phillips Park to the present culvert in Humphrey street near Pleasant street, for a distance of 1,855 feet, with a fall of three feet; the other running southerly and easterly on or near the location of the present 24-inch pipe drain, to the open ditch, on the southerly boundary line, for a distance of 1,050 feet with a fall of one foot, draining the marsh at elevation of 11.00; the proposed filling in Phillips Park being at elevation 13.8.
It will also be necessary to extend the present 24-inch pipe drain in the Pumping Station lot to the Marshall Brook stone culvert under Humphrey street sidewalk for a distance of about 300 feet.
These main drains are outlined on the accompanying plan, the approximate cost of which is as follows:
1915]
COMMITTEE TO CONSIDER DRAINAGE.
185
150 Linear feet 3 feet, 6 inches x 2 feet, 6 inches Concrete conduit .
. 1,855 Linear feet 3 feet, o inches x 2 feet, o inches Concrete conduit to Hum- phrey street .
6,030 00 900 Linear feet 3 feet, o inches x 2 feet, o inches Concrete conduit to Brook 2,700 00 300 Linear feet 24-inch pipe to Marshall Brook drain . 600 00
$9,880 00
Engineering, etc. .
620 00
Total
$10,500 00
Respectfully submitted,
(Signed) W. W. PRATT, Town Engineer.
SWAMPSCOTT, December, 1915.
After receiving this report, the Committee, in consultation with the Engineer, studied the situation as outlined by him. We find that the drain from Blaney's Beach to the Ocean House property, through land of Melzard, is completed in accordance with the vote of the Town appropri- ating $700 for the same, and the elevation of the invert at the end of this culvert is 8.20 Swampscott base, mean low water being elevation 0.24, and mean high water being 9.54.
The concrete culvert draining Glen Road with its end now in the play- ground, is also completed, and the elevation of the invert at this end is 13.1.
That portion of the Town comprising the Millett Estate, draining down through Millett Road on to Humphrey street, is now taken care of by basins, which drain into the old Marshall Street Brook. This brook runs under the sewer property, thence in open ditch to Commonwealth avenue, whence it runs under the sidewalk on the southerly side of Humphrey street, which sidewalk has been replaced with a granolithic surface. The capacity of this brook under Humphrey street is too small to take the water that would eventually reach it from the drain east of the same running from Glen Road, and it would be inexpedient to recommend an elargement.
We recommend that this Marshall Street Brook, so called, be extended easterly three hundred feet. The elevation of the east end, as proposed, is 10.80.
We find that the drain which originally ran parallel with Humphrey street through the edge of Phillips swamp, thence through the Ocean House property and drained into the Marshall Brook at the sewer property, has become lost, either by filling or otherwise, so that for a number of years the water from Phillips swamp drain has emptied itself upon the Ocean House property, and they have been obliged to construct an artifi- cial ditch or drain, leading the water from Phillips Park to the Melzard drain.
The brook on the south side of Phillips Park comes down through the Phillips property, thence in the rear of the properties of Jefferies, Ratshe- sky, Morse, Bond and others, is a natural water course, and runs unob- structed to the Melzard drain. This brook should be taken care of at the expense of, the adjoining owners, and we should be interested only to the extent of seeing that it flows unobstructed in the rear of the Phil- lips Playground.
The northerly water course, above mentioned, which will eventually take all the water from the Shaw estate and vicinity, draining down through Pleasant street and Glen road, to the present concrete culvert, is a
$500 00
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TOWN DOCUMENTS.
[Dec. 31
a matter in which we are vitally interested, as all this water is now, and in the future a greater amount will be, emptied into Phillips swamp, there to settle and overflow on to the Ocean House property. The Engineer's plans contemplate a drain from the culvert now constructed, through Phil- lips Park and thence through the Ocean House property in the streets as proposed to be constructed by them, to the Melzard outlet. This cul- vert, as outlined in the Engineer's report, caring wholly for town surface water, should be constructed by the town, and an easement obtained from the Ocean House proprietors for carrying the same through their property.
This drain, if constructed at the grade proposed, would lower the sur- face water in Phillips Park and vicinity to grade 11, which will be about three and one-half feet below the finished grade of the Playground as proposed.
In consulation with the Ocean House proprietors, we find that they are willing, without cost to the Town, to grant us an easement through their property, and furthemore, that they, at their own expense, will build the drain running from the Melzard Brook culvert across their property to the Morse estate in accordance with plans and grades as laid down upon the Engineer's plan. The end of this drain will, at the Morse Estate, be left at such a grade that it could be continued easterly and drain all the lands through which it flows, at an expense of about $3.25 per running foot, such expense would be borne proportionately by the adjacent owners, whenever they care to construct the same.
During our consultation, it was learned that the Ocean House pro- prietors contemplate expending about $250,000 improving their property between Humphrey street and Puritan road, and a road which will even- tually become public is being laid out forty feet wide between these two streets, following about the lines of the way over which the public has travelled for years. While these improvements will mean more assessed valuation, being about $4,000 more in taxes, we have refrained from mak- ing this a factor in our deliberations except to the extent that we realize that all improvements made by the individual hasten the obligations of the Town to meet additional expenses for municipal improvements.
We recommend that the Town construct a concrete culvert between the two ends now constructed, running through Phillips playground and the Ocean House property, in accordance with plans and specifications pre- pared by the Town Engineer (after having first obtained an easement through the Ocean House property), and appropriate the sum of $6,500 for the same.
We further recommend that the Marshall Brook drain be extended easterly a distance of 300 feet, and that $650 be appropriated for the same.
We further recommend that the brook in the rear of the playground be cleaned out in conjunction with the adjoining owners, and that $200 be appropriated for the same.
Respectfully submitted, SAMUEL M. KEHOE, CHARLES E. HODGDON, GEORGE D. R. DURKEE, CLARENCE B. HUMPHREY, JAMES F. CATON, ELIAS G. HODGKINS.
Committee.
187
COMMITTEE ON HIGH SCHOOL ALTERATIONS.
1915]
Committee On High School Alterations.
To the Citizens of Swampscott :
The Committee, having the alterations of the High School Building in charge, has completed its work, and begs leave to submit the following report :
Your Committee was appointed at the annual Town Meeting, held March 18th, 1914, with instructions to procure plans for alterations to this building. The competition was confined to architects residing in Swamp- scott, and from those who submitted sketches for the proposed work, Charles V. Burgess was selected.
Your Committee made a report, asking for an appropriation of one thousand ($1,000) dollars, to secure detailed plans and specifications, and at the last annual Town Meeting, held March 16th, 1915, these plans and specifications were submitted, and your Committee recommended an ap- propriation of forty-seven thousand ($47,000) dollars, to do the work in accordance with the same, and this appropriation was made.
It was found, however, upon a more careful examination, that more blasting would be required than was originally anticipated, and further it was thought desirable to make more extensive repairs in the old part of the building. To accomplish this, an additional appropriation of seven thousand ($7,000) dollars was asked, and the same was made at a special Town Meeting, held May 15th, 1915.
After advertising for bids, in accordance with the provisions of the by- laws, the general contract was awarded to C. S. Cunningham & Sons Construction Co .; the contract for heating and ventilating to Huey Bros. Co., Inc., of Boston, and the electrical wiring contract to Waitt & Sackett, of Lynn.
The actual work of construction was begun April 18th, last, and pro- ceeded in such a satisfactory manner that the building was occupied by the school Oct. 13th, last. The Committee had planned to have the build- ing ready for occupancy at the opening of the school year, and this would have been accomplished had it not been for the long period of rainy weather during the summer, which substantially interfered with the work.
In addition to adding four large rooms, your Committee has installed a modern heating and ventilating plant, and has made extensive alterations in the old building, tearing out the old stairways completely and providing stairways that are absolutely fireproof, with the further protection of metal frame wire glass partitions ; fire-escapes, likewise, have been added to the building, as an additional precaution.
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