USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Wakefield > Town annual report of the officers of Wakefield Massachusetts : including the vital statistics for the year 1890-1893 > Part 48
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$14,027 56
As construction of the Metropolitan system and the issuing of bonds began in 1890, the responsibility for interest and sink- ing fund would doubtless also begin at that time, so that if a first payment were made in 1895, when the Metropolitan system is expected to be in operation, the amount for back dues would be in the vicinity of $10,000, which added to the expenses for the current year would make the total expenditure for that year not far from $24,027.56, on the basis that the local system had been constructed the year before at an estimated cost of $101,- 187.74. Aside from the heavy expense, there should be consid- ered the fact that the Metropolitan system was not designed to care for the sewage of Wakefield; bearing upon which the chief engineer of the Metropolitan Commissioners, in a communication dated May 16, 1892, says "sewage from Wakefield might be taken into the Metropolitan sewer near Wyoming avenue in Mel- rose, and taken care of by the Metropolitan system until say 1904, but not later. The Commissioners do not feel that they have any authority to build a sewer from the point above alluded to, to the Wakefield line; but you could, perhaps, arrange, if it was worth while, with the Melrose town authorities to do that."
In view of the facts presented, sewage disposal for Wake- field Centre by discharging into the Metropolitan system is not recommended.
METHOD OF DISPOSAL BY FILTRATION.
Provided a filtration area can be found having sufficient
10
filtering material of the proper quality that can be utilized at moderate expense and that is located within reasonable distance of the principal collecting point, this method of disposal is un- questionably better and more economical for Wakefield Centre than by chemical precipitation, and in considering the matter very careful search has been made for such an area.
Within the limits of the town but two localities present favor- able features ; one situated within the east ward, north of Lowell street and just east of the Newburyport railroad, on what is termed Foster's Lane.
The other is on property owned by the town, comprising meadow and upland lying west of Farm street and north of Nahant street, and is within a thousand feet of the town farm buildings.
In utilizing the former, or Foster's Lane area, it would be necessary to establish receiving basins and a pumping plant at a low point and pump the sewage up to the filtration beds. As be- fore mentioned the best place to collect all the sewage would be within 500 feet of the intersection of Water and Melvin streets. From there it would be forced through a 12-inch cast-iron main laid to grade up the valley of the brook; the best line being par- allel with and just east of the Newburyport branch of the B. & M. R. R., until the filtration beds were reached, where the sewage would be properly distributed.
As the land belongs to private parties it would be necessary for the town to purchase the required area and also acquire a right of way for the force main.
In utilizing the latter, or town property area, the main out- fall at the intersection of Water and Melvin streets would be continued down Valley street to a point opposite the location of the stone crusher and thence across the meadow parallel with the course of the brook to the nearest point of the high land. on the town property. Here the filtration beds would be prepared by cutting down the bank and spreading it over the meadow for the whole or a part of the area, the receiving basins and pumping stations being located at the beds. With this arrangement a road would have to be built across the meadow on the line of the sewer. There would probably be little or no expense for land, and while
11
the cost of preparing the filter beds would perhaps be a little more than at the Foster's Lane area, they would be of a higher effi- ciency, as the material is of a better quality and can be selected ; consequently a smaller area would be required.
In order to compare the cost of utilizing the two filtration areas above mentioned, estimates of the expense for an area of twenty acres, and of the distinctive features in each case have been made as follows, the cost of the pipe sewers above the inter- section of Water and Melvin streets remaining the same in both cases :
Comparative Cost of Utilizing Filtration Areas Available.
FOSTER'S LANE AREA.
12-inch force main, laid to grade, 8,310 feet at $2.18,
$18,115 80
Railroad and brook crossings, . 500 00
Filtration land and right of way,
1.830 00
Road from Nahant St. district, 2,962 cu. yds. at 35 cents. .
1,036 70
10-inch sewer, 1000 feet at 95 cents,
950 00
Manholes, 3 at $40, .
120 00
Land at pumping station, .
300 00 $22,852 50
TOWN PROPERTY AREA.
Roads across meadow, 12,147 cu. yds. at 35 cents, .
$4,251 45
18-inch sewer, 2,600 feet at $1.25,
3,250 00
Manholes, 6 at $40;
240 00
Land and rights of way,
720 00
$8,461 45
Difference in favor of town property location,
$14,391 05
Another advantage gained in the town property location is that the receiving basins and pumping station would be located near the filter beds, so that one man could care for both with only occasional help, whereas if they were separated, additional help would be required constantly.
Outside of the town limits and within reasonable distance, but one locality was found that looked favorable for filtration purposes. That was land near the continuation of Vernon street into Lynnfield, just beyond the Saugus river. As this would require half a mile more of force main than the Foster's Lane area it would be still more expensive.
-
12
There would doubtless also be some difficulty in obtaining the land, as it is not unreasonable to suppose that Lynnfield or Reading might desire it for a similar purpose. Its proximity to a main highway might create some objection also; however, there will doubtless be some objection on the score of proximity what- ever place is selected, but any thinking person will agree that it is better to have the sewage of a large community carried rapidly away to a point where it can be properly cared for, and that is comparatively remote from any dwellings, rather than have it deposited in the ground in their midst, day after day and year after year, until the soil and atmosphere are loaded with its efflu- via. As shown in the experience of places where filtration areas are in operation, grounds for objection are more imaginary than real.
Surveys were made in the vicinity of Salem street to ascer- tain if a small filtration area could not be prepared between Salem and New Salem streets, that would care for the sewage of the north ward and east side. There is plenty of excellent material in the sand bank near by, and the outfall sewer could be brought from Vernon street at Aborn avenue, across private land and un- der Salem street and the railroad to the filter beds by gravity. As this arrangement would still leave many low places not pro- vided for; and as an objectionable inverted siphon would be · required in order to pass the railroad and Salem street; and as the sand is a source of revenue for building purposes, the project was considered unadvisable.
Surveys and calculations were made to ascertain if it were not possible and advisable to carry sewage from the larger part of the town by gravity to filter beds at the town property location, and pump the rest into the outfall sewer at the nearest and most convenient point. When the outfall sewer in Water street nears Melvin street, a possible route to the lower filtration area is suggested by way of Valley, Hart, Melvin and Nahant streets, or by Water street, but the irregular course, deep cuts, and large amount of rock excavation in both routes, render them more ex- pensive and less practicable than to go from Valley street directly across the meadow. Bringing a high level sewer then from the filter beds to the intersection of Water and Melvin streets at as
13
flat an inclination as admissible would require a fill across the meadow of 12.5 feet, and in Valley and Water streets of from 4 to 9 feet. This would necessitate filling also portions of Mel- vin street and raising seven houses on Valley street.
As this sewer in Water street would be too high to receive the sewage from the rattan works, which is considerable, and judging from the offensive odor it imparts to the brook below, requires immediate attention, it would have to be pumped, to- gether with the sewage from the north ward, east side and low districts in the valley.
A line was run for an east side intercepting sewer from the intersection of Water and Melvin streets up the valley, passing under the Salem branch of the B. & M. R. R., and to the east of the Newburyport Branch, then under the latter track near Salem street to a low point on Vernon street at the foot of Aborn avenue. To carry sewage from the east side over this line without pumping would require the sewer to be elevated in an embankment above the natural surface almost the entire distance. Salem and New Salem streets would have to be filled at the points of crossing, or inverted siphons resorted to, and sewage from Salem street, Fitch court, Vernon street at the bridge, the rattan factory and other low lying districts would be excluded. In view of the expense and the partial efficiency of this grade for that line the grade was lowered to a point that would cause the sewer to be in moderate excavation and low enough to include all territory desired, necessitating pumping of this portion of the sewage into the main outfall at the most convenient point as be- fore mentioned. Comparing then this combined method of dis- charging a portion by gravity and a portion by pumping, with the method whereby sewage from all districts is carried by low sewers clear to the base of the filter beds at the town property location, and then elevated about thirteen feet to their surface; it is found that as there would be a pumping plant and receiving basins in either case it is better to have them at the filter beds where one man can do the work most of the time, than distant from them and possibly nearer the town than desirable. In the former case the pumping plant and basins would be smaller and less expensive, as less sewage would be handled, but as it would care for the
14
sewage of the rattan works which is considerable, the difference in cost would not be great and is more than offset by the heavy expense for filling and for damages that would be incurred on the line of the high level sewer.
The expense for pumping would be comparatively small in either case as the lift is light and centrifugal pumping machinery could be used to advantage. Comparing the relative expense of the distinctive features in each case, there follows :
Comparative Cost of Different Methods of Discharging Sewage on to Filtration Area at Town Property Location.
PART PUMPING, PART GRAVITY, STATION NEAR WA- TER AND MELVIN STREETS.
Filling streets and across meadow, 47,536 cu. yds. at 35 cents,
$16,637 60
Retaining walls,
1,500 00
Land, rights of way and damages, .
2,520 00
Receiving basins, pumping station and ma- chinery,
11,600 00
Suction and discharge pipes,
680 00 $32,937 60
PUMPING ALL SEWAGE, STATION AT FILTER BEDS. Roads across meadow, 12,147 cu. yds. at 35 cents, . Land and rights of way,
$4,251 45
500 00
Receiving basins, pumping station and ma- chinery, .
19,300 00
Suction and discharge pipes,
368 00
$24,419 45
Difference in favor of latter method,
$8,518 15
If the filter beds should be prepared at a higher level than the above estimates are based upon, the possibility of which is suggested, the difference in costs shown above would be greatly increased.
SUMMARY.
After careful consideration of the various methods and pro- jects presented, it is found that to carry all the sewage by low sewers that will best serve all districts, to the town property location, and there elevate it to filter beds prepared to receive it, is the most satisfactory and economical method of sewage disposal
15
for the portion of Wakefield lying north of Hart's Hill ridge, and is therefore recommended, as shown on the plan submitted with this report and as outlined below.
SYSTEM PROPOSED.
The system of street sewers is designed to carry house wastes only ; no storm or ground water is to be admitted. The outfall is to be eighteen inches in diameter and starts at the receiving basins, located at the foot or east end of the meadow at the town property location, where the filter beds will be prepared. From there it crosses the meadow through a road built for the purpose that will be fifteen feet wide on top and about five feet high, and ending at Valley street, opposite land owned by the town, which will furnish material free for filling. When excava- ting this material it could be done so as to uncover ledge for the stonecrusher. The main sewer continues in Valley street to the intersection of Water and Melvin streets, where it receives the discharge of the 12-inch east side intercepting sewer and the 12-inch main in Water street; thence the main passes up Water and West Water streets to Railroad street; thence by Railroad street to Albion street, and by Albion to Gould street, at which point it divides into two 10-inch sewers, one continuing in Albion to Byron street, the other in Gould street to Cedar street. A. 10-inch sewer starts from Albion street and passes through Rail- road street to Church street. A 10-inch sewer also starts from Water street, just east of the Salem branch of the B. & M. R. R., and runs parallel with the railroad to Main street. An 8-inch sewer starts from Water street, just west of Crescent street, and passes up the valley containing the Centre brook to Crescent street. This sewer and the sub-drain that is designed to go with it will do away with the filthy brook that is now there, and whose present condition is a source of deep annoyance to near residents and an open menace to the entire community. This uncovered and irregular brook has for a long time discharged into the stag- nant waters of the Centre pond, where deposits have collected in the shallow water and the pond has become little better than an open cesspool. A decided benefit would result from filling the entire pond excepting a course for the brook on the east side.
16
As a further sanitary measure, but not as a part of the sewerage system, there should be a 12-inch pipe drain laid from the main brook in Water street up the same valley in the centre to the up- per end, to carry off storm water from the entire district and do away with the possibility of a surface brook at any time.
Radiating from the main arteries, sewers eight and six inches in diameter have been provided for most of the streets, whether built upon or not, so that as extensions are made to the system they will form a proper part of the whole; those most needed to be built at first, and then extended as the growth of the town re- quires it.
Lowering the ground water by the sub-drainage that is provi- ded, will prove a great boon in many localities. The drain will discharge into the brook at Melvin street, will pass up Water, Railroad and Albion streets, will extend to Richardson and Ben- nett streets, will pass up the centre valley into Crescent street and extend up Main street to Salem street and up Park street, and extensions can be made as desired.
It is stated that the results from the sub-drainage in connec- tion with the Newton sewerage system is commended in certain localities more than the sewers themselves, for the reason that the ground water is lowered .to such a beneficial extent. In another place land was known to double in value in consequence of the land being drained by construction of the sewers alone.
Both lakes will be protected from sewage contamination by sewers that are provided in the streets bordering them, this being especially necessary in the case of Crystal Lake from which the public water supply is taken. Private drains that now discharge directly into Lake Quannapowitt and pollute its waters could be done away with.
The receiving basins and pumping plant will be located at the filter beds. The basins will be large enough to accommodate the night flow, and thus avoid the necessity for continuous pump- ing, will be built in the ground and covered, and have a capacity of 400,000 gallons.
The pumping station will be of brick and will accommodate two pumps and two boilers. The machinery will consist of two boilers and at first one pump, of the centrifugal pattern, having
17
a capacity of 1250 gallons a minute or. 750,000 gallons in ten hours.
The filter beds will be prepared by cutting down the bank to the proper elevation and spreading the sand on the meadow, or by cutting down the bank for a portion and preparing others at a higher level or on the natural surface, as a detail study in the preparation of working plans shows to be most desirable; an economical use of the filtration material at first being advisable. The material is of excellent quality as shown by test pits, one being dug sixteen feet deep near the middle of the bank; only one third of the material now owned by the town being required for some time. The surface of the filter beds will average about thirteen feet above the water in the basins. Six acres of area being sufficient at first. Following is an estimate of cost :
Estimated Cost of System Proposed.
Street Sewers.
6-inch vitrified pipe laid, 12,740 ft. at $0.55
$7,007 00 960 00
8-inch
66
66
12,200 ft. at
.61
7,442 00
66
66
66
1,730 ft. at 500 ft. at
1.00
1,730 00
10-inch
475 00
66
66
860 ft. at
1.48
1,272 80
12-inch
66
66
66
1,070 ft. at
1.00
1,070 00
66
66
66
66
3,100 ft. at
1.25
3,875 00
Pipe chimneys,
62 at
6.00
372 00
Manholes.
.
88 at 45.00
3,960 00
Subdrains,
9,680 ft. at .17
1,645 60
Rock excavation,
100 cu. yds. at 4.00
400 00
$44,769 70
Road across meadow, 10,666 cu.yds. at
.35
3,733 10
Land and right of way,
400 00 . Receiving basins,
. 13,000 00
Pumping station, chimney and foundations, Centrifugal pumping machinery,
. 2,500 00
Preparing filter beds, 42,102 cu. yds. at $0.25 Suction and discharge pipes, subdrains, etc., at filter beds, Engineering, superintendence and contingencies, 8 per ct.,
. 10,525 50
. 1,723 00
. 6,436 10
66
1,520 ft. at 1,330 ft. at
1.85
2,812 00
66
2.35
3,125 50
18-inch
66
66
3,270 ft. at
1.08
3,531 60
66
1,200 ft. at .80
5,920 ft. at .86
5,091 20
66
.95
.
· 3,800 00
$86,887 40
18
Estimated Annual Expense Involved by the System Proposed.
For interest and sinking fund, 20 year bonds at 3} per ct., $7,885 43 For maintenance and operating expenses, . . 1,500 00
Total . . $8,885 43
The above estimate of annual expense is for comparison with a similar one for a system discharging into the Metropolitan sew- ers, but the town will doubtless adopt a method of apportioning the cost whereby the abutters share the expense, as is customary, say each side of the street paying a third and the town the re- maining third, or some other equable arrangement ; then the annual expense, as far as the town is concerned, would be lessened to that extent, making by the arrangement suggested the annual appropriation amount to $3,961.81.
Submitted with this report is a plan of the system proposed, including profiles of the outfall and east side intercepting sewers.
Very respectfully, LOUIS HAWES, Civil Engineer.
75 STATE ST., BOSTON, Sept. 6, 1892.
OFFICIAL ENDORSEMENT OF STATE BOARD OF HEALTH.
OFFICE OF STATE BOARD OF HEALTH. 13 BEACON ST., BOSTON, Oct. 7, 1892.
To the Committee on Sewerage of the Town of Wakefield,
GENTLEMEN :- In response to your application of August 29, 1892, accompanied by a plan for the sewerage of your town and asking the advice of the State Board of Health in regard thereto, the Board has caused investigations to be made, has carefully considered the plan submitted and herewith presents its reply.
19
It is proposed by this plan to collect the sewage of all parts of the town by means of a system of pipe sewers from which storm water is to be excluded, and these sewers are arranged in two independent systems, one for the southerly part of the town, including the villages of Greenwood and Boynton, and the other for the main village. The one for the southerly part of the town is planned to connect with the Melrose sewers and through them with the Metropolitan System. The other provides for the disposal of the sewage by intermittent filtration upon sandy land in the vicinity of the town almshouse.
The disposal of the sewage of the southerly part of the town into the Metropolitan System is the best method that can be adopted for this district, provided the consent of the proper authorities can be obtained.
The disposal of sewage of the main village by intermittent filtration through a sufficient area of porous land is also the best available method of disposing of the sewage of this portion of the town.
With regard to the best place for filtering the sewage, your engineer has shown in his report that the proposed disposal area has a decided advantage in regard both to the cost of reaching it with the sewage and to the cost of maintenance, over any other available area. The character of the land at this place is also of excellent quality for filtration, so that on the whole these advan- tages may be said to outweigh the disadvantages that the tract contains two small houses and a schoolhouse and is not very far from settled portions of the town.
With regard to the amount of land required in the begin- ning for purifying the sewage, much will depend upon the extent to which ground water is excluded from the sewers. In several in- stances towns have had a much larger amount of sewage to pump or purify than was expected, owing to the entrance of ground water, notwithstanding all precautions taken to make the joints of the pipe sewers water tight. The only practicable remedy for this trouble, so far as now known, is to provide underdrains of suita- ble size to take away the ground water of those districts where the sewers are below the water level and discharge this water into. such streams as are most available. Even if the amount of
20
ground water is restricted as far as practicable the Board is of opinion that not less than six acres should be prepared for filter- ing the sewage in the beginning, with provision for increase in a few years.
The best method of preparing the filtration area can hardly be determined without a careful detailed study. If beds are pre- pared by filling upon the adjacent swamp their surface should be raised not less than six feet above the present water level in the brook, and the underdrains should be placed near enough together so that when the sewage is applied to the beds the water in the ground will always remain drained down to at least five feet be- low the surface. Beds prepared by excavating the higher land should have their surface left eight or preferably ten feet higher than the present level of the brook and would not need as much underdrainage as beds prepared by filling upon the swamp, and would more efficiently purify the sewage. If the town should acquire a sufficient amount of land a portion or the whole of the filter beds might be prepared at a smaller cost upon the top of the flat land than by the plan of excavating and filling, as pro- posed by the plan submitted. As before stated, however, the best method to adopt will require a detailed study, which should precede actual construction, and the Board will give further ad- vice as to the preparation of the disposal area at such time, if so desired.
The present plan for collecting the sewage and bringing it to the filtration area appears to have been carefully designed and to be comprehensive and well adapted to the wants of the town.
By order of the Board,
H. P. WALCOTT, Chairman.
.
THE EIGHTY-FIRST
ANNUAL REPORT
-OF-
THE TOWN OFFICERS
OF WAKEFIELD, MASS., -FOR ---
,
THE FINANCIAL YEAR ENDING JAN. 31, 1893.
ALSO,-
THE TOWN CLERK'S RECORD
-OF-
BIRTHS, MARRIAGES AND DEATHS
During the Year 1892.
WAKEFIELD, MASS. : PRINTED AT THE CITIZEN AND BANNER OFFICE. 1893.
TOWN OFFICERS, 1892-3.
SELECTMEN. SAMUEL K. HAMILTON, Chairman ; SILAS W. FLINT, WILLIAM B. DANIEL, Secretary.
TOWN CLERK-CHARLES F. HARTSHORNE.
TOWN TREASURER-THOMAS J. SKINNER.
OVERSEERS OF THE POOR. HIRAM EATON, Chairman ; JOHN G. MORRILL, WILLIAM A. CUTTER.
ASSESSORS. .
CHARLES F. WOODWARD, CHARLES F. HARTSHORNE, ALSTEAD W. BROWNELL.
AUDITORS.
EVERETT W. EATON CHARLES E. WALTON, ALFRED H. GOODWIN.
COLLECTOR OF TAXES-CHARLES F. WOODWARD.
ENGINEERS OF FIRE DEPARTMENT. LEVI FLANDERS, Chief ; WILLIAM E. CADE, Secretary, HORACE W. DALRYMPLE.
4
REGISTRARS OF VOTERS.
WESLEY T. HARRIS,
Term expires, 1895
EDWARD H. WALTON, .
66
66 1893
CORNELIUS DONOVAN,
66
1894
CHARLES F. HARTSHORNE, (ex officio).
SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
MELVIN J. HILL, .
Term expires, 1893
SELIM S. WHITE, Chairman,
66
66
1893
EDWARD A. UPTON,
66
66
1894
CHARLES J. RYDER,
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