USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Wakefield > Town annual report of the officers of Wakefield Massachusetts : including the vital statistics for the year 1905-1907 > Part 6
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The importance of drainage therefore cannot be overesti- mated for it affects the integrity of the road in every par- ticular, and if deficient increases the cost of repair and main- tenance.
We have at the present time 45 miles of public street, on
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which there has been expended in the last twenty years in round numbers $289,500, an amount sufficient to build or resurface anew an equal mileage, install a complete system of drainage and still leave a handsome surplus. For 20 years then we have expended annually $14,475. On their face these figures clearly indicate that the amount of our annual expenditures must be increased if we are to hold what we now have, and if improvement is desired some means must be found whereby work may be made more lasting and lessened in cost.
The recommendations which follow are made with this object of desired improvement in mind and are the result of careful consideration and study.
1. That the work of the Department be organized, and that the natural divisions of the work be recognized, and each receive full measure of attention.
2. That a beginning be made in the construction of an adequate drainage system.
3. That the Department be provided with a full equip- ment of labor saving machinery, yard and buildings.
4. That the method of doing a little here and there be abandoned, and a plan whereby all sections of the town may receive their just proportion of work be adopted, the fol- lowing is suggested : That there be six districts, North, Centre, East, West, Junction, and Greenwood, and that in every year there should be some work of construction and repair performed in each ; (maintenance and repair should cover the whole town) this work to be done, as far as prac- ticable, on the most travelled streets first, provided that its doing would not conflict with the general principle which should govern all work, which is to so combine jobs that surplus material may be used near where obtained and that material when needed for any work should be obtained if possible from the streets themselves by making advanta- geous changes in grade, etc.
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The natural divisions of the Highway work above re- ferred to are, Construction, Repair and Maintenance ; in effect one cannot be effective unless the others are made so.
"Construction" is of two kinds, one of a permanent na- ture including drains, paved gutters, sidewalk pavement and edgestone ; the other, surfacing of roadways and walks, approaches permanence in a degree which is regulated by the character of the material employed, the quality of the work, amount of use, and the efficiency with which the work of maintenance and repair is performed, In this di- vision expenditures may well be larger for the permanent forms ; drainage should invariably precede, that the cost of maintenance and repair may be kept down. The obser- vance of the essential requirements of good work, which have been enumerated, should be always adhered to.
"Repair" will or should extend over the entire street sys- tem ; it will comprise those jobs on road surface which are too small to rate as construction and too large to be called patching ; the patching of concrete sidewalks, the repair and cleaning of drains where excavation is necessary, and such other work as does not properly fall to the share of the other divisions belongs to this.
"Maintenance" includes cleaning, patching, removing loose and projecting stone, the cutting of grass and brush and burning or removal of leaves.
With regard to the recommendation concerning a system of drainage, sufficient has already been said to clearly es- tablish the fact that it is needed. The statement that nine out of every ten instances of defects are due in a greater measure to deficient drainage, or an entire lack of it, than to any other cause or causes is true and is susceptible of proof.
An intelligent development of property should be based on the requirements of drainage ; the acceptance of streets in the past has brought with it, through inattention to this
101
question, an added wear and tear on the older streets from the increased amount of surface water thus concentrated and discharged upon them.
Every severe storm and winter season brings with it in justified complaints a very forcible evidence of our need of drainage. The list this year, while the season has on the whole been a favorable one, is of very large proportions.
Concerning the third recommendation regarding "Equip- ment," it may be said that no other department of the town is so poorly equipped as this to do its work economically and well. Doing a business each year representing a capitalization (at 4 per cent. ) of over $350,000 ; with the streets in poor condition and the certainty of their remaining so if past and present conditions under which its business is done are not changed and improved, it would seem to be absolutely nec- essary that every requisite and aid for economy of time and labor and the doing of more and better work, for the same annual outlay, should be provided.
This Department should have teams, a yard, stable, sheds and storehouse ; a portable crushing plant, street sweeper, new steam roller and watering cart.
The recommendation that the Department have its own teams is not new ; I am told that the argument has been that ownership of teams would be unprofitable, or would effect no saving ; that they were needed but little in winter and that the expense of keeping, during that season would offset the saving made during the summer or busy season. This supposition, for it can be nothing else, cannot be sup- ported.
It has never been considered perhaps that the work of the Highway Department has been regulated by necessity and not by expediency ; this is particularly true of winter work. The practice has been to do the necessary snow work only and pay no attention to the other work, which might and should be done at this season in preparation for the busy
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season to follow which, for best results should be devoted to work of execution.
There will be a large amount of stone obtained during the work of the busy season, which should as far as pos- sible be piled near at hand and hauled to the crusher dur- ing the winter. It is perfectly practicable to operate this during cold weather and the stone thus hauled could be crushed and returned in that condition to various points, be there piled and left ready for use in early spring patching ; the use of crushed stone for patching gravel roads may be questioned, but the quality of stone obtained as above, not being of the best, is very well suited for this purpose.
The cleaning of catch basins is another item of work that should be done as far as possible in this season, and it can be done as well and would be less offensive to the public com- fort.
For certain conditions of travel crushed field stone makes excellent road material, the teams should be used during the winter in obtaining a supply of this.
Material such as wood, cement, brick and pipe could be gotten in also.
There is also an earning capacity which the teams would have to offset in part the lost time.
A great consideration in favor of ownership is that of effi- ciency of service, that there is an undoubted gain and sav- ing effected in this direction which cannot be well estimated in dollars goes without saying. This fact has been demon- strated in the case of other departments in the town which maintain their own teams. One of the best informed men in the State on highway work estimates the value of teams owned over teams hired as being 50 per cent.
For the purpose of arriving at some conclusion expressed in figures as to the merits of the "Team question " let us make a comparison of a year's work based on the following assumptions.
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1. That the work of the Highway Dept. be organized as before outlined.
2. That the team force of the Maintenance division would be 2 single teams or two horses, which will work from about March 20 to about December 1, on this work alone.
3. That such winter work as can be done be performed from December 1 to March 20.
4. That the team force of the Construction and Repair divisions will be 2 double and 1 single team or 5 horses, on all working days from March 20 to December 1. (This year's average was 6 horses).
5. That the time on snow work will be 18 days, which is an average of the last 20 years.
6. That the teams will have some earning capacity.
7. That there will be work for the regular men (drivers) when not employed on teams as follows ; on snow labor, cutting brush, care of signs, repairs to tools, painting, work at crusher and ledge, making and repairing concrete forms, making concrete covers, etc.
8. The cost of a hired horse is $1.50 for 8 hours (the amount actually paid). The cost of keeping a horse is esti- mated as 50 cents per day as follows :
PER YEAR FOR 7 HORSES.
Hay and grain,
$765 00
Shoeing, .
175 00
Veterinary,
50 00
Water rates, .
16 00
Repairs to carts and harness,
100 00
$1,106 00
Depreciation, 10 per cent.,
$110 60
Contingent, 5 per cent., .
.
60 83
$1,277 43
or 50 cents per day per horse.
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Comparison based on foregoing assumptions :
WORK PERFORMED, 7 HORSES.
Cost of hiring
Cost if owned
2. 2 horses on Maintenance, cleaning and patching from Mar. 20 to Dec. 1, 219 days,
$657 00
$219 00
3. 7 'horses on winter work other than snow work, 24 days,
252 00
84 00
4. 5 horses on Construction and repair from Mar. 20 to Dec. 1, 205 days, .
1,537 50
512 50
5. 7 horses on snow work. 18 days, (price for snow work is $2.00 for 8 hours),
252 00
63 00
6. Earning capacity estimated $50.00. Keep of 7 horses when not employed after deducting earning capacity, .
349 00
Totals, which show a gross saving of $1,471. $2,698 50 $1,227.50 Deduction to be made for repairs and de- preciation of building, insurance, loss of tax revenue, etc., . $IIO 60
$2,698 50 $1,338 10
A net saving of $1,360.40.
This figure represents the saving in one direction only ; it does not take into account the gain in efficiency, nor the fact that the cost of hiring ($1.50) is for 8 hours only, and that the cost of keeping (50 cents) is for 24 hours. If the exigencies of work made it necessary to work overtime, this difference would represent an added saving. The matter of efficiency may be estimated :
Having direct control will mean a gain in time worked per day which may be safely set at 1-2 hour per team, which would mean for the busy season, or 200 days, 300 hours for single teams = 37.5 days or . ·
$131 25 200 hours for double teams = 25 days or .
125 00 .
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The drivers would all have to help load; saving the time of one man in this work for practically one- half the season, . Under a system of hiring we can not obtain equality of service ; some teams are better than others, the driv- ers of them cannot be expected to feel the same interest in the work that regular men would have, nor can a full measure of responsibility be exacted of them ; the efficiency of work performed by men who are regularly employed over that done by men who are not so employed, may reach a large figure, we will put it low and say,
200 00
150 00
$606 25
Call $600.00.
It is fair therefore to say that the aggregate saving in .ownership of 7 horses will each year mean the accomplish- ment of $1900.00 worth of work which we now do not ob- tain.
The yard question has been a serious and long felt obsta- cle to economy. There is constant use of material in large or wholesale quantities, which has to be bought at retail prices ; there is involved in this question, aside from that of prices paid, an excessive amount of labor and teaming to and from the various places we now have to use for storage.
The saving effected by an adequate yard, store house and sheds may be estimated as $150 yearly. The price of ce- ment in car load lots will be 25 per cent. less per barrel, than by the single barrel or in small lots ; the price of pipe will also range from 4 per cent. to 6 per cent. less, and there will be a margin worthy of consideration on all other material. The difference in the repair and painting bills of watering carts, and other equipment will be an ap- preciable amount if provision is made for protecting them from the weather.
The steam roller we now have, while it may be used, can
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not do good work ; the machine is old and practically worn out ; the repair bill the past season has been large, and there is the probability of a breakdown at any moment, which will cause still larger bills. The roller has a value which may be applied in the purchase of a new machine and this should be taken advantage of this season. The new roller recommended should be a 15 ton machine, 3 tons heavier than the old one, and will be capable of doing 1-5 more work.
Streets kept clean wear longer and require less repair ; there is an undoubted value in clean and well kept streets to the general appearance of a town, and the comfort of its people. The worn out material if allowed to accumulate is detrimental, and destructive to the road surface and is in the highest degree a danger to the public health. Streets in the centre of the town require constant cleaning; if for no other reason than that of sanitation they should receive it. The ratio of cost of cleaning by hand and by machinery is as 20 to 9. The saving effected by the use of a sweeper would amount to $430, the price of a sweeper is $250.
Requests for additional street watering have assumed large proportion and should be answered ; one cart in the centre of the town cannot do more than is now done, and a new cart would allow of extension, and would be of mate- rial aid to this department. It is submitted, that the work of street watering, is better suited to the horses of the Fire Dept. than is the work they now do on the streets.
In the sixteen years that the town has owned a crusher the amount of macadam street constructed will not reach 6 miles. That gravel is costly to maintain and is unsuitable for many of our streets is particularly in evidence this win- ter. Their improvement by the use of macadam is desirable and will prove economical in the end ; the cost of doing this work will depend directly upon the length of haul, and in
107
many instances it is evident that the work will be very costly unless means are provided to equalize it.
This can be done with a portable crushing plant. For the purpose of an illustration the case of Albion St. may be taken : this street needs macadamizing from Lake to Byron and from Jordan Ave. to Stoneham line. The cost of crushing may be taken as fixed or equal ; the first mentioned strip will require about 1000 tons ; from the stationary plant on Valley St. the average haul will be 5300 feet, say 1 mile, and the cost of hauling (at 25c. per ton-mile) will amount to $250. With a portable crushing plant the stone could be obtained in the vicinity ; (the grade of Bartley St. could be cut down, and the street benefited ; so also on Broadway) the haul be reduced to average 1600 feet, making the cost of teaming $75.75.
The portion from Jordan Ave. to Stoneham line will re- quire about 825 tons ; average haul from Valley St, 7800 feet, cost of hauling that distance $304.78, with a portable plant haul would be 400 feet and would cost $15.63. Gross saving on the two jobs is therefore $463.40; allowing for moving and setting up machinery, the net saving will be $300.
In like manner it may be shown that a portable plant would save :
On Main, Lawrence line, . $765 00
On Vernon, Wave ave., line, 600 00
In Greenwood the proportion would be still larger.
In the above figures no account is taken of the benefit which Bartley street and Broadway would receive from cut- ting down the ledge grade thereon, and thus obtaining ma- terial for macadamizing Albion street, virtually a three fold result is obtained for one cost ; as the cutting down would improve their grade, facilitate their drainage, and at the same time cheapen the work on Albion street.
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RECOMMENDATIONS FOR APPROPRIATIONS, 1906.
For a general system of drainage,
$40,000 00
For equipment,
13,200 00
New steam roller, old one and, . $2,200 00
Street sweeper, 250 00
Watering cart, . 350 00 ·
Portable crushing plant, . 2,000 00
7 horses, . . 1,750 00
2 double carts, . 250 00
3 single carts, . 225 00
1 express wagon, 150 00
2 sleds, .
100 00
Harnesses, stable furniture and
horse clothing, 300 00
Stable, sheds, storehouse and yard 5,625 00
$13,200 00
For macadamizing Main street, .
3,000 00
For general highway work, 15,000 00
The amount asked for drainage is intended to provide a complete system for the built up areas of the Town. The expenditure of this sum is intended to extend through more than one season, but it is difficult and impracticable to de- termine what the exact rate of expenditure would be. The whole sum is asked for that advantage may be taken of fav- orable opportunities and conditions for doing the work. The rate of progress would be regulated by the following :
The use which could be made of the material obtained from the excavations ; the cost of pipe, brick and cement which will have to be used ; (there should be money avail- able to buy in large quantities and at favorable prices, the material will cost nothing to keep and the saving may be large.) Full advantage should be taken of a favorable sea-
109
son ; conditions may arise where the necessary rights of easement can be acquired more cheaply if the money is im- mediately available.
Whatever is undertaken in this line should fit in with the regular Highway work, for mutual economy. This expen- diture if authorized and made will return more than 4 per cent. in the decreased annual charges which will follow its completion.
The appropriation for Equipment will return 25 per cent. as has been shown.
The appropriation for Main street will give us a mile of street, equal in quality to the best the State has built, at one half the cost.
The appropriation recommended for General Highway purposes is put at the lowest figure which, from careful esti- mates, will allow doing the work necessary to keep the bulk of the streets from growing worse, and the putting in good condition of a very few which are dangerous to travel.
RICHARDSON STREET.
In September, 1905, a special appropriation was made for the rebuilding of this street; the necessary work has not been completed ; the drainage has been installed, and the stone purchased and crushed; everything is in order for its early completion the coming season.
Appropriation, $1,400 00
Expenditures, . . $1,217 65
Due from Highway Dept.
96 13
Credit balance, .
278 48
$1,496 13 $1,496 13
The inventory of tools and property in the care of this Department remains practically unchanged from that sub- mitted to you for insurance purposes.
Respectfully submitted,
HENRY O. PECKHAM.
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SUMMARY OF PAY ROLLS : LABOR AND TEAMING.
Atherton, Willard
$ 9 25
Holden, Michael
4 00
Asburby, John
9 00
Horrigan, Michael
40 00
Ayscough, Harry
50
Houston, Henry
249 75
Baxter, A. D.
3 00
Hurton, Patrick
85 63
Bennett, Samuel
535 33
Kelley, Frank
71 25
Bowditch, Edw.
I 00
Landers, John
454 08
Branch, G. W.
I 00
Landers, William
272 80
Butler, Chas.
107 75
Landers, Daniel
1 00
Calnan, John
85 63
Lane, Paul E.
2 00
Cheever, Charles
77 75
Magee, A. A.
16 26
Crowley, William
76 00
Mahoney, Dennis
I 50
Curran, Patrick
81 75
McGlory, John
415-08
Deveau, Edmond
72 00
McMahon, John
7 00
Dignan, Patrick
II 75
Mckeon, John
30 00
Donahue, John
32 00
McNeil, Henry
5 00
Drugan, Dennis
45 25
Merril, M.
5 00
Drugan, John
6 00
Mooney, James
31 00
Duggan, Patrick
52 25
Murray, John
13 00
Eager, George
234.50
Murphy, Daniel
34 50
Farrington, Patrick
1 00
Murphy, Jerry
IO 50
Fitzgerald, Thomas
361 50
Murphy, Patrick
I 00
Flynn, Thomas
13 33
Muse, S. B.
130 75
Freeman, Allen
74 50
Neiss, Fred
IO 50
Glynn, Martin
72 00
O'Connell, Thomas
208 75
Hart, Howard
352 50
O'Neil, William
4 00
Hale, Horace
126 58
O'Neil, Thomas
34 00
Hartshorne, F. M.
7 00
Qualters, Michael
25 00
Hatfield, John
46 00
Regan, James
68 25
Heath, Frank
20 00
Reardon, James
188 76
Heath, F. A., Jr.
5 50
Rhodes, Frank
5 00
Henry, John
509 33
Rich, Royal
4 00
Hennessey, James
I 50
Roche, John
8 00
Hickey, W. J.
270 50
Rooney, Thomas
23 75
111
Sullivan, Fred
404 25
White, W. F.
31 13
Sweeney, William
22 25
Wheeler, P. W.
2 00
Vail, Charles
63 50
Winters, Ira
3 00
Welsh, William
15 00
Woodis, Hiram
277 08
Welsh, Patrick
46 00
Turner, A.
6 00
White, John
457 83
TEAMS.
Fire Dept.,
978 92
Skinner, C. F.
28 50
Hoyt, F. P.
454 44
Shea, J. F.
17 00
Mears, George
518 44
Hickey, Thomas
22 30
Reid, Henry
437 76
Lee, W. J.
80 50
Killorin Cont. Co.
482 63
Hunt, D. W.
29 40
Hunt, J. G.
205 12
Curley Bros.
8 25
Cutler, F. E.
70 94
Gates, S. M.
41 25
Butler, A. A.
33 00
Doyle, Charles .
70 25
Landers, Edw.
IOI 25
Reid, J. R.
116 77
Mansfield, A. L.
196 00
Perley, J. M.
14 00
Bolton, R. J.
I 25
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Insurance.
The Board of Selectmen acting in conjunction with the Town Treasurer as a committee appointed by the town at the March meeting to reorganize and take charge of the town's insurance, entered upon their duties soon after their appointment. On looking into the matter of insurance, as carried by the town heretofore, the Board found that the present system was faulty to a great extent, inasmuch, that the forms attached to the several policies were non-concur- rent, that the contracts of one policy did not agree with those of another, and that some buildings were insured for more and others less than could be collected from the com- panies in case of a fire loss.
It was also found that some towns, where the character and construction of public buildings, and where the risks of fire loss were similar to those of the town of Wakefield, were enjoying a much less rate or cost of insurance.
The town of Arlington, having recently secured a reduc- tion in its rates of insurance, was visited by the Board, where Chairman Bailey and other members of the Board of Selectmen of that town extended every courtesy and con- ducted the Board on a tour of inspection of its public prop- erties. After careful consideration, this Board adopted the . policy of inviting the co-operation of the several Agents, representing the companies carrying town insurance, in se- curing a reduction in rates for the town of Wakefield. The Municipal departments of the town were requested to sub- mit a schedule of such town property as was in their charge with an appraisal of same, and after careful revision, a schedule was drawn showing the property to be insured, the appraisal of same, and the amount of insurance desired, on the basis of carrying insurance to the amount of 80 per
113
cent. of value on buildings and 90 per cent. of value on contents.
This schedule was submitted to the New England Fire Insurance Exchange, together with a petition for a reduc- tion in rate, of which the following is a copy :
WAKEFIELD, MASS., SEPT. 28, 1905.
To the New England Ins. Exchange,
55 Kilby street, Boston, Mass.
Gentlemen :-
We hereby make requests for a reduction of the rate of Insurance now applying to the Municipal buildings and their contents in the town of Wakefield, for the reason that we deem the rates excessive con- sidering our well equipped Fire Department, the construction and location of our buildings, etc. We desire to have you give us an average rate on all the Town's property, with a specific amount on each building and its contents the same to carry respectively 80 per cent. and 90 per cent. of their appraised value.
Other municipalities in Massachusetts have been given a reduced rating, and many are doing their own insuring, others in part, and a great number are establishing municipal insurance funds in lieu of paying premiums to insurance companies. We desire and feel that we are entitled to a flat rate not exceeding 25 cents, as we consider our insurable property less hazadous than that of some of the towns enjoying the reduced rates.
We hand you herewith our schedule of appraised values of our various properties, showing their construction and location, and de - sire to insure the same on the basis of our submitted valuation, up to the full 80 and 90 per cent.
You will notice that 76 per cent. of the appraised value of build- ings are of brick, and comparatively new in their construction and equipment.
We request also, that existing policies may be cancelled pro-rata.
In making this application, the Board of Selectmen, acting as a committee in conjunction with the Town Treasurer, under authority of the town ; are joined by all the local Insurance agents of the Town of Wakefield with one exception, who are now enjoying the benefits of the Town Insurance.
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We ask for an early consideration of our request and petition. Respectfully,
(Signed) THOMAS G. O'CONNELL,
NATH. E. CUTLER,
LEVI FLANDERS,
GEORGE W. ABBOTT,
FRANK T. WOODBURY, Selectmen of Wakefield.
ALBERT W. FLINT, Town Treasurer.
Committee for the Town of Wakefield.
We, the following insurance agents of the Town of Wakefield, en- dorse the above petition.
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