USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Southbridge > Town annual reports of the officers of Southbridge for the year ending 1909-1912 > Part 27
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We spent $3,347 on 1822 feet of sewer on Plimp- ton, River and Walcott streets, and as you will see by our engineer's report, the depth and rock excavation of this street was great and it goes to show that our town labor as well as the overseeing was very effi- cient.
On Main street $1810 were spent on 1230 feet of sewer and again the report of our engineer will show that good work was done. As for Chapin street sewer it was started late in the fall and only about 325 feet was built at a cost of $913.90. There is to be a con-
236
REPORT OF SEWER COMMISSIONERS.
necting link between Williams street and the residence of H. T. Hyde, a distance of about 630 feet. Work will be resumed early next spring to complete this link.
The 3372 feet of sewers built this year increased the mileage to.11.95 miles of sewers. There are con- nected with this mileage buildings including the man- ufacturing establishments, school buildings and public buildings. These buildings empty into the sewers 1409 sinks, 1549 closets, 354 baths, 358 bowls, 52 urinals, 28 wash trays, 1 dentist spittoon, 1 air pump, 1 slop hop- per, 7 rain leaders.
For items of expenses we refer you to the Auditors accounts, and transfers from Sewer Assessments col- lected by Town Treasurer to balance accounts are also shown in the Auditors accounts.
The work contemplated by the Board for next year can be done from sewer assessment money on hand, hence we do not ask any appropriation for new work. For the Sewer Contingent account there should be appropriated $600.00.
Assessments on Sayles, Lovely and Collier streets were levied June 8th, 1910, as follows :
SAYLES STREET ASSESSMENT.
Appropriation,
$3,400 00
Total cost of sewer,
2,092 37
} paid by the Town,
697 46
§ cost to be paid by abutters,
1,394 91
Total number of assessable feet,
1760.3
Rate per lineal foot front
$0.79243
LOVELY STREET ASSESSMENT.
Appropriation,
$3,053 00
Total cost of sewer,
1,892 26
§ paid by the Town,
630 75
237
REPORT OF SEWER COMMISSIONERS.
§ cost to be paid by the abutters, 1,261 51
Total number of assessable feet,
1825.7
Rate per lineal foot front,
$0.691
WEST AND COLLIER STREETS.
Total cost of sewer, $1,364 16
} paid by the Town, 454 72
§ cost to be paid by the abutters, 909 44
Total number of assessable feet,
1437.2
Rate per lineal foot front,
$0.6328
Signed,
H. U. BAIL, W. J. LAMOUREUX.
Board of Sewer Commissioners, Southbridge, Mass.,
GENTLEMEN :
Herewith I submit a report of the sewer construc- tion during the year 1910, under my direction as repre- sentative of your Board.
All the work was done under the direction of G. E. F. Lamoureux, employed as foreman on the work.
The Plimpton street sewer so-called started at the junction of Mill and River streets and extended on River, Pleasant, Walcott and Plimpton streets. On River street for a distance of 331 feet the average cut was twelve feet, about two hundred and fifty feet be- ing through rock. At the corner of River and Pleas- ant streets and on Pleasant street to Walcott street was running gravel and sand which required close sheeting of the trench. Nearly all of Walcott street was filled land and Plimpton street for two hundred feet was sand and gravel; the remainder being hard
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238
REPORT OF SEWER COMMISSIONERS.
pan and ledge. Total length is 1,822 feet.
Main street from Coombs street westerly to Foster was started October 3, 1910. From Oak Ridge ceme- tery to Foster street, the tracks of the street railway company were temporarily located on the north side while the sewer was being laid in the center of the street. Ledge was encountered in front of the ceme- tery for a length of 175 feet. The remainder of the excavations was through hard pan, except in front of the residence of A. B. Wells where the road had been filled with small stones, requiring close sheetiug to re- tain the sides of the trench. Total length of this sew- er is 1,230 feet, maximum cut is 12.3 feet, average cut is 8.3. feet.
Chapin street sewer was started November 16th. This is a connecting link between Williams street and the residence of H. T. Hyde a distance of about 630 feet. Knowing this was a rock cut, it was started as Winter was setting in under the idea that this kind of work could be done as cheap in Winter as in Summer. It was completed to Forest avenue which is nearly one-half of the work. The freezing of the road surface enabled us to keep the street open for traffic, which could not have occurred with Summer conditions. The back fill of much of this trench being of frozen earth and broken rock, this street will no doubt require at- tention in the early Spring. Work was stopped Decem- ber 31, 1910.
There were forty-eight applications for house con- nections this year. Most of these were on the line of the new work. The value of the sewer system is so much appreciated by the abbuttors, that the majority are ready and anxious to connect when given the opportunity so to do.
Respectfully submitted,
JOHN A. WHITTAKER, Engineer.
SEWER ASSESSMENTS
The following list of names, which appeared in the report of the Investigation Committee as not paid, were found to have been paid, nearly all having re- ceipts or other proofs of payment :-
Chapin street-
C. P. Phipps, 70 feet, $80 85
Mill street-
Ellen C. Streeter, 40 feet,
49 25
Pleasant street-
N. Newell, 55.9 feet,
30 47
Union street-
Simeon Page, 85.15 feet,
81 14
Est. W. E. Alden, 80 feet,
76 23
Main street-
Regis Boucher, 80 feet,
76 23
Elm street-
V. W. Lamoureux, 17 feet,
7 50
Joseph Pariseau, 200 feet,
88 22
Norbert Duval, 65.5 feet,
28 89
J. K. Egan, 131 feet,
57 78
Hamilton street-
St. Mary's Parish, 242 feet,
370 21
Main street-
Hamilton Woolen Co., 275 feet,
178 03
Gilbert Bourdeau, 116 feet,
75 10
Hamilton Woolen Co., 77 feet,
49 85
E. A. Gleason, 14 feet,
9 06
Adriana Faulkner, 49 feet,
31 72
240
REPORT OF SEWER ASSESSMENTS.
Sayles street --
E. A. Gleason, 167.5 feet, 108 44
Jeremiah Wilcox, 53 feet,
34 31
Hamilton Woolen Co., 5 feet, 3 24
Marcy street-
Dupaul, Young Optical Co., 102 feet, 53 97
Adelina Brodeur, 70 feet, 37 04
Philias Casavant, 70 feet, 37 04
Geo. H. Dupaul, 110 feet,
58 20
J. F. Monahan, 105 feet, 65 55
Alfred Anger, 157 feet, 83 07
Samuel Williams, 147 feet,
158 02
Lower Main Street-
Edward Duquette, 202.5 feet,
257 17
J. Dupaul, 57 feet, 72 39
Est. L. Morton, 79 feet,
100 33
J. M. & L. D. Clemence, 83 feet, 105 41
J. M. & L. D. Clemence, 191 feet,
242 57
Goddard court-
S. Labonte, 45 feet, 51 97
Felix Gatineau, 56 feet,
64 68
Sonth street-
Alvah L. Hyde, 150 feet,
184 68
Crystal street --
Mrs. Jos. Ouimette, 52 feet,
66 04
North street-
Mrs. Matilda Brousseau, 55.3 feet,
70 23
Central street-
Nora Gay, 88 70
Cross street-
Noe. Tetrault, 112 73
Crane street-
D. Jalbert, 33 32
241
REPORT OF SEWER ASSESSMENTS.
Mechanics street --
Sophie Berthiame, 165 feet,
$174 90
American Optical Co., 122.5 feet, 129 85
Mathias Langevin, 22 feet,
23 32
Ralph Robbins, 55 feet,
58 30
Jos. Ouimette, Jr., 120 feet,
127 20
A. E. Bonnette, 120 feet,
127 20
A. E. Bonnette, 120 feet,
127 20
F. E. Northup, 50 feet,
53 00
F. E. Northup, 228.2 feet,
241 89
Olney avenue -
L. Tremblay, 32 feet,
$33 92
Clara Peloquin, 31 feet,
32 86
A. E. Bonnette, 221 feet,
234 26
Charlton street-
Thomas Welch, 79 feet,
$83 74
Worcester street-
Louis Bibeau, 118 feet,
$125 03
Est. Consacque Champagne, 61.3 feet,
64 98
Francois Genereux, 130 feet,
137 80
Aristide Langlois, 65 feet,
68 90
Honore Faure, 120 feet,
127 20
A. E. Bonnette, 180 feet,
190 80
J. Laverdiere, 180.8 feet,
191 65
L. St. Martin, 218.5 feet,
231 61
L. Tremblay, 94 feet,
99 64
E. Pelletier, 60 feet,
63 60
P. Dagenais, 60 feet,
63 60
F. E. Northup, 117.7 feet,
118 40
Joseph Faure, 50 feet,
53 00
Dresser street-
Geo. Dupaul, 30.5 feet,
$16 14
J. Booth, 35 feet,
44 46
242
REPORT OF SEWER ASSESSMENTS.
Foster street-
Isaac P. Hyde, 258 feet,
$62 14
Central Mills Co., 124 feet,
29 86
M. C. Edwards, 85 feet,
20 47
Baptist Society, 249 feet,
59 97
Central Mills Co., 100 feet,
24 08
Central Mills Co .. 82 feet,
19 75
Central Mills Co., 297 feet,
71 53
Hook street-
M. L. Dresser, 50 feet,
$53 28
Hamilton street-
Henrietta McGregory, 65 feet,
$69 26
Crane street-
Mrs. Joseph Ouimette, 60 feet,
$63 93
Williams street-
J. M. Smith, 153 feet,
$187 67
Francelia S. Weld, 147.5 feet,
180 93
Caron street-
Flora L. Durkee, 127.2 feet,
$156 03
Everett street-
Flora L. Durkee, 60 feet,
$73 60
Flora L. Durkee, 18.6 feet,
22 88
S. E. BLANCHARD,
Town Treasurer.
ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE
HIGHWAY SURVEYOR
HIGHWAYS.
I hereby respectfully submit my report for the year ending January 31, 1911.
The auditor's report gives the cost and account in small items of the work on the highways, sidewalk re- pairs, bridges, special appropriations, also railings, tools, and other small expenses.
The amount of money appropriated for the high- ways for the year of 1910 was $8,000.00 minus an overdraw from the previous year of $1,890.00, leaving $6,110.00 for the repairs, grading, scraping, cleaning, and all other necessary work and I still have a bal- ance of $426.66 February 1, 1911.
I found the roads in a very bad condition, especi- ally the country roads, all needed the use of the scrap- er and a great many had to be widened, which will not have to be done next year.
Hamilton street was in a very poor condition from the end of the brick pavements to the stone arch bridge, this street was graveled which was very inex- pensive to the town as the Worcester & Southbridge Street Railway Company furnished the gravel and
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244
REPORT OF HIGHWAY SURVEYOR.
cars, our only expense being two hundred extra loads of gravel and men and teams.
Every Saturday the brick pavements on Hamilton street were sprinkled, swept and cleaned, the cost be- ing $142.89, the waste was given to different parties who carried it away free of charge.
The following streets were graveled : High, Sayles, Mill, Cliff, Pleasant, Elm and Everett streets, also a part of River, Walcott, Main and Morris streets. A great many roads were graveled in bad places. Most of the gravel used at the Globe village was given to the town free of charge by Edmund Edwards; that used on other parts of the town was given by Herbert Carpenter.
The catchbasins were all cleaned twice during the year, the cost being $80.00.
I recommend that Hamilton street be either bricked, blocked, paved, or macadmized with an as- phalt top, the latter being the cheapest, I also recom- mend that Main street from the end of the brick pave- ments to the railroad bridge at Chestnut street also be macadmized.
I think that it would be possible to fix Main street as far as the cemetery out of the appropriation for the highways as there is no overdraw this year, and the other roads are in a good condition. I wish to state here that last year by the vote of the town the wages of the laborers working on the highways were in- creased and I think it advisable for this coming year to increase the wages of the teams.
I wish to state here that I have not used the Ex- cise Tax which is $866.80,
245
REPORT OF HIGHWAY SURVEYOR.
BRIDGES.
The amount of money appropriated for the bridges was $1,500.00. Mechanics street was replanked, also the bridge at Sandersdale over the canal, and a new cement bridge on Charlton street was built. This is very substantial and also a great improvement to the town.
Several of the small bridges will have to be re- planked this coming year. The bridge on Pleasant street will have to be retimbered, 'and also replanked, I also recommend that a cement or stone arch bridge be constructed here.
SIDEWALK REPAIRS
As I found that the town had no tools to repair concrete sidewalks I found it necessary and advisable to place this work under the charge of Mr. Proulx, who had all necessary tools for the work.
Most of the work on the sidewalks was repairing, except at the new stone arch bridge on Mill street a new sidewalk was constructed on both sides of the bridge.
The curbing on High street was reset and the side- walk repaired, the curbing on Sayles street was also reset and practically a new walk laid.
Most of the work was done at the Globe, as the sidewalks were in a very poor condition, all needed repairing, they are now in an excellent condition.
I recommend that in the future that all the side- walks be constructed of granolithic instead of concrete as it is more durable.
246
REPORT OF HIGHWAY SURVEYOR.
RAILINGS.
Our railings are in a very poor condition ; it is necessary to have a great many new railings, also many of the old ones should be repaired and painted.
SPECIAL APPROPRIATIONS.
The amount of $1.800,00 was appropriated for widening and grading East Main street. It was neces- sary to take up the old sidewalk which was replaced by a new granolithic sidewalk 280 feet long by 6 feet wide out of the same appropriation.
The amount of $200.00 was appropriated for a new catehbasin and sidewalk on West street. Hav- ing a balance left, the selectmen gave me permission to put a crosswalk on Mill street and also on River street out of the appropriation.
The amount of $150.00 was approriated for a side- walk on the extension of Sayles street. It was neces- sary to build a retaining wall and railing, we did 'this out of the same appropriation,
ALFRED MCKINSTRY,
Highway Surveyor
Report of Committee on Roads
The work of the Road Committee this year was on Central street where we constructed a screened gravel road with a hard pan binder.
We had expected to use a crushed gravel, but the size of the stones in the bank and the capacity of the crusher obliged us to change to screened gravel.
The method of construction called for the shaping and rolling of the subgrade. A first course of No. 1 stone to be 4 inches thick after rolling. The second course of stone to be 2 inches thick after rolling, and a binder course sufficient to cover and bind the coarser stone after it had been rolled.
The contractor was given the use of the Town's steam roller. He was to deliver the excavated earth from the street where directed within fifteen hundred feet and was to deliver (from the crusher of the Amer- ican Optical Company at Lensdale) spread, water and roll the stone.
All extra work was to be actual cost of materials and labor and a per cent profit for the contractor:
Sealed proposals were received on June 4, 1910 and were compared on the basis of 310 yards of exca- vation, 425 tons of stone and the per cent profit on extra work. The bids received are:
Aime Langevin' 50 cents per yard, $1.00 per ton, and 15 per cent profit.
Worcester broken Stone Co., 75 cents per yard, 90 cents per ton, and 20 per cent profit.
248
REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON ROADS.
Mederic Duhamel, $1.10 per yard, $1.14 per ton and 10 per cent profit.
The bids totaled :- Aime Langevin $580.00; Wor- cester Broken Stone Co., $615.00; Mederic Duhamel $825.50. The contraet was awarded to Aime Lange- vin.
The first work done was the construction of a catch basin on Main street in front of the Masonic building and connecting its overflow to the brook at Hartwell's corner. A large item in this cost was the lumber and labor making the forms for the concrete walls. We have saved these forms and given them in charge of the Highway Surveyor, for future use by the highway department. The cost of this basin and connection, 70 feet long, was $189.09. The cost of forms and carpen- ter work was $42.56.
Construction of the road surface was then started. This work was delayed by waiting for stone at the crusher, so that what we expected to have completed in about two weeks, took six weeks to do.
The crown of the surface is one-half inch to each foot of width.
As the stone was screened and not crushed gravel, we could not get the binder course of the same mate- rial as the road surface so were obliged to secure hard- pan which was paid for on the percentage basis. Be- cause of the difference between the grade of the old paved gutters and the new crown of the street, we were obliged to relay some of the gutters which also was done on the percentage basis.
The final estimate for the work done on Central street is as follows :-
310 yards earth, at 50c, $155 00
484 tons stone in place at $1.00, 484 00
249
REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON ROADS.
Itemized bills and 15 per cent profit, 150 56
Total.
$789 56
This amount with all previous payments for labor and material used our appropriation of $1,000.00. (See Auditors' report for items). There is outstanding a bill for engineering services to John A. Whittaker, amounting to forty-five dollars.
The excavated dirt was delivered by the contrac- tor on Foster street, between Main street and the rail- road crossing ; on Elm street, from Main street nearly to the Town hall and on Everett street from Main street to the residence of F. E. Corbin. The spreading of this material was done by employees and at the ex- pense of the highway department.
The cost of work done on Central street on a square yard basis is : For furnishing sand and relaying gutters, 16 cents per square yard ; for excavating and delivery of dirt, hauling, spreading and watering gravel and all rolling with steam roller, 47 cents per square yard. The gravel was furnished free of cost by the American Optical Company.
FUTURE WORK.
We believe Southbridge should as soon as possible construct streets with a permanent road surface.
The town now has a stone crusher and a ten ton roller and an effort should be made by the citizens to bring the streets to the same grade of superiority now shown in its sidewalks.
The roads throughout the villages are generally in poor condition. The chief reason for this being the the lack of available road material and the cost of teaming the gravel to the place of delivery. Another
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250
REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON ROADS.
cause of quick deterioration is the curve or shape of the road surface. It has been the praticc in past years to construct flat surfaces with sharp or steep shoulders. This is a mistake on the part of the workman and of the highway surveyor in charge of the men.
All street surfaces should have a gradual descent from the center of the street to the gutters, in order that water will run off rather than stand and cause mud-holes
We believe the first new work should be on Main street from Hamilton street easterly to Mechanics street. This to be done by contract.
We recommend this street be surfaced with Mac- Adam, constructed of a first course of native crushed stone and finished with size No. 2 trap rock. If de- sired to use a bitumen binder for the surface, only pure asphalt or an oil containing at least 90 per cent of asphalt should be used. This bitumen binder can be used at an extra expense of seven to ten cents per square yard of treated surface.
The material removed from this work should be used to surface nearby streets ; care being taken to maintain the proper crown of the surface, and before leaving, these dirt roads should be thoroughly rolled and properly compacted by the steam roller. As much care should be used in the construction of these dirt roads as in making and finishing of modern stone roads.
After the location of the proposed Southern New England railroad is settled, this work should be con- tinued at least to the depot at Sandersdale. As gravel is plentiful on this part of the line, it might be advis- able to substitute gravel for broken native stone in the foundation.
251
REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON ROADS.
Next, the roads running north and south should be built. We would recommend that the first con- struction of these roads, after leaving the center of the town, be holly of native stone. In the much travelled village section the surface should be of trap rock rather than of native stone.
The streets in the village should have a stone sur- face the whole width, from gutter to gutter. On the country roads we recommend a stone surface fif- teen (15) feet in width with at least a three (3 ) foot gravel shoulder to the gutter on each side of the road.
As the plan outlined above requires the active co- operation of the Highway Surveyor it will be for the best interest of the town to leave the matter with him and the board of selectmen, but requiring that de- tailed items of quantities and expense be duly ren- dered to the town.
A. B. WELLS, Chairman, J. A. WHITTAKER, Clerk, A. BOYER, JR., A. C. MOORE, AIME LANGEVIN,
Committee on Roads.
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Report of Committee on Bridge.
At a town meeting held November 3, 1908, a Bridge Committee comprising the following names : A. Boyer, Jr., W. M. Carney, C. F. Hill, C. W. Hill, A. B. Wells, was appointed, and $8,000.00 was appropriated for the purpose of constructing a bridge across the Quinebaug River on Main street. Plans and specifications were prepared and approved by the highway and county commissioners, as well as the engineers of the street railway company. The section of Macadamized street from the river to Pleasant street was relocated by the highway commissioners on July 7, 1909, and plans were submitted for bids, which were received and opened on Aug. 1, 1909, the lowest of three bids being $9,339.50. As the lowest bid so far exceeded the appropriation, an additional appropriation of $1,500.00 was voted by the town on September 28, 1909, and during the winter Blanchard Bros. agreed to construct the bridge for the sum of $9,000.00. and on March 9, 1910, the contract was signed.
In June 1910, the easterly section of Main street was relocated by the selectmen, and work was com- menced on the bridge June 23, 1910, and completed September 20, 1910.
The bridge erected is a stone arch style, 50 feet wide, occupying the full width of the road and has 65 feet arch or clear water way. It is 90 feet long on the parapet wall, and two catch basins have been con- structed on the northerly side of the bridge and piped to the river. The sidewalk curbing has been relaid on
253
REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON BRIDGE.
the new located line and the bank has been graded seeded, and a new railing guards the approach to the bridge. The present bridge is built on the side of the old iron bridge, so called, which was erected in 1860, and at that time we placed a wooden bridge on the same location. The bridge was designed by John A. Whittaker, Civil Engineer, and approved by Durkey, White & Towne of Springfield, acting for the South- bridge Street Railway Company, and also by the engineers of the railropd commission of Boston, Mass.
The street railway were given and occupied a temporary location outside the line of the work while the construction was in process. At the completion of the work the railway tracks were laid over the bridge on the new location granted them by the selectmen, the Worcester & Southbridge Street Railway Company contributing $650.00 towards the cost of the work.
The total expense itemized in the auditor's report is $9,452.00. There yet remains the rebuilding of the said highway on the new location and the surfacing of the side-walk to the canal of the Hamilton Woolen Company. This should all be done during 1911, from the unexpended balance of our appropriation.
Committee on Appropriation,
W. M. CARNEY, Clerk.
Report of Committee on Playgrounds
The Playground Committee consisting of the School Committee and Superintendent of Schools, or- ganized with Dr. J. A. Genereux, Chairman, and John A. Whittaker, Secretary.
After considering various sites for the playgrounds it was decided to follow the suggestion of the previous committee by using the School street grounds at the west end of the town and securing the Central Mills company land adjoining the Quinebaug river near the center of the town. There is no lease of this tract, although a verbal agreement was made by the owners fixing the rental at sixty dollars a year.
The apparatus installed at School street consists of swings, see-saws and a sandbox, the removal of stones from the grounds and some grading on the base ball diamond. At Central street, swings, see-saws, giant stride, horse, parallel bars, a playground outfit and sand piles. A few seats were built under the trees and drinking water installed.
Mr. Herbert S. Freeman, janitor of the School street school was placed in charge of the School street grounds and C. S. Moses, formerly physical director of the Y. M. C. A., was in charge of the Central street grounds until he moved from town after which John F. Maloney was in charge.
Miss Margaret Butler was sent to Holyoke to the Playground Institute held in December as representa-
255
REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON PLAYGROUNDS.
tive of this town. Her report to the committee was instructive and valuable.
The playground movement is new to towns the size of Southbridge and the ideas of requirements to get the best results vary with each citizen expressing his views. It certainly was with pleasure that the committee accepted with thanks a contribution of one hunored dollars from a donor who desired to be called a friend, as it showed confidence and belief in the playground movement. In directing this work the Committee have tried to act for the best results attainable. Being a new and untried element, we could only observe and consider, and build for the future in accordance with the light thus far given us.
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