USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Worcester > Town annual reports of the several departments for the fiscal year ending December 31, 1878 > Part 12
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184
CITY DOCUMENT .- NO. 33.
ing, has been laid in cement mortar, composed of one part of cement to two parts of clean, sharp sand. The concrete used in the bottom was composed of three parts screened gravel, one part sand, and one part cement. Under the invert, two lines of cement pipe were laid for under drainage, and were used to conduct the water accumulating in the trench to the pumps. Catch basin pipes have been entered every 600 feet, and pipes for house drainage every 100 feet.
The foundation on which the sewer rests is unusually good, being principally a hard, cemented gravel, or a tough blue clay. Large quantities of mud were found in several places, but in no case did it extend down to the grade line of the sewer.
A re-location had to be made for a short distance, at the lower end of the sewer, in order to conform to the re-location of Millbury street. It was also thought advisable, after com- mencing the work, to tear down the small dam, owned by Mr. John S. Ballard, below the arch bridge on Millbury street, and construct a new dam of the same height, back from the entrance to the sewer, so as to relieve the sewer as much as possible from back water from the river, during freshets.
A substantial stone dam, with retaining walls on the side of the river has been built, and the bed of the river has been thoroughly cleaned and paved below the dam and the outlet of the sewer. A gate chamber has also been built in the dike between the river and Mr. Ballard's pond and a 24-inch iron pipe run from the dam to the gate chamber and a 24-inch brick conduit from the gate chamber to Ballard's pond. Two iron slide gates have been placed in the chamber, one on the pond, and one on the river side thereof. The arrangement is such that the water can be made to run either into Mr. Ballard's pond, or into the the river, which will be of great convenience to the city in case the water should have to be drawn from above the dam in order to make repairs upon the arch bridge ; the practice heretofore having been, when repairs were neces- sary, to tear down a part of the dam in order to let out the water.
All the tools used by the city upon the work have been pur- chased by a sub-committee of the Joint Standing Committee on
185
REPORT OF CITY ENGINEER.
Sewers, appointed for that purpose, the purchases being subject to the approval of the full committee. The following state- ment gives the estimates and cost of sewer to date.
COST OF SEWER.
Estimate of Sewer from Cam- bridge to Vernon Sts., Estimate for re-building Bal- lard's dam, cleaning river, widening Millbury street,
$175,136 75
Total am'nt expended to date, $118,457 79 Stock on hand :-
Tools purchased, $10,000 00 Deduct one-third for wear, 3,333 33
$185,136 75
Actual valuation, $6,666 67 160 cu. yds. sand at 88 cts., 140 80
500 tons stone at $1.20, 600 00
Actual cost to date,
110,143 32
800 bbls. cement at $1.13 3-8, 907 00
8,314 47
Balance of Estimate,
$74,993 43 Actual cost of Sewers to date, $110,143 32
No estimate has been made by me for the work to be done north of Cambridge street, no order having been passed by the City Government ordering said work.
The property owned by the Sewer Maintenance Department is valued at $539.75. That owned by the Island Sewer Depart- ment is valued at $6,666.67. Schedules of the above may be seen at this office.
NORTH POND DAM.
On July 19, I reported to the Joint Standing Committee on Sewers, that my attention had been called to a leak in the North Pond dam. The leak, although not thought to be serious at the time, was still an indication of weakness, and I advised that it be looked after at once. The Joint Standing Committee on Sewers immediately notified the other owners of the dam, and a meeting was held, at which all agreed to bear their por- tion of the expense of repairs. It was found, upon inquiry, that the spiling put in when the dam was previously repaired, did not extend through the dam into the natural bank at the
10,000 00
186
CITY DOCUMENT .- NO. 33.
south end of the north dam. As the principal leak was about opposite the end of the spiling, it was supposed, by extending the spiling into the natural bank, the leak would be stopped. It was found, however, on excavating around the end of the old spiling, that it was not driven into the natural ground, there being some three feet of mud between the bottom of the spiling and the natural ground. It was thought advisable, by the com- mittee, that the County Commissioners be notified, which was accordingly done. In the meantime, the work of extending the spiling had been carried on as rapidly as possible, the new spiling being driven, as far as it could be, into the hard gravel forming the natural ground, and a puddle bank 10 feet thick being made around the new spiling and brought up to the top thereof.
The old face wall of the dam was also carefully removed ; earth laid in 6-inch layers, well rammed, being substituted. The dam was also widened 5 feet on top, the up-stream face having a slope of 1} to 1, and being thoroughly rip-rapped with stone. After making their examination of the dam, the County Commssioners ordered a plan and specification of the proposed work prepared and submitted to them for approval. They also notified the city authorities, that they should grant a hearing to all parties interested, as soon as the plan and specification had been received.
The hearing was held December 3, at which time the plan and specification were approved, and I was instructed, by the Commissioners to see the parties having control over the gates of the dam and request them to keep the water at such a height in the pond as I might deem safe, and in case they declined so to do, to inform them that an order would be issued by the Commissioners fixing the maximum height of the water at such a point as I should designate. I immediately informed the person in charge of the gates of the request of the Com- missioners. He desired a day to confer with the other owners of the dam. Upon seeing him, the next day, he declined to open the gates to lower the water. This fact was at once reported to the County Commissioners, who stated that they would visit the dam with me and fix a high water mark and
TABLE- Showing the lengths and cost of the present Sewerage, with the amount of each size of Sewer constructed each year since 1866, and the cost per foot.
Fize of Sewer In laches.
Kind of
1868
1869.
1870
1871.
1872.
1873
1974.
1875
1876.
1877
1878
Total number
Sewer
Feet.
Cont.
Feet.
Cont.
Feet.
Cont.
Feet.
Cont.
Feet.
Cost.
Feet.
CORt.
Cost.
Feet.
Cost
Feet.
Cost.
Feet.
Coet.
Cont pe foot.
Cont per foot.
Cont.
Feet.
Cost.
Cost per foot.
01 feet
Average CORt per foot.
9 inches. 12
Pipe
15
172.0
$471 80
S2 7
370.0 547.0 647.5
8333 73 Đ26 21 2,117 40
500.0 6735.0 1887.5
81,137 40 15,393 28 13,990 61 712 55
$2 61
1313.0 4377.5 6749.0
$2,549 79 10,703 82 18,200 9G 7,400 54
2 71
8453.5 2105.0
3 92
3 59
5378.8 4935.5 2619.5
818,180 21 15,899 33 8,117 57
2400.6 5282.7 3377.6
81 71 1 92 2 64
989.0 1847.4 1906.1 253.9
$2,038 56 2,839 07 1.795 65 736 88
$2 00 1 7: 3.96 2 91
$1,080 65 464 47
$1 13 1 67
$1,065 68 331 62
130.7 110.
8110 40 191 35
$0 81 1 74
497.8 3185.4 1151.6
$557 75 3,038 87 1,264 28. 528 13
1 10
119,851 71 57,560 77
3 21
11
Brick.
501.
686 59
1 16
594.
1 16
18x27
2 34
20x31
925.6
728 80
3 24
5 1
149
4.610 78 7,473 51
4 21 5 00
657.01 2423.5 1663.0
2,395 41 8,032 61 6,339 63
3 49 3 31 3 81
1963.5 2070.5 5575.0
5,960 84 8,624 35 23,512 79:
2580.6 2869.5
10,353 47 10,988 30
1 01 3 80
1140.1 587.3 861.5
3,856 42 1,826 07 2,507 31
90G.5 2086.3
1.980 40 5,111 39
2 4.
545.5 884.5 2246.3
1,250 82 2,457 55 6,086 22
2 78
14.0
30 75
7940.8
31,026 58
3 90
=
1525,5 307.0 2468.5
1,582 90 307 00 3,262 47,
I 04 1 00 1 33
4514.0 1162.0
5 00
4,715 58
1353.8
4,549 50
3 36
1654.1
9,312 44
5 63
32x48
834.
9,034 96
10 78
4201.0
11 83
14x18
br'k & stone. square stone.
158. 455.0 576.5
147 44 259 74 772 50
0 03 0 57
455.0
0 57
42x49
222.0
1,924 75
8 67
Total. .. . Mill Brook.
6481
$8,219 24
$1 27
$5 09
1582 8
852,233 83 43,170 92 805,404 75 - .
$3 33
24696.5 8103 514 73 1616 11 26311.6 =204.602 88
101.048 15
2152.5 45472.5
$339,232 12
36162.4
$193,570 25
19678.5
14959.0
545.716 45 . .
12347.5
$36.240 74
813.999 63
1629 2
$16.975 00
$3,802 22
5752.9
$6.141 21
196756.6 $1,211.407 40
Tatrach
No
No.
C'rt each
No.
No.
c'at each
No.
No.
No.
No.
c strach $28 38
41.0
67 50
41.0
60 00 805.0
104 26
Total cost.
$10.749 24
$123,211 97
$224,514 13
$384,589 GG
$227,208 06
$140,104 40
$59,689 79
847,119 11
$15,677 10
$20.425 37
$6,210 20
$0,626 21
$1,380,337 62
3 38 .
1961.4
3,723 56
1.90
190.0
322 74
1 70
1457.9 706.1 255.0
1,931 16 1,030 79 507 77
6:14.4
752 18
1 08
7901.3 11284.0
18,619 56 39,623 35
3 51
12x33
65,693 71
3 87
24×36
884.5
2,457 55
2 7
25x2
1625.5
1,582 90
1 01
27x40
779.0
7,0G3 01
D OG
8,985 70
10 75
1421.0 1149. 1719,5
7.727 43 9.101 30 16,830 8G 14,142 38
7 02
3394 5
27,992 67
8 25
163.0
1,348 30
12 62
26,530 27
1 83
588.0
4,557 31
7 75
684.0
6,858 15
44
158.
0 93
21x2
576. 222.0
772 50 1,924 75
8 67
84 37
83 37
$3 42
$2 18 12347.5
$2 93
$1 25
1629.2
$1 11
2673.7
81 42
5752.9
$6,141 21
$1 07
186059.2 10097.
$639,430 73 571,976 73
$3 4 53 47
Aggregate
6181.5
$8.219 24
6403.5 $120,963 12 .
1667
Manholes . + Basins
14 17
8440 00 2,090 00
'strach S31 43 122 93
No. 19
c'steach STO 76
10
ST.329 93 8,477 70
$68 50 119 40
$13,005 30 6,045 95
333
873 97
No. 99
c'sLeach $57 39 104 9G
$8,289 35 0,235 20
$5,981 86 7,991 48
97
83,966 41 6,911 96
$40 89 80 37
16
$483 27 1,194 20
cs'teach $34 52 70 25
$480 37 2,970 00
S652 98. 1,755 00
$1,025 00: 2,460 00
1448.0
$85,001 89 83,928 27
$58 70
142 35
$16,529 31 17,108 50
'st each $50 54 102 65
No. 128 90
c'steach SIG 73 88 79
86
17
44
c at each $32 03 67 50
452 19
T
* The annual outiny on MIIl Brook account does not represent tho
it of the length finished during the year.
NOTE .- The above table includes the length but not the cost of the following sewers which were hullt by private Individuals. 116 feet of 9.Inch in 1868; 250 feet of 12-Inch, 325 feet of 16-Inch, and 4 manholes in 1871, ond 163,5 feet of 12-Inch and 2 manholes In 1875,
= =
= =
736 88 686 59
2 91
= =
2 71
26x32
307.0
307 00
1 01
W81.1
35,114 29
3 63
30×45
3003.0
15,320 77
4 95
8 27
7812.1 1882.5
62,455 12 18,179 16 49,707 G1
0 66
48×72
1121.
2242.0 96.0
1,300 84
13 55
15,007 81
4 95
915.3
3,276 01
3 58
776.7
2,194 07
2 82
2. 99
16985.4
.....
967.5
4,431 72
4 6
3031.0
1344.8 510,0
3 51 5 17
2,637 12
33118.9 3043 5
$109,542 51 84,027 74 .
18379.5 1299.0
$02,769 73 63.810 12
14893.4 05.6
$32,492 51 13,223 94 . + ....
$36,240 74
1399 2 336.7
$1,545 12 12,454 51 .
$1,809 13 15,165 87
......
... ...
..... .....****
No.
N
c'steach $69 88
118 55 146
$24,573 04| 20,783 90
COR per Cont.
Cost per foot
Cost. per foot.
Cont per foot.
Cost per foot
Feet.
Cost.
Feet.
foot.
Cont foot.
Cant. per foot
Cost per foot.
$1 94 . 2 45 10620.5
$2 50
827.217 17 28,373 18 6,778 08
9549.5 8401.5 4812.0
$23,053 80 25.505 73 17,280 61
$2 48
$3 38
$40 00 4,117 19 10,121 91 8,918 55
3 10
1 50
2717.8 46142.9 +3234.7 17519 9 253.2
$1 30
84,618 67 106,925 93
$1 70 2 32
51 GB
9 87 9 83
2072.0
723.5 1412.5
2,833 14 7,273 39
3 92
1 46
1 99
22,58G 74
5 44
4,956 22
40xGD
147 44 259 74
1 31
84 19
43320.0
$189,613 17 149.618 95
1 10
3 1
2 19
1120.4 078.8
1102.5 317.7 19.0
$0 97 1 93 1 53
per fant.
Total Cont.
c'atench Total No. $25 00
'steach
$111,212 38
1 34
5630.5 13364.0
$31.506 50 89.456 53
$3,802 22
......
$126.579 85
1735.9
$1.314 47 904 38
867.
1850 to 1867.
Feet.
2 77
2 91
187
REPORT OF CITY ENGINEER.
order the water kept at that level. The Commissioners have not, however, made the examination at the present time, and the matter is now in their hands. The work of repairing the dam should be completed the coming season, as I do not con- sider it safe to leave it in its present condition.
STREET LIGHTING.
The following table shows the number of street lamps in use since 1871.
GAS.
OIL.
YEAR.
TOTAL.
Number.
Increase.
Number.
Increase.
1872.
592
26
303
47
895
1873.
604
12
351
48
955
1874
637
33
420
69
1,057
1875.
643
6
484
64
1,127
1876.
667
24
557
73
1,224
1877
675
8
619
62
1,294
1878
681
6
654
35
1,335
-
The work of this Department has beeen done to the entire satisfaction of the Joint Standing Committee on Lighting Streets, by P. Ronayne.
In closing this report, I desire to express my sincere thanks to the members of the City Government, and to my associates in City Hall, for their uniform kindness and good will, especially to the Superintendent of Sewers, who has so skillfully carried through the large amount of work intrusted to him by the Sewer Department.
I also wish to express the great satisfaction I feel at the man- ner in which work intrusted to my assistants has been done.
Respectfully submitted,
C. A. ALLEN,
City Engineer.
WORCESTER, December 30th, 1878.
Report of Chief Engineer
OF THE
FIRE DEPARTMENT.
CHIEF ENGINEER'S OFFICE, 1 WORCESTER, JANUARY 1, 1879. 5
To the Honorable the Mayor and City Council :
GENTLEMEN :- I hereby present my Sixth Annual Report of the condition of the Fire Department, for the year ending December 31st, 1878, and in so doing, it affords me pleasure to acknowledge my gratification at the confidence reposed in me as Chief Engineer; every assistance has been rendered the Board in the performance of their duties by your honorable body, by which the Department has been maintained in its present high state of efficiency, both as regards men and apparatus. I have embodied in this report all that I could gather of interest in regard to the workings of the Department for the past year, together with a list of officers and members, with the salaries paid them for their services, the members and location of the Fire Alarm stations, an inventory of property in charge of the Board of Engineers, with other information in connection with this organization necessary to be known to you and the citizens of Worcester. I have endeavored to truthfully present for your consideration, what the Department needs to give additional protection to the property of our citizens from the fiery element.
1
189
FIRE DEPARTMENT.
MANUAL FORCE AND DISCIPLINE.
The manual force of the Department consists of a Chief Engineer and four (4) Assistants, forty-two (42) members of Steamer Companies, including drivers, thirty (30) members of Hook and Ladder Companies, including drivers, fifty-eight (58) hosemen of Hose Companies, and four (4) members of Extinguisher Company, including driver; making a total of one hundred and thirty-three (133). In addition to the regular force of the department, there is a volunteer Hose Company located at Grant Square, and another at Coes Square, that respond to all alarms in their localities, for which the citizens should be grateful, for it reduces the fire risks in those localities very materially.
The Department has proved itself capable of meeting all the emergencies that have arisen during the past year, and has shown a marked improvement. It is one of the essentials requi- site of a fire department, that its full working force should be kept up, ready at an instant's warning to respond to an alarm, although there may be days and weeks when the services of the Fire Department or firemen may not be needed, still it is necessary that they should be "always ready;" therefore it is for the interests of the City Government, and the citizens generally, that proper means be furnished to keep the Department up to its present high standard, and make such additions and improvements as may be required and brought to our notice from time to time. Perhaps it will not be out of place here to state that nothing so inspires our firemen as to know that citizens generally are inter- ested in what they are doing, and manifest this interest by visits to their quarters and inspections of their apparatus. Large sums of money are invested in fire apparatus and equipments, and it should be a matter of interest to those who pay taxes to see how the money "goes," if no higher motive inspires them, to encourage their fellow-citizens in the performance of their duty. In this city we are glad to know some of our wealthiest citi- zens, their wives and children, are frequent visitors to the engine houses; where they and all others are welcome guests. They inspire the men with new courage and higher ambition,
190
CITY DOCUMENT .- NO. 33.
and stimulate them to appear at their best at all times; citizens will always find a welcome at the houses where our fire appara- tus is kept, and the utmost courtesy shown them by the mem- bers. A proper spirit of emulation exists in every branch of the Department in the performance of their duties, and they are many times called to positions of danger from falling walls and exposures from which they do not shrink, in their endeav- ors to save life and property : duty calls the fireman to action ; what manner of man should he be considering the responsi- bility required of him? every precaution has therefore been taken in the admission of new members, that they possess all the qualifications necessary to fill a position of so much import- ance to the well-being of the city. We are pleased to note that in the year that has just closed, there has been but little dispo- sition to interfere with the duties of the firemen by what are usually termed "outsiders," while working at fires, those pres- ent being satisfied that men trained to the business know how to get a fire under control without advice.
The present excellent discipline and good order that exists in the management of fires will not bear comparison with the days of Hand Departments, when it required four times the present number of men to handle the apparatus, but it is generally admit- ted that the present system excels in every particular. All these changes have been made after careful consideration, and the general feeling of security that is manifest in the community is a sufficient guarantee that they are wise and prudent altera- tions.
Before closing this portion of the report, we desire to call your earnest attention to the advisability of so amending the Ordinance on Fire Department, that the officers of all the com- panies shall be appointed by the Board of Engineers, to hold their position until removed by promotion or otherwise, and we recommend they should be removed only for cause.
The Department held the annual parade on October 3, and participated in the trial of Engines and Hose Carriages for the prizes offered by the New England Agricultural Society ; the Gov. Lincoln won the first prize and the A. B. Lovell the second prize for steamers, and City Hose No. 1, won the second
-
191
FIRE DEPARTMENT.
prize for Hose Companies, which is a creditable showing of our Department. The appearance of the'Department at that time, was the subject of many commendations from strangers, as well as our own citizens. It is a source of gratification to the Board of Engineers to know that the City Government and citizens appreciate the value of their Fire Department.
FIRES AND INSURANCE.
The cause and prevention of fires is still one of the most important subjects for consideration and discussion, by the citi- zens, the Board of Engineers and the Insurance Companies. Owing to the great depreciation in the value of real estate dur- ing the past few years, the temptation has been very great for property owners to cause the destruction of their buildings, and in this manner relieve themselves from financial embarrassments in the quickest possible manner. The Insurance Companies are in part responsible for this state of things, as they are so anx- ious to keep up their business that they fail to investigate the matter of over insurance as long as the premiums are promptly paid. I have repeatedly reminded the insurance companies of what seems to be their plain duty in this matter, as it is in their power to remove one of the most prominent causes of so many fires. It is not possible to make all men honest, but it is right and proper to remove every inducement to be dishonest.
Few persons apparently realize the terrible destruction of fire, till the fact is brought home to themselves. We read about whole villages being destroyed, and hundreds of persons rendered homeless or thrown out of employment, but the words seem to make no lasting impression, at least, such would seem to be the case, from the recklessness shown on all sides regard- ing fire ; if property invested in buildings and their contents, were guarded half so watchfully as a man guards a pocket book containing ten dollars, these fires would be prevented. Every method adapted to decrease the number of fires will have a ten- dency to reduce the expenses of the Fire Department, or keep them within their present limits. The Board of Engineers rep- resent the tax-payers in this matter, and desire to make the
192
CITY DOCUMENT .- NO. 33.
expenses of the Department as light as possible, in the interests of those we serve.
Incendiarism is one of the most cowardly crimes that can be Committed, whether the motives are governed by revenge, or for the purpose of defrauding the insurance companies, and every case should be promptly investigated, and upon convic- tion, the scoundrels should be as promptly dealt with to the full extent of the law. We earnestly call the attention of our citi- zens to the necessity of more care to prevent fire about their premises, by substituting iron in place of wooden vessels as a depositary for ashes, and in every other way exercise due vigi- lance. The Fire Department is ready and willing to promptly answer all calls upon it, but as our aim is the public good, we are in duty bound to urge upon our citizens every peecaution to prevent the destruction of property by fire. Boston and Chicago have not entirely recovered from the effects of their large fires, and it is not desirable that Worcester should have such an experience, as the result of negligence or carelessness.
The record of the past year will compare favorably with years past. During the year just closed there has been forty-three (43) Bell alarms, and forty-two (42) Still alarms, the loss by these fires $42,185.76, and the insurance on the property dam- aged was $456,854.00 ; for complete and detailed statement of losses, and amount of insurance, I refer you to the list of fires and alarms.
APPARATUS.
The apparatus of the Department, consists of five steamers, three were built by the Silsby Manufacturing Company of Seneca Falls, N. Y., one by the Amoskeag Company of Man- chester, N. H., and one by B. S. Nichols of Burlington, Vt. The last named engine was purchased the past year. There are in service twelve, four wheeled hose carriages carrying eight thousand feet of hose; three hook and ladder trucks, two in service and one in reserve, and one Babcock Extinguisher. A new hose carriage has been built for Steamer No. 3, making their apparatus all new, and a hose carriage is nearly completed
193
FIRE DEPARTMENT.
for Steamer No. 4, which has been needed for a long time. A new boiler has been furnished to Gov. Lincoln No. 1, and it has also been thoroughly repaired and painted. Steamers No. 2 and 4 have been repaired and the tubes so altered that steam is made much quicker than before, so that all the engines are now in excellent condition.
Every steam engine in use should be in charge of a competent engineer, who should be paid a fair compensation to devote his entire time to the care of it. A steam engine is a wonderful piece of mechanism, needing to be controlled by trained intelli- gence, and requiring constant care to keep it in perfect condi- tion ; an ignorant person can very easily disarrange it as to throw it out of service, and at that time it is sure to be wanted. No prudent man would trust the engine in his factory to be cared for in an haphazard way. A competent engineer is required to handle a steamer, and such a man should be adequately paid for his services. A community that is unwilling to do this should go back to the old hand engines, and trust their fire protection to the muscle of the many, rather than the intelligence of the few. They may lose more by fire, but they will have the satis- faction of saving the salary of a good man.
Great care should be exercised in drawing apparatus to fires ; there is too much rivalry existing between the Insurance Patrol and the Fire Department, being controlled by different interests, and are jealous of each other, they strain every point to reach the fire first, and so claim the glory of being the quickest. Recklessness is not necessary to insure promptness; there is an old adage which says, "make haste slowly," which may be applied to the Fire Department with special appropriateness. The best drivers are the most careful ones, the most careful ones are those who make the best record for being first at fires; the men who exercise cool, deliberate judgment, good sense and prudence, are the most efficient drivers of apparatus, for they are prepared for any emergency. Reckless men never win the confidence of those about them, there is no necessity for reck- lessness in the fire service, and it cannot be too severely condemned.
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