USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Arlington > Town of Arlington annual report 1902-1903 > Part 23
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67
INSPECTOR OF WIRES AND SUPT. OF FIRE ALARMS.
For total number of new electrical installations and additions to previous wiring systems in buildings for which permits were issued, would respectfully refer you to the following table : -
Total number of buildings in which wires, etc., were
inspected
Total number of incandescent lights wired for . 135 ·
1,604
" arc lights wired for .
3
" fan motors wired for 1
66 " power "
66
66 " horse power motors installed 20 1-10
Generators installed of 7 and 12 kilowatt
2
Generator switchboard installed 1 .
Storage battery installed
1
(capacity 60 amperes, 110 volts)
Heating appliances, capacity in amperes 77.50
Forty-eight permits were issued to the Somerville Electric Light Company for attachment of service wires to buildings for a total of 1,267 lights, and one 7 1-2 horse power motor.
POLES AND WIRES.
Considerable work has been done the past year in the re- building of pole lines on the highways. The Somerville Elec- tric Light Company have constructed new lines of poles on Russell street, Westminster avenue, Claremont avenue, North Union street and on Appleton street between Paul Revere Road and Park avenue. New locations were granted as follows : -
Pond Lane, three poles.
Florence avenue, three poles, between Hillside and Clare- mont avenues.
Acton street, two poles.
Paul Revere road, two poles, between Park avenue and Ap- pleton street.
· 66
4
68
INSPECTOR OF WIRES AND SUPT. OF FIRE ALARMS.
Eleven of the square hard pine poles were replaced on Massa- chusetts avenue, being badly decayed, and others will have to be replaced this coming spring.
A number of other poles were replaced in various sections of the Town where found to be in an unsafe condition. The New England Telephone & Telegraph Company of Massachusetts have done very little construction the past year except to re- place a few poles, One hard pine pole was replaced by this Com- pany on Pleasant street, opposite Kensington Park, which was ordered changed on account of being unsound. Changes were made in locations of several poles on Summer street by the above Company, to conform to new street lines as ordered by your Board. On July 24th the Atlantic Telegraph Company re- moved all of their poles on Chestnut street between Medford and Mystic street as ordered, taking a location on the New Eng- land Telephone & Telegraph Company's poles. This finished the question of consolidation of wires on this street, one line of poles taking the place of three. On Oct. 29 the Atlantic Tele- graph Company took a location on seven telephone poles on Summer street, north of and near Mill street, and removed six of their poles, also the Somerville Electric Light Company took location on the same poles. This leaves but one line of poles on this street at that point, which is a great improvement. All new poles have been painted and provided with steps.
The Boston Elevated Railway Company have provided switches as required by this office on all feed wires of their system for the purpose of shutting off the current in case of fire. These switches have been so arranged that the trolley wires can be controlled in section without interfering with the operation of the cars. Plans have been furnished this office by the Railway Company showing location of these cut-off switches and the sections which they control. The class of construction maintained by this Company is of the highest standard and en- tirely satisfactory to this department.
69
INSPECTOR OF WIRES AND SUPT. OF FIRE ALARMS.
After receiving the approval of your Board the Somerville Electric Light Company were ordered to change the location of four arc lights to new locations as follows : -
Pleasant street, near Maple street.
Massachusetts avenue, near Mt. Vernon street.
Brattle street.
Appleton street, corner Hillside avenue.
By making these changes three poles were dispensed with, besides bringing the Massachusetts avenue and Pleasant street lights into line with others properly located heretofore.
In view of the fact that the rights of the Somerville Electric Light Company in this Town having been purchased by the Edison Electric Illuminating Company of Boston, we are in- formed that very extensive changes may take place at an early date in the poles and wires owned by that Company. I am informed that it is the intention of the above Edison Company to install a set of high tension wires on our streets from the Somerville line to the Winchester line for the purpose of sup- plying current to the Woburn Electric Light plant owned by this Company, the source of supply for this current being the Edison station at South Boston, Mass.
As it is understood that these wires are to carry current at a potential of several thousand volts higher than any wires now in the Town, the greatest consideration should be given the question of location of these wires on our streets as they are a very dangerous element both to life and property. This ques- tion should be thoroughly looked into as to the best route for these wires to take, the class and size of poles to be used being thoroughly understood before anything is done in this line.
FIRE ALARM TELEGRAPH.
The results given by this system the past year is a good demonstration of the effectiveness and reliability of our fire
70
INSPECTOR OF WIRES AND SUPT. OF FIRE ALARMS.
alarm system, this condition of affairs being brought about by the good judgment of our citizens in making liberal appropria- tions in the last few years for the general reconstruction and purchasing of up-to-date machinery required on a system of this kind in a town of the population of ours.
On July 3rd we experienced the first trouble in nearly three years by the breaking of a wire on Forest street, caused by the heavy limb of a tree on this street being broken. There have been two other breaks in the wires since that time caused by heavy wind storms. In all of the above cases only one circuit was out of commission at one time, instead of one-half of the system as would have been the case in the old condition of affairs before the installing of the repeater and the sectioning of the system into five working circuits. The Universal Re- peating Box installed in the Central Fire Station in 1902 has proved to be a very valuable addition to the system. Sixteen out of the total of thirty-nine bell alarms having been sent out from this box for telephone calls during the past year. One new street signal box was placed in commission April 30th. This box is numbered 48, being located on Forest street north of the railroad track ; 3,160 feet of wire and thirteen cross arms were used in building this line. Considerable rebuilding and overhaul- ing of the aerial wires of the system has been done during the past season, including the replacing of old cross arms, box poles and bad wires. All underground wires were thoroughly in- spected in the various manholes. Five hundred and fifty (550) ft. of underground wires were placed in the conduits between Hose No. 2 House and Brattle Street, which completed this class of construction from the Town Hall to this point. The total mileage of wires now in use in the system being 20.50 miles, as follows :- Aerial iron wire 13.75 miles, underground wires 6.75 miles.
The bell deck on the Central Fire Station was retinned, also painted, also the bell decks at Hose 2 and the Heights were
71
INSPECTOR OF WIRES AND SUPT. OF FIRE ALARMS.
painted. Eighteen cells of Type B T. Storage Battery were added to the system to replace bad batteries and for extensions, making a total of 120 batteries in use.
On Sept. 28th, while inspecting the street signal boxes, it was found that the main springs were broken in four boxes and since that time two more have been found in that condition. This was a very curious piece of trouble, the cause of the breaking of these springs being an interesting question, no such occurrence ever before being known by the fire alarm manufacturers. These broken springs were immediately re- placed and particular attention has been since given to detect any repetition of the same. The electric motor of air com- pressor in the Town Hall, which furnishes air for the fire whistle, broke several coils in the armature on three different occasions the past summer, which required the sending of the armature to Boston on each occasion to be repaired. Owing to the ex- pense involved to make these repairs it was necessary to ask for $100 additional appropriation at the November Town Meet- ing, which was granted. This air compressor has been in ser- vice for six years, giving good results, being a second-hand machine when purchased. It has reached the point where it has outlived its usefulness and should be replaced soon by a modern high speed water-jacketed compressor of greater capacity.
The hydraulic air compressor was thoroughly overhauled by this department the past summer and is now in better work- ing condition than ever before. This machine is held in reserve in case of an accident to the electric compressor. Requests have been made to this department for additional fire alarm boxes in the following localities : Bartlett avenue, near Winder- mere avenue ; Broadway, near Marathon street ; Mass. avenue, between Lowell street and Park avenue; Park avenue, near Prospect avenue. In our judgment these boxes are needed and should be installed from time to time as finances permit.
72
INSPECTOR OF WIRES AND SUPT. OF FIRE ALARMS.
RECOMMENDATIONS.
I would respectfully recommend the following additions to the fire alarm system for the ensuing year : That a signal box be placed on Park avenue, near the top of the Heights, as the nearest box to this locality is over one-quarter of a mile from this point, and as there has been considerable building in this section in the last few years, in addition to the fact that there is a large sanitorium for sick people in this district it is absolutely necessary that a most prompt alarm be given in case of fire as this section of the Town is very difficult to reach quickly by the fire department.
I would also recommend that the extension of underground wires be continued in small sections, as appropriations will permit.
Thanking your Honorable Board for the kind and courteous consideration shown me on all occasions, and the advice given, I remain,
Yours respectfully,
REUBEN W. LEBARON,
Inspector of Wires and Supt. of Fire Alarms.
REPORT OF INSPECTOR OF BUILDINGS.
ARLINGTON, MASS., Dec. 31, 1903.
To the Honorable Board of Selectmen :-
GENTLEMEN :- I herewith submit my annual report for the year ending Dec. 31, 1903.
There have been issued during the year for dwelling houses . 24 permits There have been issued during the year for out- buildings 18 .
There have been issued during the year for altera- tions and additions . 23
Total number of permits issued during the year 1903, 65
The estimated cost of new houses
·
$127,100
outbuildings ·
13,600
" alterations and additions 10,600
Total estimated cost $151,300
Total number of inspections made during the year, 329.
These include foundations, fire stops, chimneys and general construction. An injunction was placed on one building on account of a defective foundation, and later removed after a new foundation had been satisfactorily constructed. While there has not been an increase in the number of houses built this year, there is a marked improvement in the class of the houses, shown by more modern methods of construction.
Respectfully submitted,
LUCIAN C. TYLER,
Inspector of Buildings.
REPORT OF TOWN COUNSEL.
December 31, 1903.
To the Selectmen :-
During the current year the following cases have been dis- posed of :-.
Sussanna C. Cook vs. Arlington, for damages for altering grade of Broadway, has been settled by the payment of $350.00.
The action of the Town against the Treasurer and his sure- ties has been settled by the payment of $18,000 in cash to the Town.
The following actions are now pending :-
Partridge vs. Arlington, for damages for altering grade of Claremont avenue.
Locke vs. Arlington, damages for bicycle accident, Massa- chusetts avenue.
Town of Weston vs. Arlington, action for care of small-pox patient, amount claimed $582.62.
The Town was represented before Legislative Committees in the following matters :-
Bills relating to Small-pox, Alewife Brook, Metropolitan Water and Sewerage affairs, Spy Pond Boulevard, Gypsy and Brown-tail Moths.
The Supreme Court has decided that the Town cannot by by-law regulate the keeping of swine, the matter being under the control of the Board of Health and not the Town.
In the matter of the assignment of the electric lighting con-
75
TOWN COUNSEL.
tract, the rights of the Town have been preserved, under the clause relating to the payment for the company's property in Arlington at its structural value in case the Town establishes a plant, and under the terms, conditions and agreements con- tained in the permit for pole locations in Massachusetts avenue granted June 28, 1893.
In addition to the above matters the ordinary work relating to the transaction of the Town's business has been attended to.
WILLIAM H. H. TUTTLE, Town Counsel.
REPORT OF TOWN PHYSICIAN.
December 31, 1903. To the Hon. Board of Selectmen :-
GENTEMEN :- The following is a respectfully submitted report of the work done by the Town Physician during the year ending Dec. 31, 1903 :-
Number of visits to outside poor, 410
Number of office visits, 260
Number of free vaccinations, 34
Owing to the scarcity of fuel, etc., during the past winter, there was quite a little additional illness but fortunately not of a severe epidemic nature.
At the Almshouse about the usual number of visits were made in caring for the inmates, the difficulties mostly of a chronic nature.
The Town poor have been particularly free from contagious diseases during the past winter, nevertheless a hospital for the care of infectious diseases is still an immediate necessity.
Respectfully submitted,
CHARLES A. KEEGAN,
Town Physician.
REPORT OF INSPECTOR OF MILK.
To the Honorable Board of Selectmen :-
I submit the following report as Inspector of Milk. I have issued forty-three milk and cream licenses for the year and taken in fees $21.50, which amount has been paid to the Town Treasurer, and I have his receipts for the same. I have taken samples of milk at different times which I have tested and in all cases they have been up to the required standard.
1
Respectfully,
CHARLES F. LUSK, Inspector of Milk.
REPORT OF THE SEALER OF WEIGHTS AND MEASURES.
To the Honorable Board of Selectmen :-
I submit the following report as Sealer of Weights and Measures, and I have inspected, sealed and tested the scales, wet and dry measures and weights in forty-four stores and other places of business, and received in fees $35.18, for which I hold the Town Treasurer's receipt.
Whole number of scales tested
116
" measures, wet and dry
162
66
" weights
389
66
66
" milk jars .
9,649
66
66 " " condensed .
242
Respectfully,
CHARLES F. LUSK, Sealer of Weights and Measures.
REPORT OF INSPECTOR OF PROVISIONS AND SLAUGHTERING.
To the Honorable Board of Selectmen :-
I have the honor to submit to you the following report for the year 1903.
The provisions sold to the people of Arlington have been of good quality and no complaints have been received this year.
No license has been granted to any one to slaughter in Arlington, and no slaughtering has been done in Arlington this year to my knowledge.
Respectfully,
FRANK P. WINN, Inspector.
REPORT OF THE INSPECTOR OF ANIMALS.
To the Honorable Board of Selectmen of the Town of Arlington :-
GENTLEMEN :- I have the honor to submit my annual report as Inspector of Animals for the year ending December 31, 1903.
During the year there have been twelve (12) horses found to be diseased with glanders and farcy. In making my regular fall inspection, I have inspected two hundred and two (202) cows and seven hundred and forty-five (745) hogs for tuber- culosis and other contagious diseases. The owners were in all cases given the regular certificate of inspection. I also at this time inspected eighty-four (84) stables, wherein these animals were stabled, and reports were in each case made out and sent to the State Bureau.
In all cases where contagious diseases have been found the stables have been thoroughly disinfected before other animals were allowed to occupy the same. This work of disinfection of stables is now done by the State Bureau upon request of the Inspector, and is, I feel, a great improvement over the past, when owners were allowed to do it themselves.
Respectfully submitted,
LAURENCE L. PEIRCE, M. D. V. Inspector of Animals.
REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF STREETS.
To the Honorable Board of Selectmen : -
GENTLEMEN : - I submit to you my annual report for the year ending December 31, 1903.
The following statement shows the amount appropriated and the earnings of the Highway Department, also amount paid for labor, stone, gravel, hay, grain, cement, repairs on tools, carts, etc., and shoeing.
Appropriation,
$23,349 45
Earnings of Department,
7,323 23
-$30,672 68
EXPENDED.
Labor and teams,
$18,463 73
Stone for crusher,
2,536 28
Feed, fuel, cement, etc.,
3,547 80
Repairs and shoeing,
1,612 48
Lumber, brick and pipe,
850 74
Gravel, grates and grass seed,
566 74
Concord wagon and snow plow,
199 70
Tools, oil and machine supplies,
525 19
Powder, exploders and express,
286 08
Stone cutting and mason,
189 80
Paving stone and iron rails,
420 16
Veterinary and medicine,
52 25
Engineers,
228 18
29,479 13
Unexpended,
$193 55
82
SUPERINTENDENT OF STREETS.
The following table will show the streets upon which the greater part of work has been done.
REPAIRS AND MATERIALS USED ON THE FOLLOWING STREETS.
Streets.
Labor and Teams.
Crushed Stone.
Stone Dust.
Gravel.
Roller.
Total.
Bartlett avenue.
$287 50
$196 00
$29 00
$37 00
$6 00
$539 50
Brantwood road.
273 50
58 00
45 00
319 40
Bow street ..
690 75
690 75
Claremont avenue ..
292 00
292 00
Forest street
162 50
106 00
14 00
28 00
3 00
294 50
Irving street.
86 50
72 00
12 00
8 00
2 00
167 50
Lewis avenue
127 40
98 00
15 00
12 00
4 00
355 40
Lowell street
1,863 00
1,770 00
46 00
154 00
23 00
3,521 80
Massachusetts avenue .. Medford street
277 50
595 00
67 00
27 00
10 00
887 10
Mystic street
272 80
375 00
36 00
84 00
6 00
673 60
Park avenue
278 00
58 00
176 00
183 00
2 00
489 20
Park circle
168 40
46 00
168 40
River street.
165 50
35 00
24 00
2 00
217 50
Summer street.
295 00
309 00
2 00
323 00
Tufts street
52 50
41 00
36 00
2 00
119 50
Warren street .
185 80
169 00
34 00
17 00
4 00
395 40
Cleaning streets
1,985 75
1,985 75
Cleaning catch basins
1,512 50
1,512 50
Superintendent of Streets, care of snow and patching streets is not included in above table.
In widening Bow Street, by order of County Commissioners, there was a high bank of gravel on the east side, enough to gravel the street and 112 double loads left, which was carted to Park Avenue. The material not fit for the streets was teamed to the Locke school grounds.
FOREST STREET BRIDGE.
Quite late in the fall two teams broke through the covering, and in making repairs all the timbers were more or less de- cayed (which were hard pine), and as the waterway was too
128 00
46 00
5,292 80
2,688 80
2,117 00
564 00
86 00
83
SUPERINTENDENT OF STREETS.
narrow to take the flow of water at times, it was thought best to make a permanent job of it by relaying the side walls, mak- ing the channel two feet wider and raising the bridge one foot. The stones were laid in Portland cement and covered with second hand six-inch girder rails laid fifteen inches on centre across sidewalk, and nine inches in travelled part of the street, and the rails then covered with a foot in thickness of cement concrete composed of one part Portland cement, four parts crushed stone, and two parts sand, the total cost of which was $543.68
CRESCENT HILL AVENUE STATEMENT.
149 4-9 days labor at $1.80,
$269 00
736 1-2 66 " 2.00,
1,473 00
127 5-9
66 2.50, 318 89
102 66 single team at $3.25, 331 47
178
66 double team at 4.50, 801 00
100 66 Supt. of Streets at $2.50, 250 00
Coal, wood and cement,
113 01
Powder and exploders,
142 05
Repairs on drill,
86 73
Grass seed,
10 00
Sharpening tools,
81 85
Brick and sand,
33 00
Mason, laying brick, 66 66 stone,
24 65
160 26
Damage to Eldridge's house,
16 50
Stone cutter,
8 00
Use of drill and tools,
120 00
Engineering,
45 72
$4,285 13
84
SUPERINTENDENT OF STREETS.
CREDIT. STONE TO CRUSHER.
3,145 tons stone at crusher at .40 per ton, $1,258 00 Crescent Hill Club stone steps, 12 00
A. M. Davidson, 66
5 00
W. R. Stiles, 13 loads of filling at .25 per load,
3 25
Mr. Tucker, man, one day,
2 00
$1,280 25
$3,004 88
SIDEWALKS.
Appropriation for Sidewalks,
$1,500 00
Receipts,
510 48
$2,010 48 -
EXPENDED.
Paid Geo. H. Lowe for concrete, $813 32
H. W. Fletcher for edgestone,
470 18
S. and R. J. Lombard for edgestone,
84 81
Boston Chrome Co., gravel,
16 55
Boston & Maine R. R. Co., freight,
57 51
A. L. Bacon, labor,
43 00
Highway Department, labor,
166 33
F. C. Munch,
28 95
Engineers,
27 20
1,707 85
Unexpended, $302 63
85
SUPERINTENDENT OF STREETS.
Concrete.
Streets.
Edge- stone.
Circle- stone.
Brick.
Grano. lithic.
Cross Walks.
New.
Old.
Bartlett avenue
96 ft.
7 ft.
Broadway
122 «
7 "
558 2-9 vds
97 5-9 yds.
Webster street
41
Irving street
97 7-9 yds.
Jason street.
141 1-2 yds.
37 5 9 yds.
Lewis avenue.
154 ft.
3 ft.
57 yds.
174 yds.
27 yds.
Medford street
266 ft.
11 ft.
60
66
Park avenue
155 4
13 "
Robbins road.
12 «
6 "
Wollaston avenue ..
97 1-2 yds.
Warren street.
26 6-9 yds.
65 yds.
Massachusetts av.
STORM DRAINS.
Any one not familiar with the storm drain system, little realizes the expense in caring for same. There are 226 catch basins, most of which require cleaning twice a year, and some four or five times, and to keep them clean and make the system effective would take three men and a horse about every working day in the year. I do not report this as speaking disparag- ingly of the system, for I consider it the best money the Town ever spent on its streets. I speak just to show one of the many ways money is spent on the highways.
SUPERINTENDENT OF STREETS.
HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
Appropriation,
$4,000 00
EXPENDED.
Labor and teams,
$3,520 68
Charles Gott, repairs,
11 75
R. W. Shattuck & Co.,
7 20
W. O. Menchin,
6 00
W. M. Peppard,
1 75
Arlington Harness Co.,
16 55
J. Q. Hamblin, Covers,
10 00
3,573 92
Unexpended,
$426 08
The collection of ashes and offal has been done by the High- way Department. The offal teamed to Mr. W. W. Rawson and ashes disposed of as usual except at the Heights they were teamed to Locke school grounds after Nov. 10.
MACHINERY TOOLS, ETC.
The roller will require new front wheels as the old ones are worn thin and have begun to break. After consulting a machinist it was found, at a small expense, the sides of the crusher could be chiselled off and wider chills used and by rebabbiting bearings could be made to do good service a while longer. The carts will require slight repairs and painting. Some of the horses are getting old and need to be replaced with new ones.
Respectfully submitted,
S. E. KIMBALL, Superintendent of Streets.
FINAL REPORT OF COMMITTEE OF FIVE.
PERMANENT DEBT AND SINKING FUND.
The matter of the examination of the permanent debt and Sinking Fund of the Town which was referred to this Committee by vote of the Town on Nov. 24, 1902, and for the considera- tion of which they asked further time, in their report of March 25, 1903, has been taken up and carefully gone into.
After a conference with the Commissioners of the Sinking Fund, and after procuring a tabulated statement showing the amounts required annually to meet the demands of the claims against the Town as they mature; your Committee decided unanimously to recommend the appropriation annually of the sums needed to meet the legal requirements of the Sinking Fund. They would also recommend that in future care be taken in allotting serial loans, so that no extraordinary sum shall fall due in any one year as unfortunately occurs during the years 1904 and 1905.
We also recommend that all future borrowings be made on the basis of serial payments.
88
COMMITTEE OF FIVE.
THE ESTABLISHING AND SUPERVISING IN THE YEAR 1903 OF A SYSTEM OF BOOKKEEPING AND AUDITING OF THE FINANCIAL ACCOUNTS OF ALL DEPARTMENTS OF THE TOWN.
The above work was taken up January 1, 1903, in connec- tion with the division of offices adopted by the vote of the Town in its financial department. Mr. Thomas S. Spurr, expert accountant, was continued in charge thereof and we print his report herewith.
BOSTON, Jan. 30, 1904.
To the Committee of Five, Howard W. Spurr, Chairman, Arlington, Mass.
DEAR SIRS :- In accordance with the recommendation of your Committee at the beginning of the year 1903, which was confirmed by vote of your Town, I have caused to be opened a set of books on a somewhat different plan of accounting from that which has heretofore been in vogue. I have given my assistance to your officials when called upon, and have super- vised the keeping of the accounts during the year. I have also had the books closed for the year 1903 and have seen them properly opened for 1904.
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