USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Arlington > Town of Arlington annual report 1904-1906 > Part 45
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124
134
124
Stillborn
14
12
15
Total
.138
146
139
·
·
·
·
·
·
·
·
.
15
9
6
30 "40
12
4
8
. .
·
.
TOTAL. 13
MALE.
FEMALE.
UNKNOWN.
6
7
2
1
1
. .
1904.
1905.
·
60 70
Ages unknown
females.
65
124 Number of stillbirths ...
177
BOARD OF HEALTH.
CAUSES OF DEATH. (Stillbirths Excluded.)
Deaths from phthsis or consumption .. . 9
scarlet fever ..
1
bronchitis
2
diphtheria and croup ..... 1
diseases of heart ... 10
Cerebro-spinal meningitis 2
kidneys.
9
.6 erysipelas .. . 1
cholera infantum 2
1
From suicide.
2
accident
5
17
69
Number of deaths from all other causes not specified above; (not including still-births)
55
Tota
124
SOCIAL RELATIONS OF DISEASED.
(Still-births Excluded.)
Married.
43
Single ..
49
Widow .
19
Widower ..
13
Divorced
..
Unknown
. .
124
١
NATIVITY.
Nativity of Deceased. (Stillbirths excluded.)
Nativity of Parents.
Father.
Mother.
Arlington
31
8
8
Massachusetts
36
26
31
Other New England States.
14
15
13
Other States. . ..
. 3
2
2
Canada and the Provinces. . ..
9
15
12
England, Scotland and Wales.
2
6
1
Ireland
28
45
46
Italy .
. .
·
. .
Norway and Sweden.
. .
..
. .
Russia . . .
1
2
1
Unknown.
4
9
Total
124
124
124
American parentage
46 Mixed parentage
15
Foreign
60
Unknown
3
Number of non-residents dying in Arlington. Number of residents dying in other places.
12
14
·
1
1
Other countries
Deaths from pneumonia 66
16
cancer. 8
DEATHS FROM VIOLENCE.
dysentery
178
BOARD OF HEALTH.
CONTAGIOUS DISEASES REPORTED.
Diph- theria. 1905. 1904.
Scarlet Fever. 1905. 1904.
Typhoid. 1905. 1904.
Measles. 1905. 1904.
Total. 1905. 1904.
January .
1
8
9
2
..
··
. .
2
10
12
February
2
5
12
. .
·
. .
2
5
16
March
..
2
12
7
1
1
1
11
14
21
April
3
1
4
6
. .
1
1
..
8
8
June
1
..
2
3
..
. .
..
3
3
August
1
·
. .
10
. .
..
. .
. .
10
October ..
2
1
.
10
1
1
. .
. .
. .
4
11
Total
11
18
37
83
3
9
4
32
55
142
LOCATION OF CONTAGIOUS DISEASES.
Drawing a line through the Town Hall Building, and extending it north and south, the location of the above contagious diseases would be as follows : -
1905. East.
1904. East.
1905 West.
1904. West.
1905 Total.
1904. Total.
Diphtheria ..
5
18
6
11
18
Scarlet Fever
8
67
29
16
37
83
Typhoid Fever.
1
5
2
4
3
9
Measles
1
14
3
18
4
32
Total
15
104
40
38
55
142
. .
4
8
..
1
15
4
24
July
. .
.
2
. .
. .
1
2
September
1
1
1
15
.
4
2
20
December
2
3
. .
7
1
1
1
2
1
3
1
. .
1
·
3
12
November
May
REPORT OF THE JOINT BOARD OF SELECTMEN AND BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS.
The Joint Board of Selectmen and Board of Public Works re- spectfully present the following report for the year 1905, the sec- cond since the Board was established.
Organization .- The Board met March 18th and elected James A. Bailey, Jr., Chairman, and Horace A. Freeman, Clerk.
Regular Meetings have been held on the second and fourth Mondays of each month.
Appointments .- For appointments made by the Board see the list of appointive Town officers.
Street Watering .- After duly advertising for bids, the con- tracts for watering the streets for the season beginning May Ist and ending Nov. Ist (6 months), were awarded Henry J. Green, Timothy Ryan, John Kelly and Frederick W. Schuhmacher at $480 each. The fifth route was taken by the Highway Div. . All the routes have been revised and made to cover more territory than heretofore. Two standpipes have been added to the outfit. The cost of watering the streets for the season was $2,599.24. This expenditure is met by an appropriation of $650, a contribu- tion of $200, and an assessment on abutters for the balance, said assessment being 2 I-10 cents per front foot.
The season should be extended and made to cover a portion of April and November. This of course will require a larger appropriation.
Street Lighting .- The street lighting for the year appears to have been satisfactory. Few outs have been reported. The free arc-light at the railroad crossing has been discontinued and a light will probably be installed at the foot of Whittemore St., half the cost to be reimbursed by the Arlington Boat Club. Eight addi- tional incandescents have been installed during the year.
The number of street lights in commission Dec. 31, 1905 is as follows :
80 arcs of 1200 (nominal) candle power 228 incandescents of 32 candle power
180
JOINT BOARD.
Petitions for additional lights were granted as far as the ap- propriation allowed, most of these lights being for territory newly built up. The demand for needed lights is generally larger than appropriations allow.
The Inspector of wires reports his tests as showing the current always up to the contract requirements.
A year from May Ist, 1906 the present contract with the Edison Electric Illuminating Company expires, and the question of con- tinuing the same under old or new conditions will very soon be before the Town.
Permanent Sidewalks .- Petitions for permanent sidewalks were granted so far as the appropriation allowed, the rest being tabled for future action.
Where no deposit was made the abutters were assessed in ac- cordance with the sidewalk act, Chap. 49 Revised Laws. As- sessments to the amount of $950.89 have been committed to the Treasurer. These assessments are a lien on the property and must be paid within two years. For the location and expense of side- walk construction reference is made to the reports of the Board of Public Works and Town Engineer.
The Town Counsel has decided that the Town has no legal right to borrow money in anticipation of sidewalk assessments. This will limit the available funds for permanent sidewalks, un- less larger appropriations are made, or deposits in all cases ex- acted. All repairs of permanent sidewalks are chargeable to per- manent sidewalk account and not to the Highway Department, and it is recommended that all future appropriations be made on this basis.
Pole Locations .- Thirteen hearings have been given for pole lo- cations,-ten on petitions of Edison Electric Illuminating Co. and three on petitions of New England Telephone and Telegraph Co.
Theer should be more underground wires and less overhead. The time for radical action here is not far distant. The unsight- ly appearance of poles and wires, the danger from overhead wires and the tax levy favor a change. For detail of pole location see report of Inspector of Wires.
Streets laid out .- Petitions have been received asking the Board to lay out as public streets the private ways known as Tanager St., and Windemere Ave.
Intentions to lay out said streets were voted and hearings given on the same. It was voted to lay out Windemere Ave., but no further action, was taken on Tanager St. This latter street re-
181
JOINT BOARD.
quires considerable expense to bring it to proper grade. It is in no condition at present for acceptance by the Town, except under heavy betterment assessment to the abutters, when constructed by the Town.
It should be the policy of the Town not to accept streets unless in satisfactory condition as regards grade and construction.
Board of Survey .- Chap. 249, of the Acts of 1897, (appended to this report) establishing a Board of Survey for the Town of Arlington was a very wise measure. It was occasioned no doubt by the disposition of land owners to lay out streets in a way not altogether for the best interest of the Town. A perusal of the Act will show liability as to violations of the same.
The duty of this Board is to disapprove any plans contemplat- ing the laying out of streets where location, direction, width, and grade are not a credit to the Town, and that do not conform to prospective and desirable lay out of streets in contiguous or near by territory. Good streets are a very important feature in any community and tend to enhance the value of property.
Hearings have been given on petitions and plans relative to Wellington Street Extension, Lincoln, and Woodland Streets, Pearl Avenue, Wildwood Avenue and proposed streets in Gloucester Street (so called) territory, between Mt. Vernon St. and Highland Avenue.
Plans for all were approved, excepting that of Wildwood Ave- nue, which is still under advisement.
Boston-Lowell Interurban Strect Railway Company .- On the petition of the Directors of this company for location of tracks in Arlington a public hearing was given, as required by law. Seventy-five or more citizens were present and opinions freely ex- pressed. The consensus of opinion appeared to be strongly against approval of plans and against the granting of locations. At the close of the hearing the Board met and after giving the matter due consideration voted the petitioners leave to withdraw ..
Salt on Street Railway Tracks .- The indiscriminate use of salt on street railway tracks is not allowed. Only clean rock salt is to be used and applied only on specified portions of the tracks, namely :- grooved rails and switches, and on grades over two per cent. Injury to the many horses traveling our highways justifies the enforcement of this limitation.
Opening up Streets .- When once properly constructed the sur- face of our streets should be disturbed as little as possible. Pros- pective laying of sewer, water and gas pipes and underground
182
JOINT BOARD.
wires should be anticipated and known to proper authorities in order to prevent duplicate reopening of street and therefore, dup- licating the expense.
Private parties and corporations are granted permits to open up the streets only on condition that trenches be refilled, resurfaced and rolled, and the surface kept in repair for one year thereafter, all to the satisfaction of the Town Engineer and at the expense of said party or corporation.
JAMES A. BAILEY, JR., WARREN W. RAWSON, S. FREDERICK HICKS, PETER SCHWAMB, WILLIAM N. WINN, SAMUEL E. KIMBALL,
Joint Board of Selectmen and Board of Public Works.
ACTS OF 1897. (Chap. 249).
AN ACT TO ESTABLISH A BOARD OF SURVEY FOR THE TOWN OF ARLINGTON.
Be it enacted, etc., as follows:
SECTION 1. The Selectmen of the Town of Arlington shall constitute a Board of Survey for said town.
SECT. 2. Any person or corporation contemplating laying out or lo- cating and constructing any street or way in said town after the passage of this act shall before beginning such construction submit to said Board of Survey suitable plans, to be prepared in accordance with such rules and regulations as said board may prescribe. Upon the receipt of such plans, together with a petition for their approval, said board shall give a public hearing thereon, after advertising such hearing once a week for two successive weeks in a newspaper published in said town, the last advertisement to be at least two days before such hearing, and after such hearing said board may alter such plans and determine where such street or way shall be located, and the width and grades thereof, and shall so designate on said plans. Said plans shall then be approved and signed by said board and filed in the office of the clerk of said town, who shall attest thereon the date of such filing.
SECT. 3. The board of survey shall from time to time cause to be made under its direction plans of such territory or sections of land in said town as said board may deem necessary, showing thereon the location of such streets or ways, whether already laid out or not, as said board shall be of opinion the present or future interests of the public will require in such territory, showing clearly the directions, widths and grades of each street or way, and may employ such assistance and incur such expenses as it may deem necessary therefor, not exceeding the amount of money appropriated by the town for said purpose. Said board before making any such plan, shall give a public hearing as to the locations, directions, widths and grades of streets or ways in the terri- tory to be shown on the plan, after advertising such hearing once a week for two successive weeks in a newspaper published in said town, the last advertisement to be at least two days before said hearing and
183
JOINT BOARD.
shall after making any such plan give a like notice of hearing thereon, and keep the plan open to the public inspection for one month after the advertisement of such hearing. Such plan thereafter, and after the alterations deemed necessary by said board have been made thereon, shall be marked as made under the provisions of this act, shall be signed by said board, and after being so signed shall be filed in the office of the clerk of said town, who shall attest thereon the date of such filing.
SECT. 4. The powers of the board of selectmen of said town in regard to highways shall not be abridged by this act in any manner, except as provided in this section, and the powers given them in this act shall be in addition to the powers now exercised by them. After the passage of this act no street or way in the town of Arlington, shown on any plan filed as aforesaid shall be laid out, located anew, altered or widened, and no such street or way, whether already or hereafter laid out, shall be constructed by any public authority, except in accordance with the provisions of this act. If any person or corporation shall here- after open for public travel any private way the location, direction, widths and grades of which have not previously been approved in writ- ing by said board of survey, in the manner provided in this act, then neither the town nor any other public authority shall place any public sewer, drain, water pipe or lamp in, or do any public work of any kind on, such private way so opened to public travel contrary to the pro- visions of this act: PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that this provision shall not prevent the laying of a trunk sewer, water or gas main, as engineering demands may require.
SECT. 5. If any building shall hereafter be placed or erected in said town upon land within the boundaries of any street or way shown on any of the plans filed with the town clerk as herein provided, or on land adjacent to any such street or way, the grade of which at the time of placing or erecting such building is other than the grade shown on said plans, or on land adjacent to any street or way, the plan and pro- file of which has not been approved by said board of survey, no damages caused to any building, so placed or erected by the construction of said street or way as shown on said plans, or caused to any building so placed or erected, or to the land upon which said building is placed or erected, by the subsequent change of grade of any street or way the plan of which has not been approved by said board of survey, shall be re- covered by or paid to the owner of the whole or any part of the estate of which the land upon which said building so placed or erected formed a part, from or by said town.
SECT. 6. The said town may from time to time appropriate sums of money to be expended by said board of survey for carrying out the pro- visions of this act. No expenditures shall be made in excess of such appropriations.
SECT. 7. This act shall take effect upon its acceptance by a majority vote of the voters of said town present and voting thereon at a town meeting called for the purpose, or at any annual meeting of said town. ( Approved April 8, 1897).
TOWN OF ARLINGTON.
NOTICE TO SURVEYORS.
All plans and profiles hereafter submitted for the approval of the Board of Survey under the provisions of Chapter 249 of the Acts of 1897, and any act or amendment thereto, must be drawn on tracing cloth, and be of uniform size, viz .: 22 inches by 30 inches.
184
JOINT BOARD.
The plans must give sufficient information to accurately locate the proposed streets so as to connect them with other existing streets in the vicinity, and enough grade heights given on the plans so that the profiles may be readily located on the plans.
All radii of curves, widths of streets, and all proposed grades must be plainly marked in vermilion ink; all other figures and lines in black ink.
All grades must refer to Arlington Town Base.
Profiles must show levels on both sides and center of proposed streets, and the proposed grade of the center of the street stations not over 50 feet apart.
All buildings abutting on the proposed streets shall be shown both on the profiles and plans and the station of their side lines given.
The scale of the plans must be forty feet to an inch; and the hori- zontal scale of the profiles 40 feet to an inch; and the vertical scale of the profiles 6 feet to an inch.
The above plans shall be accompanied with a plan of a scale not smaller than 160 feet to an inch, showing the entire property proposed to be laid out, and such adjoining property may be affected, with the measurements of the outlines of the property clearly shown thereon.
If a street submitted for approval does not extend through to another street and is likely to be extended in the future, the plan should be of the whole street, showing the connection with existing or other proposed streets.
The owner's name should form a part of the title of the plan and the names of all the abutting owners should be given.
By Order of Board of Survey.
ARLINGTON, MASS., March 26, 1898.
REPORT OF THE TOWN COUNSEL.
ARLINGTON, MASS., January II, 1906.
To the Joint Board of Selectmen and Board of Public Works: -
GENTLEMEN : - There are three actions pending against the Town of Arlington, namely : -
Partridge, vs. Arlington .- A petition for damages arising by reason of the alteration in grade of the lower end of Claremont Avenue-Brought August 7, 1899.
Locke, vs. Arlington .- An action for damages for injuries re- ceived in consequence of an alleged defect in the highway- Brought August 7, 1898.
Grebenstein, vs. Arlington .- An action for damages for in- juries received in consequence of alleged defect in the highway- Brought August 30, 1905.
The claim of the Maryland Casualty Company against the Towu amounting to $310 for additional premiums on casualty insurance carried by the Town from 1893 to 1903 has been settled for $150.
The Town has been represented before the Commissioners ap- pointed to apportion the Metropolitan Park tax for the ensuing five years among the cities and towns in the Metropolitan Park District.
It has also been represented before the Commissioners appoint- ed to apportion the expense of the construction and maintenance of Wellington Bridge.
The legal work of the different departments has been attended to.
Respectfully submitted,
HORACE D. HARDY,
Town Counsel.
REPORT OF THE TOWN ENGINEER.
ARLINGTON, Jan. 22, 1906.
To the Joint Board of Selectmen and Board of Public Works: -
GENTLEMEN : - Herewith is respectfully presented the sixth annual report of the Engineering Department for the year ending December 31, 1905.
The organization of the Department is the same as last year. The work has consisted in furnishing to the Departments, Boards and Special Committees, in the service of the Town, such infor- mation of an engineering nature as they may require on work in contemplation or in process of construction, also superintendence on particular sewers and the extension of new main sewers, and the recording of all data relating to additions and changes affect- ing municipal structures and systems.
All engineering expense is charged each week to the Depart- ment or Board for which service has been rendered, and is class- ified for the year as follows : -
Highway Division: For the marking of all lines and grades; making plans, profiles, estimates, locations, and records of work done and in contemplation by the Division, including superintendence on storm drain construction.
$293 27
Sewer Division: For all surveys, plans, profiles, lines, grades, records and superintendence on cleaning and flushing of sewers
309 25
Superintendence and inspection on sewer construction.
330 76
Superintendence and inspection on particular sewer construc- tion
155 41
Water Division: For all' lines for new mains and locations and records of gates, hydrants, specials, service boxes, and work on registration data
190 59
Sidewalks: For all lines, grades, and measurements of edge- stone, concrete, brick and artificial stone walks.
22 12
Board of Survey: For all surveys, plans and profiles of streets laid out by the Board, including the setting of boundary stones
62 26
Street Numbering: . Locating buildings and assigning num- bers, in accordance with the Town By-Laws.
14 87
Plans: Copying plans and deeds from Registry of Deeds at East Cambridge.
7 65
Descriptions of real estate for tax titles.
24 72
Town House site,- plans and levels for grading. 18 62
$1,429 52
187
TOWN ENGINEER'S REPORT.
Board of Public Works .- For details of expense and particu- larization of work reference is made to the Board of Public Works' report, as only a general outline of the work under the direction of the Board is contemplated in this report.
Highways and Sidewalks .- It has been the aim of the High- way Division this year to bring the existing Town ways into as good a state of repair as possible by resurfacing and rebuilding where the greatest necessity demanded ; also to keep the general surface of all streets in a smooth condition by filling up depres- sions, removing loose stones, cleaning and scraping, and by repair- . ing many minor defects in the drainage and general appearance of the streets.
For this work comparatively little assistance from the Engi- neering Department was required, with the exception of Linwood St., which was entirely regraded and rebuilt in accordance with the plans approved by the Board of Survey.
1,904 lineal feet of edgestone and corner stone at street in- tersections were set, 2,369 square yards of paving for gutters and crosswalks, and 1,183 square yards of brick, concrete and artifi- cial stone sidewalks were laid.
In the case of the brick sidewalk on the northerly side of Mass- achusetts Ave., near Wyman St., - this was an extension of the walk laid from Tufts St. last year, and should be extended to Broadway during 1906.
I believe the interests of the public can be no better served than by the laying each year of all the permanent sidewalk that the Town can reasonably afford. The natural soil in this locali- ty is such that only a sidewalk of artificial construction, properly under-drained, is satisfactory. A considerable amount of coal cinder has been placed on those walks most traveled and most in need of repair, to prevent inconvenience from mud and water during the winter season, and to secure a suitable foundation for final surfacing.
I would respectfully suggest that the sidewalk appropriation for 1906 be increased ; or, as would seem more desirable, that the ex- penditure for permanent sidewalks be included in the Highway appropriation to be disbursed directly by the Board of Public Works.
A storm drain was laid in a portion of Brantwood Road, and two catch basins added in conjunction with the construction of the sewer at this point, also new basins and inlets were built in several locations where especially needed. This work and the paving of gutters on grades of 3 per cent. and over must be continued, as
188
TOWN ENGINEER'S REPORT.
the disposal of storm water is imperative in the economical main- tenance of streets.
I again beg to refer to the need of paving on Massachusetts Ave., preferably with the bitulithic pavement which is now prov- ing so satisfactory in many towns and cities where similar con- ditions exist.
The problem of the separation of grades where the Boston & Maine Railroad passes through the centre of the Town, should be given immediate attention, especially as proposed improvements are delayed because of the impossibility of making them in con- formity with the future locations and grades of streets affected by the changes in elevation of the railroad tracks.
All the highway bridges are in good condition with the excep- tion of the River St. bridge, which will require extensive repairs unless rebuilt by the Metropolitan Park Commission in connec- tion with the development of the new Mystic River Boulevard.
Sewers .- Sewers have been constructed in Acton St., Appleton P1., Brantwood Road, Kensington Park, and also a portion of Pleasant St. connecting with the sewer built in Kensington Road in 1904. Excepting the Appleton Pl. sewer, this work was done under contract with W. B. Bryne of West Medford.
Most of this construction was through ledge, and so, where water and storm drain pipes had not previously been laid, they were included at this time to make a saving in the individual cost of each system, and also much future annoyance to the public.
Practically all the houses on these streets have now been con- nected with the sewers.
Dudley St., Grove St., Grove St. Place, and a portion of Sum- mer St., should be sewered, as the district is thickly settled and the facilities for proper drainage inadequate. A branch of the Metropolitan sewer is planned to pass up the valley along Mill Brook, so the sewers in these streets can be constructed for a future connection with this sewer near the junction of Grove and Dudley Streets, but discharging for the present through a force main to Massachusetts Ave. by means of a small hydraulic lift or electrically driven pump working intermittently. This dis- trict appears to be the only section of the Town requiring sewers in the immediate future.
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