USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Arlington > Town of Arlington annual report 1908-1909 > Part 15
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The Edison Company installed eight thousand five hundred and six (8,506) feet of No. 1,0 3-conductor lead encased cables in conduits built in 1907, from Broadway opposite Warren Street, through Warren Street to Medford Street, to Chestnut Street, to Mystic Street, terminating at Corner of Mystic and Russell Streets, this cable being installed in two lengths each of three
174
SUPERINTENDENT OF WIRES.
wires, and being for high tension current, connecting with aerial construction as specified heretofore in this report. This high tension system of wires is used for transmission of electricity for light and power to the City of Woburn and the Towns of Win- chester and Stoneham direct from the L. Street Power Station of the Edison Company at South Boston.
The Boston & Northern Street Railway Company have repaired and strengthened wires of their trolley system on Mystic Street, and also insulated all feed and signal wires where passing through trees. The cutoff switch on trolley and feed wires was ordered removed from near Corner of Summer Street, as located in the past, and placed at the Junction of Mystic and Chestnut Streets. This switch is installed for the use of the Fire Department to shut off all power from trolley and feed wires between Chestnut Street and Massachusetts Avenue in case of fire, to the end that live wires shall not impede the work of the firemen.
SUPERVISION OF STREET LIGHTING. The Street Lighting system, as furnished by the Edison Company, has been main- tained according to contract during the past year. Tests made at the Street lighting switch board, in Wire Department office, have shown current furnished to have been, at all times, up to contract requirements of six and six-tenths (6.6) amperes. The replacing of all incandescent lamps of thirty-two (32) candle power with the new Tungsten lamps of forty (40) candle power has made a great improvement ; the light given from the latter being more brilliant and with the increased candle power has added greatly to the efficiency of the street lighting service.
The following changes and additions have been made in the street lighting system for the year 1908.
NEW STREET LIGHTS INSTALLED.
Date of
Street.
Location.
Pole No. Inc. Arc. Installation.
Broadway,
250 ft. west of Alewife Brook, 812-3 1 Feb. 5, 1908.
Broadway,
cor. Marathon St.,
812-8
1 Feb. 5, 66
Hillside Av.,
250 ft. east of Wollaston Av.,
837-3 1 Feb. 19,
66
Hillside Av.,
225 ft. west of Prospect Av.,
837-18 1 Feb. 19.
Hillside Av.,
837-9 1 Feb. 21,
Hillside Av.,
837-14 1 Mar. 10, ..
Paul Revere Rd.
877-10 1 Mar. 17, 66
Prescott St.,
864-4 1 June 3,
Mass. Av.,
Tel.pole 1-80c.p. June 18, 839-26 Aug. 22,
Jason St.,
210 ft. north of Florence Av., 391 ft. east of Florence Av., 215 ft west of Park Av.,
75 ft. south of Russell St., 60 ft. west of Pleasant St. Opposite Brantwood Rd.,
Totals
8 2
175
SUPERINTENDENT OF WIRES.
STREET LIGHTS CHANGED TO NEW LOCATIONS DURING 1908.
Old Location. Pole No. New Location.
Date of change Pole No. Inc. Arc. in Location.
Mystic st., cor. Rus- sell st.
Mystic st., opp. Rus- 854-11 sel st. 9-299 Tel. 1 Feb. 5, 1908.
Hillside av., 115 ft.
Hillside av., 20 ft.
east of Wollaston av 837-2 east of Wollaston av. 837-1 1 Feb. 19, "
Avon pl., 250 ft.
Wellington st. 530 ft.
south of Mass. av. 902-3 east of Pleasant st. 882-6 1 Feb. 29,
Court st., 75 ft. west of Water st.
Court st., 125 ft. west
819-4 of Water st. 819-3 1 June 2,
Mass. av., 25 ft. west
900-5 of Fessenden rd. 847-122 1 June 3, "
Totals
41
STREET LIGHTS REMOVED DURING 1908.
Street. Location.
Pole No. Inc. Removed.
Broadway, Cor. of Marathon st., 812-8 1 Feb. 7, 1908.
Broadway, 250 ft. west of Alewife Brook, 812-3 1 Feb. 5,
Totals
2
Seven (7) additional incandescent and one (I) arc lights are to be installed on or about January Ist, 1909, as per vote of the Joint Board of Selectmen and Board of Public Works, Nov. 23d, 1908, as follows :
INCANDESCENT LIGHTS. Henderson Street, I; Teel Street, I ; Park Avenue, I ; Westminster Avenue, I ; Bow Street, I ; Brattle Street, I; Gray Street, I.
ARC LIGHTS. Massachusetts Avenue, near Amsden Street, I.
SUMMARY OF STREET LIGHTS, 1908.
Total number of lights in use, Dec. 31st. 325
Incandescent lights, 40 candle power 24I
Incandescent lights, 80 candle power I
Arc lights, 1200 candle power.
83
Totals
325
The 80 candle power light specified was installed at the corner of Massachusetts Avenue and Pleasant Street temporarily as an experiment to determine the results given from this class of light on an all-night service. Results have been satisfactory and should
Date
Summer st., Alms House
176
SUPERINTENDENT OF WIRES.
recommend installing five (5) more on Massachusetts Avenue, between Water Street and the Soldiers' Monument. With these additional lights the business district would be greatly benefited and much assistance would be given the Fire and Police Depart- ments after one A. M., when the regular street lighting circuits are shut off.
FIRE ALARM SYSTEM. This system has given good service during the past year, and all alarms were correctly transmitted. But on one piece of line trouble was experienced, that being on May 30, caused by breaking of poles on Mystic Street, as speci- fied heretofore in this report. A thorough system of inspection has been maintained at all times of aerial and underground wires, signal boxes and other appliances of the system to insure perfect service. New construction has been installed as far as possible in accordance with appropriations made for this purpose.
Seventeen thousand, one hundred fifty-eight feet (17,158) or 3 25-100 miles of old bare iron wire was replaced with insulated No. 10 triple braided iron wire. Thirty-two 4-pin cross arms were used in rebuilding of old lines.
The new wire installed was placed on the following specified streets: North Union Street, 2,270 feet; Warren Street, 1,523 feet ; Palmer Street, 1,090 feet; Medford Street, from Warren to Chestnut Street, 248 feet ; Russell Street, 896 feet; Mystic Street, from Russell Street to Box 28, 4,551 feet; Summer Street, from Box 43 to Brattle Street, 758 feet; Brattle Street, from Summer Street to Massachusetts Avenue, 1,757 feet; Brattle Street to Metropolitan Pumping Station (new), 680 feet ; Appleton Street. 2,078 feet ; Park Avenue, from Massachusetts Avenue to Hose I, 628 feet ; Henderson Street, 260 feet ; Massachusetts Avenue, 419 feet. Ninety (90) feet of No. 14 lead covered duplex cable was installed in conduit from manhole on Massachusetts Avenue, opposite Jason Street, to Junction pole at the corner of Jason Street. Signal boxes Nos. 13, 28, 38 and 43 were placed on new poles, old poles being replaced. The tower bell striker at Hose 2 was provided with a new foundation support for this machine, one of the iron rods to platform in the top of the tower breaking, and temporarily putting bell striker out of commission. Tower striker No. 4, in the Henderson Street District, was also repaired, one of the connecting clamps of the hammer rod breaking. Signal Box No. 4, on Jason Street, was rewired to top of pole with circular loom cable. Hose No. I Station was equipped with an automatic fire alarm light switch, and lights were rewired on apparatus floor to operate from this switch. All fire stations are now equipped with these automatic lighting switches.
Forty (40) Type B. 1. storage batteries were added to head-
177
SUPERINTENDENT OF WIRES.
quarters equipment to replace old batteries installed in 1900. One Weston Mil-Ammeter was purchased for testing of signal wires. The Evershed Testing Set owned by this department was sent to the manufacturer, and thoroughly recalibrated to be in perfect working order. The automatic time clock at Fire Alarm Head- quarters was cleaned and necessary adjustments made to operate this clock with its electrical attachments. A new air compressor for the fire whistle was purchased in accordance with appropria- tion made. This compressor was placed in motor vault where old electrical compressor was located.
A new foundation of cement with hard pine wood sub-base was provided ; also all wiring for this machine was done in iron con- duit. A new slate switchboard for automatic governor, service switch and cutouts were installed and the brick work of vault painted.
This compressor is of the double cylinder pattern, being operat- ed from a 7 1-2 horse power 500 volt D. C. motor, the compressor and motor being enclosed in dust tight iron cases which are mounted on one iron bed plate.
The new compressor was very much needed as the old electrical compressor had given many years of service, and was in a bad condition and costing far too much for repairs. The hydraulic compressor was taken apart and stored in the basement of the Town Hall, the old electric compressor being placed on a new foundation and piped up to air tanks to be held in reserve. With this system the Town is assured of an efficient and economical service for its fire alarm whistle for many years to come and also has a much improved service, as the new compressor is of much larger capacity than the old machine and can restore air to the receivers very quickly after an alarm. The new air compressor was placed in commission on June 12, and has given most ex- cellent service since.
METROPOLITAN WATER WORKS CABLE. Five thousand, five hundred and fifty (5,550) feet of three conductor circular loom cable was installed for the Metropolitan Water and Sewerage Board from the Pumping Station off Brattle Street to the Stand Pipe at the top of Arlington Heights. This system of wires was installed to electrically indicate the height of water in the stand pipe.
Fifty-one (51) cross arms were used to do this work, and cable was run from the Pumping Station, via Brattle Street, to Massa- chusetts Avenue, to Robbins Road, and from there to Park Ave- nue to the stand pipe.
Permission was given the Metropolitan Water and Sewerage Board to occupy cross arm space reserved for town wires in the
178
SUPERINTENDENT OF WIRES.
installing of this cable. The cost of building this line was paid for by the Metropolitan Water and Sewerage Board. The main- tenance of the same is under the supervision of the Wire De- partment of this Town, and all expenses incurred for such main- tenance are paid for by the above Board.
POLICE SIGNAL SYSTEM. This system has given excellent re- sults for the year past with very little trouble in operating. Ninety (90) feet of No. 14 lead covered cable was installed on system in" underground conduits at the Junction of Massachusetts Avenue and Jason Street, for connection to aerial wires on Jason Street.
All batteries were recharged at Police Station for operating the system, these batteries having given over two years of continuous service since the system was first placed in commission. All signal boxes were provided with new dry batteries for operation of tele- phones. The entire system is in first-class condition and is a most valuable asset to the town's protective signal systems.
PROPOSED INTERCOMMUNICATING METROPOLITAN FIRE ALARM. Plans are now being formulated by the Fire and Electrical De- partments of Boston and thirty-one other cities and towns for the establishing of an Intercommunicating Metropolitan Fire Alarm, to cover an area of about twenty miles from the State House in Boston. This system if installed will make it possible to assemble quickly the largest and best equipped fire-fighting force in the world, which can be summoned all at one time or in relays, as desired. With such a system in operation at the time of the great Chelsea fire, it is very probable that this fire would have been con- fined to a much smaller area and saved an immense amount of property.
With the proposed system, every fire department headquarters in the thirty-two cities and towns will be kept informed at all times of any fires requiring help from other places, and it will also be possible for any city or town to call help as needed from neighboring municipalities, at the same time keeping all other fire departments informed as to the assistance given, who responded to the call, and will also allow for a proper covering in system of all districts from which apparatus has moved.
The establishment of this proposed fire alarm will have to be done by an act of the Legislature to apportion the expense of building and maintaining the system, and also making it man- datory as to the response to be given by the various fire depart- ments covered by this alarm.
Competent committes are now formulating plans for the es- tablishing of the proposed system, and also as to the best and quickest method of transportation of apparatus to neighboring cities and towns.
179
SUPERINTENDENT OF WIRES.
The Fire and Wire Departments of the City of Somerville and this town are now considering plans for the connecting of the Central Fire Station in this town with the house of Engine No. 6 at Teel Square (Clarendon Hill). With the proposed system, the Somerville Fire Department will answer on first alarms several boxes in the lower section of our town, and will respond to other sections of the town when needed. The apparatus of this town will respond on first alarm to several boxes in the Clarendon Hill section of Somerville, and will also cover in to Engine No. 6 house in case of a large fire in Somerville, which would uncover that district of apparatus .at such a time.
This proposed system of mutual aid will be a very great safe- guard to the property in both municipalities, and will allow for the quick concentration of apparatus besides keeping other sec- tions covered. by apparatus that would have to move if such an arrangement was not in force.
The details and expense of the proposed system are not as yet thoroughly planned, but will in all probability be submitted to the citizens for consideration at an early date.
RECOMMENDATIONS. I would respectfully recommend that the question of installing additional fire alarm boxes be given consideration, and that annual appropriations be made for this purpose, until all districts are properly protected by the Fire Alarm System.
Additional boxes should be located as follows: Corner of Park and Prospect Avenues (top of the Heights) ; Wollaston Avenue near Tanager Street; Junction of Park Avenue and Lowell Street ; Massachusetts Avenue, between Lowell Street and Park Avenue; Gray Street, between Jason Street and Bartlett Avenue; Mystic Street near Old Mystic Street; Mystic Street near Chestnut Street; Medford Street near Russell School; Broadway near Gardner Street.
The underground systems of wires for the Fire Alarm and Police Signal should be extended as fast as practicable, and the replacement of all bare wires on the Fire Alarm System with in- sulated wire should be continued until this class of construction is completed.
Once again I would respectfully call your attention to the press- ing need of the services of an assistant to your superintendent. The duties involved by this department are increasing so rapidly that such a step has become imperative to the end that the safe and efficient service rendered may be maintained as in the past. A comparison of appropriations made in other cities and towns for the supervision of the electrical departments as against the amount of work done by this department will be convincing that
180
SUPERINTENDENT OF WIRES.
the merits of this question should be given due consideration by the citizens. When the above is duly considered, and the fact also taken into consideration that all the new construction and engi- neering required for the past nine years by the various branches of the Wire Department have been performed, and results given that will show for themselves, without the employing of other outside expert labor, it should show if the town wishes to con- tinue on this basis, it will have to make the appropriations suffi- cient in the future to cover the demand of such services that may be required.
CONCLUSION. Thanking your Honorable Board for the many courtesies shown, and assistance rendered me in the discharge of the duties of this department, I respectfully submit the above for your consideration.
Respectfully submitted, R. W. LEBARON, Superintendent of Wires.
REPORT OF THE BOARD OF HEALTH.
The Board of Health respectfully submits the following report for the year ending December 31, 1908 :
The Board, composed of Dr. Charles F. Atwood, Dr. Lawrence L. Peirce and Alfred H. Knowles, met and organized March 5th with Dr. Atwood as chairman, and Horace A. Freeman as clerk.
The appointments made by the Board may be found in the list of Town Officials.
The general health of the Town has been good during the year. Aside from a very extensive outbreak of measles during the first half of the year, only a very moderate number of contagious diseases have been reported.
A very important part of the work of the Board is the collec- tion of ashes and offal. Last spring a new offal wagon was pur- chased, and side boards have been added to the ash wagons. With this improvement in equipment we have been able to do the work in less time and more economically. The appropria- tion asked for in March proved sufficient to carry out the work in a satisfactory manner and a good unexpended balance remains.
The cost for collection for 1907 and 1908 is compared below :
1908
1907
Labor Horses Total
Labor Horses Total
Offal
1,620.70 705.31 2,326.01 1,548.29 549.45 2,097.74
Ashes
2,164.56 809.23 2,973.59 2,186.36 689.31 2,875.67
New offal cart.
225.00
220.00
Repairs and supplies. .
270.79
113.39
5,795.39
5,306.80
Unexpended balance ..
89.61
1.20
5,885.00
5,308.00
Many complaints of nuisances and sanitary defects have been investigated, and where a nuisance was found to exist it was abated.
The Board desires that all complaints be addressed to the clerk in writing, and that parties aggrieved will affix their signatures to the complaint.
182
BOARD OF HEALTH.
No complaints have been received of the slaughtering estab- lishments licensed by the Board. One unlicensed slaughter house has been closed, and the case is still pending before the Court.
The method of garbage disposal will come up before the next Board, as the contract for the town offal expires in July.
Mr. Edwin Mills, who had acted as plumbing inspector for the town for several years, handed in his resignation in June. The vacancy was filled by the appointment of George W. Day.
The Board has felt throughout the year that it has had the hearty support of the Selectmen and the Police Department.
The services of all the, appointed officers has been very satis- factory, especially praiseworthy being the work of the sanitary inspector, Mr. Hartwell, and the clerk, Mr. Freeman.
MEDICAL AND SURGICAL APPLIANCES. At a meeting held Nov. 29, 1907, the following list of medical and surgical appliances was approved, the same to be kept and maintained by factories and shops in Arlington in compliance with Chap. 164, Acts of Legisla- ture of 1907.
2 Elastic tourniquets (minimum or inches).
2 Rolls 1-2 in. zinc ox. adhesive plaster.
2 Rolls 2 in. adhesive plaster.
4 Dozen gauze bandages, assorted sizes, from 1 to 4 inches. 10 yds.
1 lb. Absorbent cotton.
1 Yard Sterile gauze.
1 Dozen Emergency slings.
5 Yards Canton flannel (used with carron oil for burns).
1 Pair Surgical Scissors, straight (2 1-2 in. blade).
200 Tablets 7 3-10 gr. corrosive sublimate and citric acid.
6 Whitewood strips, 40 x 4 x 3-16.
2 Pillows.
1 Package of Pins.
3 Dozen Safety pins.
8 Ounces Spt. Ammonia aromatic (rubber stopple).
1 Gallon Carron Oil.
1 Pint Brandy.
Basin.
HOME WORK FOR FACTORIES. No home work for manufac- tories is allowed except by persons receiving a license from Dr. Charles E. Simpson, state inspector of health.
Several persons residing in Town have been granted such licenses, a list of which is on file with this board.
HEALTH DISTRICTS. In accordance with Chapter 537, Acts of 1907, the State has been divided into health districts.
Arlington is in District No. 9, and Charles E. Simpson, M.D., of Lowell, has been appointed state inspector of the district.
183
BOARD OF HEALTH.
The act establishing health districts is as follows :
CHAPTER 537. ACTS OF 1907.
AN ACT TO PROVIDE FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF HEALTH DIS-
TRICTS AND THE APPOINTMENT OF INSPECTORS OF HEALTH.
Be it enacted, etc., as follows :-
SECTION 1. The state board of health shall as soon as may be after the passage of this act, divide the Commonwealth into not more than fifteen districts, to be known as health districts, in such manner as it may deem necessary or proper for carrying out the purposes of this act.
SEC. 2. After the division aforesaid has been made, the governor, with the advice and consent of the council, shall appoint in each health district one practical and discreet person, learned in the science of medicine and hygiene, to be state inspector in that district. Every nomination for such office shall be made at least seven days prior to the appointment. The said state inspectors of health shall hold their offices for a period of five years from the time of their respective ap- pointments, but shall be liable to removal from office by the governor and council at any time.
SEC. 3. Every state inspector of health shall inform himself re- specting the sanitary condition of his district and concerning all in- fluences dangerous to the public health or threatening to affect the same; he shall gather all information possible concerning the preva- Ience of tuberculosis and other diseases dangerous to the public health within his district, shall disseminate knowledge as to the best methods of preventing the spread of such diseases, and shall take such steps as, after consultation with the state board of health and the local state authorities, shall be deemed advisable for their eradication; he shall inform himself concerning the health of all minors employed in fac- tories within his district, and, whenever he may deem it advisable or necessary, he shall call the ill health or physical unfitness of any minor to the attention of his or her parents or employers and of the state board of health.
SEC. 4. The state inspectors of healthi shall be under the general supervision of the state board of health and shall perform such duties other than those hereby imposed upon them as the said board from time to time shall determine. They shall keep a record of their pro- ceedings and observations, shall annually make a report of the same to said board on or before the thirty-first day of October, shall from time to time furnish said board with such information as it may require touching circumstances affecting the public health in their respective districts, and shall in every instance where written suggestions are made by them to the local authorities send copies of such suggestions to said board.
SEC. 5. The state inspectors of health shall, under the direction of the state board of health and in place of the inspection department of the district police, enforce the provisions of section forty-one of chap- ter one hundred and four of the Revised Laws so far as said section provides that factories shall be well ventilated and kept clean, sections forty-one, forty-four and forty-seven to sixty-one, inclusive, of chapter
184
BOARD OF HEALTH.
one hundred and six of the Revised Laws, chapter three hundred and twenty-two of the acts of the year nineteen hundred and two, chap- ter four hundred and seventy-five of the acts of the year nineteen hundred and three,, chapter two hundred and thirty-eight of the acts of the year nineteen hundred and five, and chapter two hundred and fifty of the acts of the year nineteen hundred and six; and the powers and duties heretofore conferred and imposed upon the members of said inspection department of the district police by section eight of chapter one hundred and eight of the Revised Laws in respect to the foregoing sections and acts, and in respect to all acts in amendment thereof or in addition thereto, and in respect to any other laws, are hereby conferred and imposed upon said state inspectors of health or such other officers as the state board of health may from time to time appoint; provided, however, that neither said board of health nor any inspector thereof shall have authority to require structural alterations to be made in buildings, but shall report the necessity therefor to the inspection department of the district police. Where- ever in said provisions of law the words "inspector" or "inspectors of factories and public buildings," "inspection department of the district police," "inspector" or "inspectors of the district police," "district po- lice," "factory inspector," or "inspectors," and "member" or "members of the district police" occur, they shall be taken to mean state inspec- tor or inspectors of health. Whenever the words "chief of the district police" occur, they shall be taken to mean the state board of health.
SEC. 6. The governor, with the advice and consent of the council, shall establish the salaries of said state inspectors of health, having regard in each district to the extent of territory, the number of inhabitants, the character of the business there carried on, and the amount of time likely to be required for the proper discharge of the duties. The salaries thus established shall be paid from the treasury of the Commonwealth monthly.
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