USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Arlington > Town of Arlington annual report 1916 > Part 23
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Orchard Terrace, northerly .
40
608
Webster Street. .
Broadway to Warren Street ..
40
680 737
May 27, 1873. November 8, 1897; March 6, 1911.
Wellington Street.
Pleasant Street, easterly .
40
+Wellington Street Ext.
Wellington Street to Addison Street.
40
191
West Street. .
Wollaston Avenue to Appleton Street.
50
450
130 feet proposed. August 4, 1884; March 17, 1881.
Westminster Avenue.
Lowell Street to Lexington Line.
50
2310
985
Whittemore Strect.
Chestnut Street, northwesterly .
40
900
+Wilbur Avenue . .
Bartlett Avenue, westerly .
40
300
+Wildwood Avenue
Massachusetts Avenue, southerly
40
630
Williams Street.
Arnold Street, southcrly. .
40
500
Willow Place. .
Massachusetts Avenue, northerly .
30
169
Wilson Avenue .
Lake Street, southerly .
Windemere Avenue.
Bartlett Avenue, northwesterly .
40
350
March 27, 1906.
TOWN ENGINEER'S REPORT
March 26, 1914. November 13, 1894.
1800
Florence Avenue to Park Avenue ..
50
April 15, 1898, formerly Laurel Street
Waldo Road.
Glen Avenue, easterly .
40
+Walnut Avenue
Medford Street to Broadway
50
*Warren Strect.
Madison Avenue to Orient Avenue
40
250
.
Westmoreland Avenue. .
Lowell Street to Orient Avenue
40
Massachusetts Avenue to B. & L. R.R.
40
466
November 23, 1909.
Wildwood Avenue.
Norfolk Road, southwesterly .
+Unnamed Street.
180
+Unnamed Street.
Park Place, southerly
40
102
+Valentine Road.
Appleton Street to George Street.
300
379
TABLE SHOWING THE LOCATION, LENGTH AND WIDTH OF ACCEPTED AND PRIVATE STREETS-Continued
Length
Name
Location
Width
Date of Acceptance
Accept.
Private
Windemere Park.
Windemere Avenue, southerly ..
30
400
Windsor Street.
Massachusetts Ave., 577 feet northeasterly ..
45
577
March 25, 1915.
Windsor Street. .
Waldo Road, 423 feet southeasterly.
45
423
Winnick Place.
Medford St. to northwest of Sherborn St. . .
20
230
Winslow Street ..
Mystic Street to Russell Terrace
40
528
March 14, 1892.
Winter Street. .
Massachusetts Avenue to Broadway
40
1540
April 13, 1874; also Old Town Way, November 9, 1846
Wollaston Avenue.
Park Avenue to West Street.
60
1340
September 23, 1878; November 13, 1894; March 16, 1908.
Wollaston Avenue.
|West Street, westerly.
60
620
Woodbury Street ..
Dundee Road to Hibbert Street ..
40
750
Woodland Street .
Jason Street to Bartlett Avenue. .
40 -
282
March 22, 1909.
Woodland Street . .
Bartlett Avenue to Lincoln Street .
40
240
March 25, 1915.
+Wright Street.
Winchester Line, southwesterly .
40
1930
Wyman Street .
Massachusetts Avenue to Warren Street.
40
1050
·
Wyman Lane ..
Lake Street, northwesterly . .
40
751
March 20, 1916.
Yale Street.
Eastern Avenue to Hawthorne Avenue Ext. .
40
433
·
*Street laid out by the County Commissioners. +Proposed Street not built.
Length of Accepted Streets and Town Ways, 39.13 Miles.
Length of Private Streets open for travel, 24.82 Miles.
Length of Proposed Private Streets,
11.13 Miles.
380
ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
March 19, 1888; November 22, 1906.
600
Wyman Terrace.
Mass. Avenue to Massachusetts Avenue
381
TOWN ENGINEER'S REPORT
GENERAL STATISTICS.
Arlington is situated six miles northwest of Boston, in latitude 42°, 25' north; longitude 71°, 09' west, at an elevation above mean tide of from 4 to 377 feet.
Massachusetts Avenue at Pleasant Street, elevation, 48 feet.
Massachusetts Avenue at Park Avenue, elevation, 155 feet.
Park Circle at Eastern Avenue (base of standpipe), elevation, 377 feet.
Crescent Hill Avenue at Park Place, elevation, 281 feet.
The Town and a part of what is now Belmont were set off from Cambridge and incorporated as West Cambridge in 1807. The name was changed from West Cambridge to Arlington in 1867.
Population (census of 1915), 14,860.
Number of polls, 4547.
Number of voters: Men, 3150; women, 229. Total, 3379.
School enrollment: Public, 3312; parochial, 184. Total, 3496.
Area of Town, including that covered by water, 3520 acres, or 5} square miles; area covered by water, 268.2 acres.
Parks: Town, 57.63 acres; Metropolitan, 55 acres.
Total cemetery area, 41.2 acres, area taxed (tax rate $21.30), 2606.0 acres.
Valuation of real estate, $16,311,667.
Valuation of personal property, $3,163,465.
Public streets and town ways: Macadam, 16.52 miles; gravel, 22.53 miles; granite paving, 0.1 mile. Total miles, 39.13.
Private streets open for travel, 24.82 miles.
Permanent sidewalks: Tar concrete, 6.9 miles; brick, 3.31 miles; artificial stone, 1.67 miles. Total miles, 11.88.
Edgestone, 9.27 miles.
Paved gutters, 12.06 miles.
Storm drain system, 11.10 miles.
Catchbasins, 437.
Sewerage system, 34.32 miles; local Metropolitan sewer system, 3.47 miles. Total, 37.79 miles.
Particular Sewer System (2172 connections), 22.54 miles.
Number of buildings connected, 2245.
Water mains: Reservoir supply, 2.49 miles; Metropolitan low system, 21.33 miles; Metropolitan high system, 25.11 miles. Total, 48.93 miles.
REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF WIRES.
ARLINGTON, MASS., February 12, 1917.
To the Honorable Board of Selectmen and Board of Public Works.
Gentlemen: I respectfully submit my seventeenth annual report as Superintendent of Wires for the year ending December 31, 1916.
POLES AND WIRES.
Forty-three (43) new poles were set and five (5) removed on accepted streets during the year in accordance with petition granted to the Edison Electric Illuminating Company and New England Telephone and Telegraph Company.
Seventy-three (73) poles were replaced, fifty-two (52) by the Edison Company and twenty-one (21) by the Telephone Com- pany during the year.
UNDERGROUND CONDUITS.
Underground conduits were built by the New England Tele- phone and Telegraph Company on Medford Street, from Mystic Valley Parkway to the Medford line, this section of conduit being an extension of existing system on this street. Conduits were also built by the same company on Park Avenue, from Massachusetts Avenue to junction of Wollaston and Park Avenues, this system of conduits being built on recommendation of the Wire Department to allow for installing underground fire alarm and police signal wires in this vicinity and to relieve overloading of pole lines with aerial cables.
INSPECTION OF WIRES IN BUILDINGS.
The rapid construction of new buildings has continued during the past year. Two hundred and fifty (250) new buildings were wired, and one hundred and eleven (111) old buildings. Ad- ditional electrical construction was also installed in several hundred buildings wired in the past. More defects were found
382
383
REPORT OF SUPERINTENDENT OF WIRES
on inspection of electrical installations during the year than any in the past and in consequence the work of the Inspection Department was greatly increased in time given to this particular class of construction. No electrical fires have occurred during the past year. Nine hundred and twelve (912) application cards were received by the Wire Department from electrical con- tractors doing work. One thousand and one (1001) inspections were made, principally on new construction, as time would not permit giving much attention to additional minor installations with the many other duties to perform in the supervision of other branches of the Wire Department. Nine thousand seven hun- dred and eighty-eight (9788) lights were wired for during the year, also twenty-five (25) motors of a total of 6212 horse power. Fourteen (14) electric ranges were installed, also three (3) electric radiators and one (1) electric ironing machine. Six hundred and fourteen (614) permits were issued to the Edison Company for ten thousand two hundred and sixty-three (10,263) lights on new installations and for additional wiring on old installations.
CLASS AND NUMBER OF NEW AND OLD BUILDINGS WIRED DUR- ING THE YEAR 1916.
NEW BUILDINGS.
Church (Wood) Addition
1
Clubhouse (Wood)
1
Garages, Public.
2
Garages, Private
28
Garage and Tenement
1
Gasoline Station
1
Gymnasium .
1
Brick Blocks (One Story Stores only)
4
Single Houses.
77
Double Houses
3
Two Apartment Houses 129
Four Apartment Houses
2
Total 250
OLD BUILDINGS.
Barns.
4
Boiler Houses 2
384
ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
Garages, Private
7
Saw Mill
1
Schoolhouse, Private
1
Stores. .
2
Single Houses
58
Double Houses.
15
Two Apartment Houses
18
Three Apartment House
1
Four Apartment Houses
2
Total
111
STREET LIGHTS.
Fifty-five (55) new lights were installed and ten (10) removed, making a net total of forty-five (45) new lights added to the street lighting system during the year 1916.
LOCATION OF NEW STREET LIGHTS.
Street
Pole No.
Class of Lights
Installed
Academy St.
800/13
1-40 c.p.
Dec. 21
Appleton Pl.
804/1
1-40 c.p.
June
10
Devereaux St.
824/3
1-40 c.p.
Dec.
6
Egerton Rd.
No. 4
1-40 c.p.
April
1
Egerton Rd.
No. 2
1-40 c.p.
Aug.
9
Everett St.
32/2
1-40 c.p.
May
23
Everett St.
32/4-8-10-12
4-40 c.p.
June
23
Falmouth Rd.
958/3-5-7-9
4-40 c.p.
Oct.
4
Florence Ave.
828/15
1-40 c.p.
June
2
Florence Ave.
828/2
1-40 c.p.
Dec.
21
Forest St.
829/25-28-30
3-40 c.p.
Aug.
11
Grafton St.
33/2-4-8-10-12
5-40 c.p.
May
19
Harlow St.
31/4-7
2-40 c.p.
May
19
Highland Ave.
54/12
1-40 c.p.
Jan.
15
Langley Rd.
958/11-13
2-40 c.p.
Oct.
4
Magnolia St.
48/4-3
2-40 c.p.
Aug.
23
Marathon St.
63/12
1-40 c.p.
Jan.
18
Mass. Ave. at Mystic St.
Special
1-600 c.p.
Jan.
27
Mass. Ave. at Medford St.
847/59
1-600 c.p.
Jan.
14
Mt. Vernon St.
853/8-11
2-40 c.p.
Jan.
15
Newcomb St.
124/1-3-5
3-40 c.p.
May
23
Randolph St.
946/1-3-6-8
4-40 c.p.
May
23
Russell School (yard)
Special
1-40 c.p.
Jan.
18
Thorndike St.
91/3-5
2-40 c.p.
April
1
Thorndike St.
91/8-11-13
3-40 c.p.
June
6
Upland Rd.
958/15 & 981/1
2-40 c.p.
Oct.
4
Wyman Ter.
953/1-3-5-7
4-40 c.p.
June
2
NEW LIGHTS, ORNAMENTAL LIGHTING SYSTEM.
Mass. Ave., corner Pleasant St. Iron pole 4-60 watt July 3
Date
385
REPORT OF SUPERINTENDENT OF WIRES
SUMMARY OF STREET LIGHTS IN SERVICE DECEMBER 31, 1916
40 candle Power Incandescents, 398, burning until 1.00 A.M .*
60 candle power Incandescents, 11, burning until 1.00 A.M.
80 candle power Incandescents, 5, burning until 1.00 A.M.
100 candle power Incandescents, 1 burning until 1.00 A.M.
600 candle power Incandescents, 81, burning until 1.00 A.M.
100 candle power Incandescents (multiple) 6, burning all night.
Total 502 *Three 40 c.p. Incandescents paid for by abutters.
ORNAMENTAL LIGHTING SYSTEM.
60 watt, 56 candle power Mazda Incandescents, 39, burning until 12.00 P.M. 60 watt, 56 candle power, Mazda Incandescents, 6, burning all night. 100 watt, 98 candle power Mazda Incandescents, 4, burning all night.
Total
49
FIRE ALARM AND POLICE SIGNAL.
These systems have given the usual good service as in years past. Several difficult cases of trouble were experienced at various times during the year in the underground wire systems due to corrosion and by water getting into conduits and freezing. In accordance with appropriation made two (2) new fire alarm boxes were purchased and installed as follows:
Box 141, Massachusetts Avenue, near Trowbridge Street, installed October 21.
Box 153, Massachusetts Avenue, at corner Everett Street, installed October 20.
In accordance with appropriation made for extension of new and renewal of old underground wires for the fire alarm and police signal systems five (5) new fire alarm box terminal posts were installed, also two (2) cable post terminals. Three hundred and eighty (380) feet of three-inch (3") iron pipe was used for making underground connections between manholes and post terminals. Iron post terminals were set as follows:
Massachusetts Avenue near Trowbridge Street for Fire Box 141. Massachusetts Avenue near Everett Street for Fire Box 153. Massachusetts Avenue near Palmer Street for Fire Box 162. Pleasant Street opposite Gray Street for Fire Box 34.
Medford Street near Massachusetts Avenue, for Fire Box to be installed later.
386
ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
Two (2) cable post terminals were set, one (1) at corner of Massachusetts Avenue and Franklin Street, and one (1) at corner of Court Street and Massachusetts Avenue.
Fire Alarm Post Terminal No. 39 was replaced by a larger casting to allow for installation of additional cables at a later date. Three hundred and sixty (360) feet of two wire lead-covered cable was used to make connections to new fire alarm terminal posts.
Owing to the high prices existing during the year it was not considered advisable to purchase any large amount of new under- ground cables, and repairs were made to existing underground wires to strengthen same until such a time as cost of materials will be normal. Fifteen hundred (1500) feet of special rubber- covered wire was used to make repairs deemed necessary to the underground wires.
The installation of new cables for extension and renewal of the underground wire system of the fire alarm and police signal should not be delayed when the cost of this class of wires again reaches a fair market value, as it is of the utmost importance that as much construction be done in this line as possible to insure reliable service of these two most important branches of the public safety, especially during storms.
No work was done in installing new battery rack at fire alarm headquarters, as suitable arrangements could not seem to be made for use of room that was to be taken for this purpose in the Old Town Hall building.
RECOMMENDATIONS.
I respectfully recommend for the coming year that a deputy electrician be appointed for this department, this appointment to be for a permanent man, who shall give the larger part of his time to the care of the fire alarm and police signal systems, and also direct new construction that may be installed in accord- ance with such plans as are prepared by the Superintendent of Wires. It is absolutely necessary that a deputy shall be ap- pointed at once, as the many duties of supervision of the Wire Department are too great for any one man, considering the rapid increase of work that now has to be done on inspection of electrical installations. Furthermore, our Town should not
387
REPORT OF SUPERINTENDENT OF WIRES
place the responsibility of the operation of its signal systems on any one man as an accident, or sickness, etc., to the Superin- tendent might place the Town in a dangerous condition in so far as the operation of these systems is concerned, as some one of experience in the operation of municipal signal systems will have to be in charge in order that this service shall not be im- paired. I furthermore recommend that an automobile repair and emergency wagon be furnished for this department, in keep- ing with other towns and cities of our population, who recognize- the necessity of such an equipment, to the end that when repairs. have to be made in a hurry, and these repairs generally take place in the most severe storm conditions, our Wire Depart- ment shall have an outfit properly equipped to do its work at. such times and not continue on from year to year as it has done without any provision being made for equipment of this im- portant department of the public service.
Respectfully submitted,
REUBEN W. LEBARON, Superintendent of Wires.
REPORT OF TOWN COUNSEL.
To the Honorable, the Joint Board of Selectmen, and Board of Public Works of the Town of Arlington.
Gentlemen: I herewith hand you my report as Town Counsel for the year ending December 31, 1916.
During the year the following cases in which the town was interested were tried:
The petition of David Irwin for an assessment of damages for land taken for Summer Street Extension was tried before a jury and an award of $608.33 was made.
The bill in equity brought by the Town against the Bay State Street Railway Co., seeking an interpretation of the location grant agreements given to the Town by the Arlington & Win- chester Street Railway Co. in 1897, was carried to the Full Bench of the Supreme Judicial Court. The Honorable Court decided that Chapter 784 of the Acts of 1913, under which statute the Public Service Commission was organized, abrogated all fare agreements made between street railway companies and towns, and that entering into this agreement the Selectmen acted as public officers and not as agents of the Town, and that the Legis- lature had the power to and did abrogate these agreements by that statute.
A bill in equity by Ira Shapiro was brought in which the Town was named as party defendant, seeking to reach and apply certain moneys which the defendant was holding as an award for one of the Massachusetts Avenue land takings. The Town's interest was merely that of a stake holder and after a trial the money was paid over as decreed by the Court.
The suits of Catherine Broderick, p. p. a., and William J. Broderick for damages growing out of a case of typhoid fever while a tenant in property in the rear of 1111 Massachusetts Avenue was tried and the Court decided in favor of the Town.
The case of Elizabeth M. O'Leary against the Town for water damages growing out of a break in the water pipe on Lowell Street was tried before a jury who awarded her $50.
The case of Margaret Hayes for damages growing out of an
388
389
REPORT OF TOWN COUNSEL
alleged defect on Wyman Street was tried and a finding made in favor of the Town.
The bill in equity of Louis Balboni seeking to have a sewer contract set aside and for damages, claiming that he was the lowest bidder and so entitled to the work, was, after numerous continuances, dismissed by the Court.
The following cases are now pending before the various Courts:
The suit of Frank Reynolds for injuries sustained by fall of poles on Broadway.
The petitions of Ellen Tierney, Patrick F. Toye, and Pelligrino DeNapoli et al. for assessment of damages growing out of the taking of their lands for Summer Street Extension.
The case of Almire Whittemore et al. for the taking of land for the widening of Massachusetts Avenue between Water and Central Streets.
The case of Agnes Monahan for injuries growing out of an alleged defect in the highway at the corner of Park Street and Massachusetts Avenue.
During the year there was a default in the contract on the Summer Street Extension, which matter was taken up with the Maryland Casualty Co., surety on the contractor's bond, and after numerous conferences the matter was adjusted on the payment of $1300 to the Town by the Maryland Casualty Co.
The Town was represented before the Legislature on various matters affecting its interests, the principal ones being the bills regarding the giving of additional powers to the Public Service Commission to order in street railway locations for the purpose of making or connecting through routes.
The Town was also represented before the Public Service Com- mission relative to the petition of some inhabitants of Winchester for a through route from Winchester to Harvard Square. After conferences and a hearing the Public Service Commission ex- pressed their opinion that a through route should be established and ordered the street railway companies to take the necessary steps to give that order effect.
The usual routine work was attended to.
Respectfully submitted,
PHILIP A. HENDRICK, Town Counsel.
REPORT OF THE PLANNING BOARD.
ORGANIZATION.
The Planning Board of 1916 is organized with Henry W. Hayes as Chairman and Jacob Bitzer as Secretary, the other members being Harry G. Porter, James P. Parmenter, Cyrus E. Dallin and Robert W. Pond.
The Board has held thirteen meetings during the year and considered the following subjects:
New street from Massachusetts Avenue to Mystic Street, west of Central Street; building lines on Massachusetts Avenue; plan of Interlaken development; preservation of the shores of Mystic Lake; Sucker Brook sewer; improvement of Sucker Brook, and the problem of school house locations.
NEW STREET FROM MASSACHUSETTS AVENUE TO MYSTIC STREET.
A proposed new street from Massachusetts Avenue to Mystic Street, west of Central Street, was the first matter to occupy the attention of the Board this year.
The Town Engineer was instructed to prepare a plan and esti- mate of the cost of building this street. This plan, as prepared by him, was considered by the Board and submitted to the Joint Board.
There has been a great demand for this cross connection for some years and this demand has increased rather than diminished. It is the opinion of the Board that the matter should be con- sidered by the Town in the near future with a view to economy in construction, in the taking of land, to the elimination of grade crossings and to a possible solution of the street railway problem, as it would create a better and safer connection between the Bay State and Elevated Street Railways than any other suggested.
BUILDING LINES ON MASSACHUSETTS AVENUE.
Last year the Board called the attention of the Joint Board to the necessity and the advantage of establishing building lines
390
391
REPORT OF PLANNING BOARD
on Massachusetts Avenue, from Academy Street to Lowell Street. The matter was presented to the Town by the Joint Board and the Town voted to refer the matter back to them, with instructions to report at a future meeting the estimated expense to the Town which would result from the establishment of these lines. The Planning Board is still of the opinion that it would be to the decided advantage of the Town and of the abutters to establish these lines and suggests to the citizens that they judge the matter fairly and also study the experience of other towns which have established these lines. The following statement, quoted from the report of the Winchester Planning Board dated December 31, 1915, will show what Winchester and other towns are doing in connection with building lines.
"We believe that this Act provides a means for making neces- sary widenings with the least expense to the Town and the least hardship to the owners of property. It will be observed that the imposing of a building line does not take away the right to use one's land except for building purposes. Lawns, shrubbery, walks and fences may be kept irrespective of the building line. It is hardly more than a notice to the owner that some time in the near or distant future a front strip of his land, varying from a few feet to forty feet (limited by the Act to twenty-five feet), depending upon the necessity, may be taken for highway purposes. and until that time the strip is to be kept clear of substantial structures which would be costly to remove. There is nothing new in the principle of the Act. A set-back restriction is very commonly found in residential property of good class. In many of the streets of Winchester there are such set-backs. The only difference is that, instead of being a private restriction and en- forceable only by the owners of lots which are affected thereby, it becomes a public regulation enforceable by the Town. The Act has been adopted in the cities of Boston, Cambridge, Lynn, Med- ford, Newton, Quincy, Revere, Springfield, Woburn, and towns of Brookline, Dedham, Milton, Norwood, Watertown, Winchendon.
"It has been used in the metropolitan district by the town of Watertown, which during the last two years has placed a building line on several of its streets, and by the city of Quincy, which has established a fifteen-foot set-back for one thousand feet on School Street, one of the important thoroughfares of the town. In both
392
ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
Watertown and Quincy no damages have been claimed by prop- erty owners, who are evidently content to wait until their land is actually taken for a physical widening of the street."
PLAN OF INTERLAKEN DEVELOPMENT.
During the summer there was referred for approval to this Board a plan of Interlaken, a new development located on the northerly side of Mystic Street and near the dam between the upper and lower lakes. The plan showed house lots with narrow frontage, streets with steep grades, and no provision for future development of the lake shore, therefore, the Planning Board did not approve this plan as it is injurious to the best interest of the Town to encourage development of this kind. The Board has recommended and endorsed a movement which will result in a resolve being presented to the next Legislature directing the Metropolitan Park Commission to investigate and report on the advisability of taking over the lower lake into the Park system and also on the necessity of restricting future building within a certain area of the shore, so that at some future time it may be possible to extend the boulevard along the Arlington side of the lake. This action will also prevent encroachment on the lake shore by land speculators with developments that will destroy its beauty.
SUCKER BROOK SEWER.
The Board desires to call the attention of the Town to the great necessity of proceeding at once to take steps to build the Sucker Brook sewer. Numerous complaints have reached Town officials in regard to existing conditions at Brattle and Grove Streets. The State Board of Health also has received complaints from physicians and citizens and our local Board of Health. The Board is of the opinion that it would be unwise to expend any of the Town's money on temporary construction to overcome this nuisance, therefore, the town officials have urged the Metro- politan Water and Sewerage Board to construct this sewer at once. A bill will be introduced into the Legislature authorizing the Metropolitan Water and Sewerage Board to make a study and plan of this sewer and report May 1, 1917. This will start the
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