USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Arlington > Town of Arlington annual report 1938 > Part 6
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We propose, however, to make provision, structurally for such a boiler to be erected at any time that may seem wise. This will include all necessary flue dampers and doors to stack. These items will be required for the operation of the present lesser size boiler which must be installed, so no additional ex- pense will be incurred by such provision for the future exten- sion for heat conservation.
General conclusion :
The selection of the location for the building, indicated upon plans submitted herewith shows:
(1) No land will have to be acquired for building.
(2) The building will not encroach upon any present ac- tivities within the Town Yard.
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TOWN RECORDS
(3) The gravel sub-soil has been demonstrated ample for support of much heavier load than will be imposed upon it.
(4) The gravel to be removed from the bank to provide for the lower floor of the building and the founda- tions necessary, is valuable and can be used by the Town, for under filling in new streets now under construction. Other departments of the Town might use some of the filling to advantage, but the saving in the cost of streets would amount to about $1100.00.
(5) Access to all sides of the building from Town Yard property is assured.
(6) Agreement has been made orally with adjacent property owners regarding proposed grading of Hobbs Court, which will benefit the Town, without cost for damages for such proposed changes in grade.
(7) The proposed plan of operation of the reclamation plant will result in savings of labor to the Town, suf- ficient to pay for the plant in ten years, if the usual amount of money is appropriated from General Tax in current year and the balance distributed over a period of ten years under the serial note plan. Sec. 7, Chap. 44 Rev. Laws.
(a) The present cost of labor tending the Heights Dump amounts to $2800.00 per year
Cost of bull-dozer 830.00
Extra cost for long haul . 2270.00 “
Approx.
$5900.00
(b) The proposed method of operation of the reclamation plant is to lease, or contract for the operation of the entire plant, so that the entire expense of operating will be borne by the lessee. He will be allowed to
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ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
recover or reclaim all valuable materials received in the collections of rubbish delivered to the plant, such reclaimed materials to become his property, regard- less of market value of same. For this reclaimed ma- terial the lessee shall agree to operate all mechanical equipment without expense to the town, and to furn- ish his own required heat, light and power. The Town is to keep the building in repair without charge to lessee.
This agreement shall be independent of market value of materials reclaimed and lessee shall furnish surety for con- tinuous operation of the plant and the burning of all com- bustible materials which he chooses not to reclaim in the furnaces furnished as a part of the plant equipment.
No Town employes will be employed at the plant, as the labor of unloading trucks will be performed by the regular truck crew.
When the materials are dumped upon the floor of the receiving room the materials shall be under supervision of the lessee, and the town is to be relieved of further expense in connection with the process of destruction or reclamation.
(c) The approximate savings effected by consolidation and rearrangement of collecting routes will be con- siderable but cannot be determined at this time.
(8) Waste heat savings may ultimately be effected by use of waste gases in a central heating system to be later installed for the entire group of buildings within the Town Yard.
(9) The acceptance of this proposed plan for reclamation and destruction of combustible waste materials will make possible the complete cessation of a nuisance of long standing, viz:
.S.
TOWN RECORDS
The abolition of all refuse dump fires which may come under the control of the Public Works Depart- ment.
RECOMMENDATION
This committee therefore has had inserted in the warrant for the Annual Town Meeting, the following article :
Article: To see if the Town will construct a building or buildings to be used for the purposes of the Board of Public Works and any other Town boards, officers or committees, for use as a reclamation plant or for the disposal of rubbish and waste materials or for any municipal purpose or purposes, upon land of the Town known as the Town Yard at Hobbs Court; will alter or add to the present building or buildings on said land; make an appropriation or appropriations for such con- struction, including the cost of original equipment and furn- ishings, and for such alterations and additions; determine in what manner the money shall be raised and expended ; or take any action relating to all or any of the foregoing.
Under this article, the committee proposes to introduce a motion based upon the following methods and the itemized preliminary estimate of costs, in accordance with the follow- ing consolidated and simplified specification for labor and materials required in the construction of the building and the appurtenances thereto.
ESTIMATES
Item (a) Excavation of site: Thomas Quinn Co. who are low bidders and contrators for sand and gravel used upon 1937 street construction, have agreed to dig gravel from the bank upon which new building is to be placed and deliver upon the unfinished streets as directed, to a depth necessary for the proper grading of driveways and new grades for Hobbs Court. The use of gravel from this source will make a saving of
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ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
approximately $1100.00 which will be credited to street construction.
(b) W.P.A. project filed, which covers the following items :
(1) Grading and leveling of Hobbs Court, trucking yard at shipping doors, and driveways in connection with proposed building and grading of site after erection.
(2) Labor in connection with laying of storm drains and sewer from building to Mill Brook and to Metropoli- tan sewer, branches and catch basins in connection therewith.
(3) Labor in connection with demolition of present gar- bage building.
(c) Water service will be laid at Town expense in W.P.A. sewer trench.
Item (d) Construction of building in accordance with plans submitted. This item will include the labor of dig- ging trenches for foundation walls, piers, and pit for baler, smoke stack, etc. Building walls are to be constructed of steel supporting frame, brick outer walls with cinder concrete block inner face. Exposed steel framing will be painted, walls to be unpainted. Exterior sash, doors and trim are to be painted.
This contract shall include all foundation con- crete for smoke stack, and furnaces, in addition to concrete foundations, floors and other structures shown upon plans. The roof construction will be heavy short leaf pine plank, and girders, over steel supporting beams. The roofing shall be tar and gravel with copper flashings throughout. The win- dows shall be standard steel sash glazed with rough wired glass. Stairways are to be steel, concrete filled treads. Partitions in locker and toilet rooms are to be steel.
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TOWN RECORDS
Estimated total cost for this item. $44,000.00
(e) Plumbing 1,100.00
(f) Heating 1,100.00
(g) Electrical 1,500.00
(Above estimates d, e, f, and g, include architect's fee. )
(h) Automatic sprinkler fire protection. 2,200.00
(i) Conveyor system incl. motor and controls .. 6,000.00
(j) Rotary waste material chute in furnace charging room 800.00
(k) Furnaces, smoke stack, flues and dampers and refractory target 16,525.00
(Above estimates are for separate con-
tracts to be erected under supervision of Board of Public Works. Items h, i, j, and k do not include architect's fee.)
(1) Misc. expense not itemized above 1,000.00
Total for items d, to 1, inclusive. $74,225.00
Your committee recommends that the sum of $74,225.00 be appropriated for the purpose of erecting this reclamation plant with original equipment as outlined, of which sum, $24,225.00 be raised by general tax, and the balance, $50,000.00 by borrowing upon ten serial notes, and amount of $5,000 be- ing paid yearly.
It will be seen that the total cost of deferred payments will be more than met by savings in the operation of the plant and the abandoning of the present dump near the Arlington- Lexington Town line. As shown above, the yearly saving is estimated at $5,900.00. This is more than amount required vearly for principal and interest on serial notes.
A formal vote will be presented at Town Meeting cover- ing above.
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ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
This report completes the instructions under which this committee was authorized.
Respectfully submitted,
WALTER F. ROBINSON F. H. BARNHILL LOREN W. MARSH ALFRED W. LOMBARD, Chairman.
The following pages contain reprint of original report of committee submitted to Annual Town Meeting, 1937:
AUTHORIZATION
At adjourned Town Meeting, April 15, 1936, it was
Voted: That a committee of five be appointed to investi- gate a method or methods of disposing of ashes, rubbish and offal; said committee to consist of three present members of the Town Yard committee and two other persons to be ap- pointed by the Moderator; and that the sum of fifty ($50.00) dollars be and hereby is appropriated for the expenses of such committee and expended under its direction, said sum to be raised by general tax.
PERSONNEL OF COMMITTEE
The present members of the Town Yard committee are:
Walter F. Robinson F. H. Barnhill Loren W. Marsh
The Moderator appointed
Alfred W. Lombard, Chairman of Board of Health William S. Black, Consulting Engineer
Upon organization of the committee, it elected Alfred W. Lombard, Chairman William S. Black, Secretary
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TOWN RECORDS
MEETINGS OF THE COMMITTEE
Meetings of the committee were held in the office of the Board of Public Works, Town Hall, on October 30, 1936, Janu- ary 19, 1937, February 10, 1937, in formal session.
The committee as a whole also made tours of inspection on November 7, 1936, January 23, 1937 and February 8, 1937.
Individual members by delegated authority made many trips of inspection for consultation with officials in surround- ing cities and towns.
FOREWORD
As set forth in the following report, our studies have in- cluded a review of methods of disposing of ashes, rubbish and offal in Arlington as well as an analysis of the current prac- tice, and the current and future problems that have direct bearing on the matters in our community.
We have also studied and reviewed the methods that are followed in many of the neighboring and adjacent towns and municipalities for comparison with the methods used in Ar- lington. Where innovations have been noted, we have studied their advantages and disadvantages as applied to our own local conditions.
As a result of our investigation we present for your con- sideration several alternative plans of procedure, with a speci- fic recommendation as to what in our unanimous opinion is the best course of action.
For prompt analysis of this report, this recommendation and summarized conclusions as to the findings of your com- mittee are set forth in the following paragraphs.
CONCLUSIONS
(1) That the regular and dependable weekly collection service for both offal and ashes, which has been prac-
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ticed in Arlington for many years, is desirable to con- tinue, with some modification.
(2) That as long as the Town is able to dispose of offal to farmers, to the financial advantage of the Town, the service should be continued as at present.
(3) That inasmuch as the Town is obliged to expend sev- eral thousand dollars per year for excessively long hauls in carrying both combustible and non-combusti- ble refuse to dumping areas, and that permission to burn combustible materials upon dumps located in any part of the town has been denied the Town, it is therefore imperative that some change in method of disposal be made at once.
(4) In support of above conclusions, it will be shown from data that the annual total cost of sanitary col- lections has been consistent with the growth of the Town, and the type of service rendered. It will also be shown that increase in costs due to lack of dis- posal areas are to be anticipated. Average annual cost per dwelling for the years 1932 to 1935 inclusive was $11.48. This may be compared with costs of $11.23 for 1922, and $11.73 for 1923. The cost in 1936 was appreciably higher on account of lack of suitable dumping areas, near collection routes. This cost was $12.19 per dwelling.
(5) That the only permissible burning dumping area now available is outside the limits of the Town. This area is not expected to be available for any considerable time, as it is now almost filled. There are no other dumps available.
N.B .- The committee will gladly stand corrected on this point, if any citizen can show them a suitable dump location in his own neighborhood.
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TOWN RECORDS
(6) That a furnace for consuming combustible refuse is an almost immediate necessity and that it will be absolutely essential in the very near future.
(7) That the experience of several cities of comparable size, employing methods of disposing of waste paper and other materials by contract, in connection with a disposal plant is worthy of consideration. This should be studied in connection with further plans for combustion disposal.
(8) That an elaborate and expensive disposal plant cap- able of destruction of both offal and combustible refuse, such as now used in part only, by the city of Newton, would be inadvisable at this time.
(9) That the simple and comparatively inexpensive furn- ace, such as serves the town of Wellesley, having an original cost of about $7,000.00, has not sufficient capacity for the needs of Arlington. Wellesley has a population of about 15,000, while Arlington has about 40,000.
(10) That the problem of disposal of combustible refuse is of sufficient importance to warrant the appointment of a committee to undertake further consideration of the matter and to present at the next Annual Town Meeting a definite plan for a disposal plant properly equipped for most economical operation.
Data :
TOWN OF ARLINGTON, PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT
Appropriation for sanitary department includes the col- lection of offal, paper and ashes and other combustible ma- terials. Proceeds from sale of offal are made direct to the Town Treasury and are not available for use under the appropri- ations granted, or in addition thereto.
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ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
SANITARY DEPARTMENT
Personnel :
This division is under the charge of a full-time foreman.
COLLECTION OF ASHES AND RUBBISH
At the time this report is received, October 30, 1936, there are employed five trucks with chauffeur and three men collec- tors to each truck. Collections are made weekly in all parts of town.
Rates of pay. Chauffeurs $5.00 to $5.25 per day
Collectors 4.50 to 5.00 per day
In addition to above, there are two men working at the dump.
Laborers $4.50 per day
During the summer season, the equipment is reduced to an average of four and one-half trucks per day, manned as above. Holidays place added burdens the following days, and outside trucks with additional men are hired in addition to regular crews.
Collection of offal :
There are four trucks in continual use, each manned by chauffeur and four men per truck.
Rates of pay. Chauffeurs . $5.00 per day
Collectors $4.50 to $5.00 per day
Collections are made twice a week in all parts of town. Appropriation for Sanitary Department :
Department request at Town Meeting, 1936. $89,025.00
Appropriation granted March meeting. 79,872.00 Appropriation granted transfer, fall meeting 5,000.00
1
Total appropriation, 1936. $84,872.00
(Total appropriation at March meeting, 1937 $84,872.00)
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TOWN RECORDS
At time of Anuual Town Meeting, March, 1936, there were three dumps in use. Early in May, two of these dumps had to be abandoned, necessitating a long haul to the remaining dump located outside of the Town.
Survey of collections of combustible refuse :
In order that a carfeul study of collections might be made, it was requested that the department weigh all collections for a week. This was done during the period of six days from January 19 to 25, 1937.
COLLECTION OF ASHES AND RUBBISH :
Total weight of materials collected by days :
Jan. 19 Jan. 20 Jan. 21 Jan. 22 Jan. 23 Jan. 25
Wt., lbs. 93,160 88,650
69,200 82,800 35,900 111,450
Ap. wt. tons 46.5 44.3 34.5 41.5 18 55.5
Total weight collections for six days above, 481,160 1bs
Average collections per day, 80,200 lbs.
Approximately 40 tons daily.
In the judgment of the Superintendent of Public Works, the ashes collected amounted to approximately 25 per cent by weight of the total collections, which were not separated from the rubbish.
The estimated weight of the combustible materials viz 75 per cent, amounted to a total of approximately 30 tons daily. Based upon data received from the contractor serving the cities of Somerville, Mass., and Springfield, Mass., the average materials from this total amount of paper and rubbish would amount to approximately 60 per cent of the segregated com- bustible materials. This would make a possible salvage ton- nage of about 18 tons per day. This contractor requested an apportunity to bid upon the salvage materials, when the Town of Arlington might be ready to so dispose of same.
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ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
Undoubtedly, the percentage of valuable salvage varies with seasonal offerings. The tree trimmings and grass cut- tings would have to be separately disposed of. Probably a safe average of salvage materials would vary from 12 to 16 tons daily.
At present there is no financial return to the Town from the rubbish collections, except for tickets for extra service to stores, amounting to about $950 per year. It seems probable that an appreciable sum might be realized from the sale of salvage materials.
UNIT COSTS PER DWELLING FOR SANITARY COLLECTIONS
The following table of appropriations, number of dwell- ings and cost per dwelling for total sanitary appropriations permits an interesting study of cost over a period of years. We have available a weather chart upon which are shown all snow storms over a period of twenty years. This has direct influence upon cost of collections, but not sufficient to warrant an extended analysis. We also have record of growth of the Town in length of accepted and private ways in the Town, showing the length of routes upon which collections are made.
The above considerations, together with the cost of labor over the period, make up a rather complicated equation.
Year
Population
Sanitary Div. Appropriation
Number of Dwellings
Cost per Dwelling
1920
$33,000
3082
$10.70
1921
34,000
3132
10.86
1922
22,000
36,000
3258
11.23
1923
43,000
3708
11.73
1924
53,000
3910
16.10
1925
58,000
4345
14.04
1926
63,000
4854
13.00
1927
68,000
5293
14.17
1928
70,000
5758
13.21
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TOWN RECORDS
Year
Population
Sanitary Div. Appropriation
Number of Dwellings
Cost per Dwelling
1929
78,000
6123
13.23
1930
82,000
6322
12.81
1931
84,000
6534
12.85
1932
78,000
6733
11.59
1933
78,000
6814
11.45
1934
81,000
6870
11.35
1935
38,555
71,800
6893
10.41*
1936
40,000
84,872
6960
12.19
Note : * The unusually low cost for 1935 was marked by a decreased service due to inadequate appropriation, and was attended by many complaints for poor service rendered.
Conclusions from study of above chart, including the weather condition, increase in labor cost, transformation from horse-drawn equipment to completely motorized department, growth of Town in number of dwellings and the increased length of streets now covered are to the effect that in our opinion, the costs have been consistent for the service rendered, under the conditions noted.
It would also seem reasonable to feel that any further savings in the cost of running the department must be obtained by some changes in the method of disposal, rather than by changes in the method of collection.
The following notes have been compiled from data taken upon inspection trips made by the committee, in consultation with Town authorities in the respective cities.
Fitchburg, Mass. Collection of ashes and rubbish :
The city has a population of about 45,000. There are six wards, each of which is covered in two working days. This makes collections possible every two weeks. Ashes are care- fully segregated by the house owners in separate containers of specified size. In the event of rubbish being thrown in with
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ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
ashes, it is refused by the collectors and must be removed from the sidewalk by the owner, and no collection will be made until the next regular date. There are no emergency trucks taking care of careless house owners.
Upon the basis of two-week collections in Fitchburg, against one-week collections in Arlington, Fitchburg spends about $10,000 less per year than Arlington, which has 5,000 less population.
The lesser number of collections per year does not tell the whole story in the matter of cost. Some years ago the city of Fitchburg built upon town yard property in the center of the city, a small incinerator of the same size and design as a similar unit built by the town of Wellesley. The cost of haul- ing rubbish to this central location was finally considered ex- cessive in comparison with the cost of disposal upon dumps which were available in all parts of the city. Your committee representative made a complete survey of the town under the guidance of their superintendent of streets, who very courte- ously explained their system in complete detail.
The contrast between Fitchburg and Arlington is almost completely covered in the following statement. In each ward of the city there is available a nearby dump. The greatest haul for rubbish is not more than a few blocks at least, outside of the ward in which collection is made. And furthermore there is no complaint regarding the burning of refuse upon the dumps.
Consequently, the experience of Fitchburg seemed to be of little help to us, except for the satisfaction of knowing that our costs were comparable upon adjusted bases.
Offal is collected by the city and is sold to farmers under the same arrangement obtaining in Arlington.
Wellesley :
Collection of ashes and rubbish is made by private con- tractors by arrangement between house owners and the con-
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TOWN RECORDS
tractors. The city maintains in the town yard in Wellesley Hills, in the center of the town, a small incinerator plant to which the private contractors may bring their combustible refuse for disposal without charge to the contractors. The ash from the furnace is carted to the dump which is immedi- ately adjacent to the plant. The reported cost for the removal of refuse by the contractor is $.15 per barrel.
Winchester, Mass .:
Collection of ashes and rubbish is made by private con- tractors, as in Wellesley, but Winchester stipulates that no ashes in barrels or other containers shall be placed upon the sidewalks for collection, or the containers remain so exposed after collection, as they are deemed unsightly. The private contractor removes all collections from the cellars and returns the containers. The cost of removal is the same as in Welles- ley ; viz $.15 per barrel. The refuse is taken to a central dumping area where it may be burned without serious remon- strance from house owners adjacent to the dumps.
Home owners are also allowed to burn rubbish in private burning receptacles upon their own premises, regardless of the nuisance to immediate neighbors.
Cambridge, Mass .:
Cambridge does not segregate ashes from combustible refuse but removes all to dumps in the old clay pits off Con- cord Avenue, where they are burned when the wind is in the right direction to carry the smoke away with least possible annoyance to surrounding homes. A considerable sum of money is paid to the owners of the clay pits for this privilege by the city. The extent of the old clay pits makes this dump- ing area suitable for an indefinite period. But the haul from Cambridgeport and other remote sections of the city is great and the city is now considering the erection of a central dis- posal plant.
Careful investigation was made by your committee re- garding the possible use of these pits by the Town of Arling-
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ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
ton, and conversations were entered into with the Cambridge officials, but no satisfactory solution of our troubles appeared possible from this source.
Somerville, Mass .:
The city of Somerville requires the segregation of ashes and paper with other combustible refuse in separate contain- ers. The ashes are taken to the large dumping area formerly known as Combination Park, off Mystic Avenue. Combustible materials may also be taken to this dump and burned by private contractors. No nuisance seems to be claimed by resi- dents around the edge of this large area.
The papers and other combustible refuse collected by the city are taken to a disposal plant upon city yard property at Broadway and Cedar Streets This plant occupies an old building formerly a part of the water department. Here a private contractor sorts the materials, salvaging all desirable materials and burning the balance in a suitable furnace. This is a very simple plant with no provision for a reclaiming waste heat. Every day several tons of waste materials are shipped out by the contractor who operates the plant. No city em- ployees are connected with this disposal plant. The contractor pays the city for the waste materials depending upon the market conditions. The city has the advantage of the short haul to this central plant.
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