Town of Newton annual report 1875-1877, Part 26

Author: Newton (Mass.)
Publication date: 1875
Publisher: Newton (Mass.)
Number of Pages: 674


USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Newton > Town of Newton annual report 1875-1877 > Part 26


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Much information about street lines and grades has been obtained at the City Engineer's office, where every facility has been cour- teously afforded us for getting all that its plans and records contain.


Table showing the diameters and lengths of main pipes laid prior to October, 1877.


After the name of a street the word street is omitted. The word avenue is abbreviated to ave.


STREETS.


20-in.


16-in.


12-in.


8-in.


6-in.


4-in.


Totals in feet.


Adams


2,565


2,565


Allston


299


299


Arlington


689


689


Ash .


2,443


2,443


Auburn


3,826


1,646


621


6,093


Auburndale ave.


1,125


1,125


Avon place


307


307


Bacon


128


128


Baldwin


2


429


431


Bartlett's court.


See


Hunnewell park.


Beacon


5,242


5,412


10,654


Bellevue


1,665


1,665


Belmont


530


530


Bowditch


286


286


Bowdoin


318


318


Bowers


....


...


......


. .... 699


727


1,426


.


.


.


.


.


.


.


.


.


.


. ..


...


....


...


..


..


. .


...


.


58


Table showing the diameters and lengths, etc. -- Continued.


STREETS.


20-in.


16-in.


12-in.


8-in.


6-in ..


4-in.


Totals in feet.


Boyd


964


Boylston .


1,621


410


294


2,325


Bridge.


1,851


1,851


Brooks ave.


605


95


700


Cabot


748


748


Carleton


849


849


Cedar


1,574


1,574


Central ave.


1,128


1,128


Central


670


3,283


3,953


Centre .


965


7,343


16,481


Centre, Methodist-ch. ct.


224


224


Charles


6


1,157


312


1,475


Chase


924


924


Cherry


1,240


1,240


Chestnut


3


8,974


8,977


Church


1,525


1,731


3,256


Columbus


602


602


Court


1,037


1,037


Crafts


310


2,317


2,627


Crescent


1,332


1,332


Cross (Ward 1)


430


430


Cross (West Newton) ..


885


885


Crystal


571


571


Cypress and Parker


1,620


1,620


Davis


2


490


492


Eldredge


8


769


777


Eliot


1,685


1,401


3,086


Elm


1,577


1,577


Elmwood


943


943


Emerson .


581


581


Erie ave.


1,363


1,363


Everett


469


469


Evergreen ave.


632


344


976


Fern


144


144


Forest ave.


536


536


Forest, Highlands


35


616


651


Forest. See Moreland.


Fountain


324


324


Franklin


1,388


1,388


Glen ave.


775


775


Grafton


959


959


Grove


289


3,481


993


4,763


Hamilton


4,177


262


396


4,835


Hancock


and


R.R.


1


112


12


1,975


2,099


crossing


Hartford


456


456


Harvard


1,248


1,248


Hawthorn ave.


. ..


......


.....


683


683


.


.


·


. .


.


...


.


.


.


.


.


.


.


..


434


434


Elgin


.


.


.


·


.


.


..


296


296


Hammond


.


.


.


.


.


. .


8,173


964


59


Table showing the diameters, lengths, etc. - Continued.


STREETS.


20-in.


16-in.


12-in.


8-in.


6-in.


4-in.


Totals in feet.


Henshaw and Hen- shaw court.


3


431


285


716


High


1,982


1,982


Highland ave.


2,424


2,424


Highland


2,367


2,367


Hillside ave


1,527


1,527


Homer


1,474


1,474


Hovey


508


508


Howard


301


301


Hunnewell park, at


1,062


1,062


Hunnewell park, at


428


428


Hunter


324


324


Hyde


45


45


Islington


709


709


Jefferson and Maple


....


1,108


1,108


Kenrick park. See Park.


Knowles .


40


189


229


Lake ave.


860


860


Lexington


1,165


87


2,043


Lincoln


2,142


2,142


Linden


599


599


Linwood ave.


321


321


Lowell


711


1,607


2,318


Malverr


477


477


Maple park


355


355


Maple. See Jefferson.


1,913


1,913


Melrose


624


624


Methodist-ch. court.


See Centre.


Moreland


230


230


Mt. Vernon


1,315


1,315


Murray


252


252


Needham


3,964


3,964


Newtonville ave.


4,588


4,588


Nonantum place


356


356


Nonantum .


1,229


1,229


No. Bend. See Carleton,


No. School. See School. Oak


1,489


1,180


2,669


Otis place


297


297


Otis ..


2,744


2,744


Park and Kenrick park.


3,561


381


3,942


Parker. See Cypress.


967


967


Paul


.


4 .


....


.. .. . .


713


713


..


.. . .


Jewett


1,153


1,153


.


.. ..


.


·


.


...


. .


Parsons


.. . .


Henry Claflin's .. ..


Dr. Bartlett's .


Lander. See Margin.


Margin and Lander


60


Table showing the diameters, lengths, etc. - Continued.


STREETS.


20-in.


16-in.


12-in.


8-in.


6-in.


4-in.


Totals in feet.


Peabody


112


112


Pearl pl. See Carleton.


Pearl


2,557


2,557


Pelham


3


933


936


Pembroke


6


636


642


Perkins


747


747


Pleasant


754


980


1,734


Prescott


824


824


Prospect


333


333


Putnam


1,082


1,082


Railroad crossing. Hancock.


See


Richardson


1,212


1,212


River


2,778


2,778


Rogers


58


58


Rowe.


1,870


1,870


Russell court ..


287


875


School and North School


773


202


972


Seminary ave


240


480


720


Shaw


721


721


South


1,557


1,557


Spring.


389


284


673


Station


2,191


2,191


St. James


425


425


Sumner


1,596


1,596


Temple


1,591


1,591


Tremont


721


721


Vernon


1,874


1,874


Vista ave.


962


962


Waban and Waban park Wales .


736


1,600


2,336


Walker


494


494


Walnut court


283


283


Walnut park


1,312


236


1,548


Walnut


3,447


1,392


761


5,600


Waltham


667


3,587


4,254


Ward


and Reservoir


grounds


4,650


1,334


5,984


Warren ave.


211


211


Warren.


1,014


1,014


Washington park


555


1,944


2,499


Washington pl.


546


406


952


Washington


19,262


7,012


1,307


340


27,921


Watertown


1,144


2,543


3,687


Waverly ave.


4,235


1,275


Webster park


573


333


906


Webster . .


2,146


...


2,146


Willow pl.


See Maple


park.


Willow


...


· ..


...


403


... 403


.


. .


.


.


.


.


. .


·


.


.


.


.


.


. ..


.


288


.


.


.


.


..


.


...


5,510


288


61


Table showing the diameters, lengths, etc. - Continued.


STREETS.


24-in.


20-in.


16-in.


12-in.


8-in.


6-in.


4-in.


Totals in feet.


Winchester


(South


of


1,225


1,225


Boylston) ..


Winchester


(East Walnut


of


686


686


Winthrop


852


852


Walcott


and


1,760


1,760


Walcott p'k


Woodland ave.


3,698


Woodward


1,155


3,698 750


1,905


Totals


18,012


2,457


58,881


53,137


116,164


22,551


271,202


At Reservoir ..


. .


32


32


At Pumping Sta.


Force Mains


98


51


149


Conduit Pipe


631


631


Totals


761


18,012


2,457


58,932


53.137


116,164


22,551


272,014


.


.


The above statement does not include the 6-inch hydrant con- nections, the lengths of capped branches, 4-inch service-pipes for the Mason and Williams School-houses, nor any of the pipe inside of the engine-house.


SERVICE-PIPES.


No entirely satisfactory material for service-pipes has yet been found.


Lead is costly, especially when made in the great thicknesses required by the Newton pressure.


As a general rule, good waters contain more air, and attack lead more strongly, than those which are contaminated by organic matter. The river waters in this vicinity, by standing in lead pipes over night or longer, take up enough of the metal to become more or less unwholesome. By wasting all water which has been standing in this way the danger might be avoided ; but practically much of this water would be used through carelessness.


Tin-lined lead pipes, well put together, are safe, convenient, and durable, but they cost about 75 per cent. more than unlined lead- pipes.


Cast iron can be well protected from rust by tar coating, but it is


..


...


62


impracticable to make it into pipes either long enough or light enough to be satisfactory for services. It is also inconvenient on account of its inflexibility, and the making of good joints with it is rather costly.


Wrought-iron pipe is very cheap, strong, and light ; it is made in convenient lengths, is sufficiently flexible, and can be easily joined. Its liability to rust is its only weak point. Attempts have been made to overcome this by various protective coatings ; such as paints ; thin films of zinc put on by the process commonly called galvanizing ; hydraulic cement; enamels made with caoutchouc, mineral oxides, etc., baked on ; tin linings ; preparations of coal tar, etc. The enamels, cement, and coal-tar coatings, all give more or less unpleasant taste to the water, for the first few months of use. Most of the coatings above mentioned have been extensively used and are more or less strongly recommended.


Under these circumstances it seemed desirable to make prolonged tests of various pipes and coatings. Samples of pipes, generally about 50 feet in length, were procured from different dealers, joined in the ordinary way, and delivered for trial to Mr. J. M. Merrick, the well-known chemist. As there would not be time enough for this after the completion of the filtering basin, Charles-river water was used, as coming from the same territory and probably the near- est representative of the future Newton supply. The pipes were thoroughly rinsed out, filled with the water and allowed to stand for several days. after which the waters were drawn out and tested for ascertaining how much of the various metals had been taken up. This process was repeated several times, at intervals varying from 3 to 14 days. These repetitions were for finding whether the action increased or diminished.


The general result with lead pipe was that the water took up about 216 grain of lead per gallon per day, - an amount according to many authorities below the limit of danger. Action at this slow rate would not be likely to weaken the pipe to any appreciable extent in 50 years.


With the American Tube Co.'s brass pipe the action was very slight, not enough to injure the water to any considerable ex- tent, nor to threaten the durability of the pipe. The results indi- cate that this pipe may safely be used for cold water ; no trials were made with hot water.


63


At every trial with the " galvanized " iron pipe, the action was rapid, - utterly spoiling the water, and indicating that the whole of the zinc coating would be removed in a year or two.


Tin-lined lead pipe was not tried, partly because there was no doubt of its fitness, and partly because its high cost would be likely to prevent its general adoption.


Of the iron pipes tried, that coated with coal-tar preparation gave the best results. 50 feet of this pipe, ¿- inch in diameter, with 9 joints, and holding a little more than half a gallon of water, was filled and emptied 16 times in 63 days. On the average, this pipe took more than 3} days to give up to the water one grain of foreign matters, chiefly oxide of iron, with some silica, etc. The rate of action varied somewhat from time to time, diminishing slowly on the whole. These results, together with the fact that pipes of this kind had been extensively used elsewhere for several years with but trifling complaint from rusting, led to its adoption for the Newton service-pipes, and a contract was made with Gillis, Morison & Co. for supplying it. It was believed that considerable improvement could be made in the coating process, and arrange- ments were made with the Boston Machine Co. to prepare suitable apparatus, and do the work. To insure an intimate connection of the coating, the pipes are immersed vertically, and remain for a long time in the boiling tar. The temperature is maintained and controlled by steam from the boilers. With this apparatus, and tar kept at the proper consistency, coatings are produced which are neither too thick nor too thin, too brittle nor too soft.


Each service-pipe begins with a stopcock or " tap " screwed hori- zontally into the side of the street main. These stopcocks are put in with Jones' tapping machine, without shutting the water out of the main.


The tarred iron pipe begins about 18 inches from the stopcock, the interval being filled with about 2 feet of lead pipe. If the main pipe moves in any direction, - as not infrequently happens in consequence of deep excavations near it, - the lead connection will yield by straightening, without breaking.


Each service-pipe also has a stopcock at the sidewalk, with a small box coming to the surface through which the stopcock can be reached with a suitable wrench. This furnishes an easy means


64


of turning the water off or on, without breaking up the street to reach the cock at the main. It also facilitates the detection of leaks and improper use of water. At night, when the streets are still and the legitimate use of water is inconsiderable, flow of water through a stopcock or leak near it can be heard by applying the ear to an iron rod standing on the stopcock. This process has been of great value in reducing waste in many places.


The first service-pipes were laid in October, 1876. Some of them have recently been examined and found in good condition. As was expected, a little rusting had occurred at joints and places accident- ally exposed, but with these slight exceptions the surface seemed to be perfectly protected by the coating.


GENERAL REMARKS.


Comparatively few accidents occurred in the prosecution of the work, and only one which resulted fatally. On Aug. 27, 1877, a derrick (in use by the contractors for the extension of the filtering basin) fell, instantly killing John Courtney, of Worcester, a laborer employed by the contractors. He had the reputation of being a good, faithful workman. The derrick was not heavily loaded, but one of the guys proved unexpectedly weak.


Three or four other men were severely injured at different times, but it is believed that they all fully recovered and resumed work within about two months.


The following list gives the names of assistant engineers and rodmen employed on the Works for terms of one month or longer : -


Principal Assistant in charge of office. - Frederick Brooks.


Principal Assistants. - C. F. Allen, F. Schoff, J. F. Clarke, 2d, R. E. Williams, G. C. Hall, Rufus Cook.


Junior Assistants. - E. A. Buss, Geo. F. Knoblauch, W. F. Goodrich, E. B. Baker. C. E. Alger, J. S. Emerson, F. D. Cook.


Rodmen. - T. P. Parsons, W. E. Richards, Wm. H. Snow, E. A. W. Hammatt, H. W. B. Phinney, D. W. Hyde, F. N. Hoyt, J. C. Whitney, C. W. Sanders.


ANNUAL REPORT


OF THE


CHIEF ENGINEER


OF THE


FIRE DEPARTMENT,


FOR THE YEAR ENDING


DECEMBER 31, 1877.


Y AND


UNIOM


BE


19


FOUNDED1


CITY 18


IN


N


M.


N


RAT


A


BOSTON: AMIDON & WASHBURN, PRINTERS, 221 WASHINGTON STREET,


1878.


REPORT.


CITY OF NEWTON, FIRE DEPARTMENT, CHIEF ENGINEER'S OFFICE, CITY HALL, January 1, 1878.


TO THE HONORABLE MAYOR, AND CITY COUNCIL OF NEWTON: -


Gentlemen: As required by the ordinance of the City, herewith is submitted the Annual Report of the Chief Engineer of the Fire Department, for the year ending December 31, 1877.


The report consists of a statement of the Organiz- ation; Apparatus and Condition of the Department; List of Fires; Amount of Loss and Insurance, as near as could be ascertained; Fire Alarm Telegraph, Boxes and Hydrants.


4


ORGANIZATION.


The Organization for the past year was as follows: Chief Engineer, who is also Superintendent of Fire Alarm Telegraph and Hydrants.


One Assistant Engineer.


One Clerk.


Three Steam Fire Engine Companies with Hose Car-


riages and Tender Wagons, fifteen men each, 45 One Hook and Ladder Company, 14


Three Hose Companies, six men each, 18


One Volunteer Hand Engine Company, 50


Total officers and men, 130


I would here recommend that the permanent men be employed during good behavior, instead of being elected every year. Also, that they be entitled to two weeks vacation per year.


APPARATUS.


The apparatus consists of three Steamers with Hose Carriage and Tender Wagon to each, in Wards 3, 6 and 7.


One Hook and Ladder Truck in Ward 2, Newton- ville.


One Horse Hose Carriage in Ward 2, Newtonville.


One


66 66 4, Auburndale.


One 66 66 66 4, Lower Falls.


One Hand Engine, 66 5, Upper Falls.


One Horse Hose Carriage for Upper Falls.


5


During the past year "Cataract " hand engine has been sold for seven hundred dollars; also a small hose jumper at Lower Falls was sold for thirty dollars, and two new one horse hose carriages have been purchased for the Lower Falls and Upper Falls, at a cost of seven hundred dollars each. Steamer No. 2, at West Newton, was found early in the year to be in very bad condition- wholly unfit for use-and was sent to Manchester and put in thorough repair, at the request of the Fire Committee. Steamers No. 1 and 3, were repaired at their own houses by their Engineers. All the apparatus is now in perfect order. I will recommend the purchase of a new hook and ladder truck, to take the place of the one we now have, as the present one is too small to carry a sufficient supply of ladders. The truck is too short to carry ladders of sufficient length to do us much good in case of fires in the large stores, halls and public buildings on the lower side of the City. I would recommend that the truck we now have be placed at Newton Upper Falls, where it can be made useful in reaching with promptness all fires on the south'and east side of the City. I also recommend that the hand engine at the Upper Falls be sold.


HOSE.


There are about 13,000 feet of hose now owned by the City, and distributed among the different


6


companies. About two thousand feet are unfit for general use. We have sold five hundred feet for old junk for $66.00. We have bought 1800 feet of Boyd's Eureka Cotton Hose for two thousand dollars. This is the first trial of any hose except leather that the City has ever made, and we find it to be a very good investment. I think we shall not need any new hose for the coming year; but recommend that all the condemned hose be sold or exchanged for new.


FIRES.


DATE.


Box.


TIME.


PLACE.


Loss.


INSURANCE.


January . . . .


5


.... 15 ....


. .. 12.20 p.m ...


. Public Library . . .


$2,500 ... 500 ...


.$65,000


February ... 10


.... 31 ....


... 2.52 a.m ....


. Enoch Welsh's House ..


700


March .. ..


8


·


4


... .32.


... 1.30 a.m ..


. Daniel McBride's House ..


125


450


.4


8


.... 31 . . ..


...


4. ...


... 9.15 a.m ..


. Chimney burned out.


.. none .. .. . .none ... .


66


23


.... 73 ....


... 3.05 p.m. . .


. Fire in Woods.


.. none ...


.... none ... .


May ..


1


... 12.30


a.m ...


. Dolan's House. .


200


.


.... 21 ....


. .. 11.25 p.m. . .


. Varney's House.


.


1,538 . . . .


2,000


12


· .. 7 ....


9.40 p.m .. .


. Judd's Blacksmith Shop.


500 ...


500


..


14


· .21.


7.25 p.m .. ..


. Fire in Woods. ..


.


.. none ....


. ... none. ...


...


. . .


17


.... 5.


. .. 10.25 p.In . . .


. Warren's House. .


100.


... 1,500


7.55 p.m. . .


. Fire in Woods


.... none ...


. ... nonc .. ..


June .......


10


.... 32. . ...


...


1.50 a.m ...


. .. McCarty's House.


700 .


66


2


... .


.... 24.


a.m ...


. Clothing ,


. . slight ....


.... none ....


8


.... 31 ....


. .. 12.15 a.m ..


. Mike Bryson's House.


800 ... .


· 1,000


. Mayor Speare's House and Barn. .


3,407. . . .


.. 4,000


July .


3


... 2.30 a.m ...


. Pine Farm Barn. .


1,200 ... .


. 300


... 5.50 p.m ..


. John Leach's House.


500 ...


.


.... none ....


66


16 .


... 1.30


a.m ...


. Cate's Barn. .


200 ... .


300


23


.... 21 .. ..


... 3.30 a.m ....


. George F. Work's Barn


350 ...


400


October .... 66


24


.... 73 .... .... 4 ....


...


... 1.55 p.m . . . 8.55 a.m.


.. Blacksmith Shop.


1,000 ...


700


December .. 12


.... 24 ....


... 7.00 p.m ...


.. James Sheriden's House.


00. . .


1,000


December .. 17


.... 7 ....


... 12.20 a.m ....


. . Blacksmith Shop ..


10 ...


Total Alarms,


.... 29 ....


. . $19,090 ...


..... $88,650


·


.


. .


2.58 a.m ..


. Tim Feeley's.


800 ... .


1,700


66


30


.. 15 & 13 .. .... 5. ..


5.00 a.m ...


. Converse Greenhouse.


300 .. .


.


.73. 52. . 5 ...


.


. .. 11.45 a.m ..


. T. McGau's House.


150 ...


10 ... .... none .... 4,000. . . . 8,000


November . .


2


.. . 8.


. Col. Lee's House ..


66


12


.... 35 ....


8.15 a.m ...


. Reagan's House. .. E. F. Porters.


. .. trifling . ..


. .


28


.... 31 .... .... 7 ....


14


.


500


September .. 7


29


.. . ... .


.... 7. . .


...


5.50


14


... 8.50 p.in ..


7.55 a.m ... ...


. John Sheriden's House.


.


L


.


19


10


600


. Steamer 2 went to Needham.


April .


8


HOUSES.


There have been alterations in some of the houses. Hose Five's house at Auburndale, has been enlarged so as to accommodate two horses, and sleeping apart- ments made to accommodate the men. This house will meet all the demands for that section of the city for years to come. Hose Six house at Lower Falls has been enlarged to accommodate two horses, and sleeping apartments for the men. This house will be all that is required for years to come in that section. Rooms at the Hook and Ladder Truck house have been furnished for the comfort of the men. I will recommend that the stable at Steamer Two's house be put in a better condition. The stalls are unsafe for the horses, and are very inconvenient. There should be new stalls made, and front towards the engine room, so the horses could be got to the engine more promptly and safer. The sleeping rooms should be made at once at Steamer Two's house to accommodate the men. The engine house at the Upper Falls is a disgrace to the City, and should be disposed of. A new house should be built to accommodate the horse hose carriage, which is now stored where it is of no use to the city; and the house should be built large enough to accommodate the hook and ladder truck which I recommended to be sent there from Newtonville. That truck will


9


be very useful for many years placed at this part of the City, and is not fit for the place it is in now. A truck located at the Upper Falls, can reach all the south and east part of the City more promptly and easier, than from the other side of the City. More depends on this apparatus at the beginning of fires that anything else. The other parts of the depart- ment are of not much importance if the truck is not there with the ladders so that the firemen can get at the fire before the buildings are burned down so they can reach the flames with the water.


HYDRANTS.


There were last year two hundred and fifty-seven hydrants. Three have been removed, and eighteen new ones set; many more should be set in thickly settled parts of the city, where there is no water to put out the fires, without a long line of hose from some pond or stream. The hydrants are all in good working order.


FIRE ALARM TELEGRAPH.


This department consists of 22 boxes, 7 gongs and 6 strikers, 200 battery cups, thirty miles of wire, one horse, buggy, wagon, pung and two harnesses. The telegraph has worked perfectly satisfactorily the past year, and is now in perfect order. About thirty poles have been reset. A new gong was placed in


10


the Chief Engineer's house; also a new striker was placed on City Hall, West Newton. A new horse, buggy and harness was bought for the Superinten- dent.


In conclusion, I am happy to say I believe we have in the City of Newton as good a department and as well managed as any in the State.


I thank His Honor the Mayor and the City Government for their attention paid to the require- ments of the department the past year, and to the Fire Committee for the assistance and hearty co-operation at all times. I know they have done all in their power for the best good of the City and the depart- ment.


I tender to my Assistant Engineer, Henry L. Bixby, my sincere thanks for his promptness, effici- ency and kind assistance in the cheerful and faithful discharge of all his duties; and to all the officers and men of the department, for their hearty and cheerful obedience and support at all times. The Police have rendered valuable assistance, and I owe them my sincere thanks. The Superintendent of Streets has been kind and attentive in furnishing of horses to this department.


Respectfully submitted, GEO. H. ELLIS, Chief Engineer.


1600. 8353, 80





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