USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Newton > Town of Newton annual report 1884 > Part 17
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"We the undersigned do hereby certify, that, accord- ing to the best of our knowledge and belief, the
Inspection of buildings by Chief.
Steam- engines.
Camphene. etc.
Chief to pre- pare pay-roll.
68
foregoing persons are members of - company, and that said company had consisted of - members during the last six months ; that during that time they have performed all the duties incumbent upon them as fire- men, have been present at every turn-out of the company, or been duly excused, and that they are entitled to all the privileges and pay of firemen."
Certificate of pay-roll.
The certificate shall be signed by the fore- man and clerk, and shall be delivered to the Chief of Department.
The Chief of Department shall examine these rolls, and, if they are found correct, shall approve them, and present them, with the pay- rolls of the several companies, to the committee on the fire department, for their action.
Fire-alarm telegraph.
1
Keys.
SECT. 13. The Chief of Department shall have the care and management of the rooms, apparatus, and machinery connected with the fire-alarm telegraph, and shall determine to whomn shall be intrusted the keys of the signal boxes. He shall prepare rules and directions for giving alarms of fire through the telegraph.
Signal-boxes.
SECT. 14. No unauthorized person shall open any of the signal boxes, except in case of fire, or interfere with the wires, or the poles, or other supports of the wires.
False alarms.
SECT. 15. The Chief of Department shall see that every person raising a false alarm of fire is prosecuted.
Gambling.
SECT. 16. No gambling shall be allowed in any building occupied by the fire department, nor shall spirituous liquors be kept or used there.
Water from hydrants, etc.
SECT. 17. No person shall draw water from the reservoirs or fire-hydrants, except in case of
69
fire, and except as otherwise provided ; 1 nor shall any engine, hose, or truck, be taken out of the city, without permission of the Chief or Assis- tant Chief. No part of the apparatus shall be taken from the city, unless to a fire, without special permission from the Mayor and Aldermen.
SECT. 18. No occupant of any building or room in which there is a hatchway or trap-door shall suffer the same to be left open at night.
SECT. 19. Any member of the department in- jured or disabled while on actual duty. shall receive pay for the time lost in consequence, not exceeding three months.
SECT. 20. No person shall wantonly or care- lessly set fire to any tree, bush, grass, leaves, brush-wood, rubbish, or other substance in any place in the city of Newton.
SECT. 21. Whoever shall violate any provision of this ordinance shall forfeit a sum not exceed- ing twenty dollars.
1 Ordinance XV. § 19.
ORDINANCE XXIV.
Buildings.
SECTION 1. No person shall erect, alter or re- build, or essentially change, any building or any part thereof, for any purpose other than a dwelling-house, without first obtaining in writing a permit from the Board of Aldermen. The application for such permit shall specify the location and size of said building, the material of which it is to be constructed, and the use for which it is intended.
Disabled members.
Setting fires wantonly to trees, etc.
Penalty.
Permit.
70
SECT. 2. No person shall use any building, or part thereof, for any purpose rendering said building, or buildings adjacent thereto, hazardous, unsafe, or liable to be destroyed by fire, or dangerous to persons or property, without first obtaining a permit as named in section one.
Chimneys and brick flues.
SECT. 3. All chimneys hereafter erected shall be built of brick, stone, or other fire-proof, non- conducting material. All brick flues shall be smoothly plastered inside with mortar from top to bottom, and outside below the roofing. In no case shall chimneys rest upon any flooring with- out a footing of masonry or iron, supported by iron beams, having a secure bearing on iron at either end.
Hearths and grates.
Hearths of fireplaces or grates shall be laid upon brick or other trimmer arches, or upon bars of iron supporting a bed of brick-work.
Wood-work.
No wood-work of any kind shall be placed at a less distance than one inch from the outside brick-work of any flue, and in no case shall a nail be driven into the masonry of any flue.
No wood-work shall be placed at a less distance than one inch from any tin or other metal flue or flues, pipe or pipes, used or intended to be used to convey heated air or steam in any building, unless such flues or pipes be cased with metal, leaving a free circulation of air all around the same.
Smoke-pipe.
No smoke-pipe shall pass through any stud or wooden partitions, whether plastered or not, with- out being guarded either by a double collar of metal with at least four inches' air-space and
71
holes for ventilation, or by a soapstone ring not less than three inches in thickness, and extending through the partition.
SECT. 4. Whoever violates any provision of the preceding sections of this ordinance shall be liable to a fine not exceeding one hundred dollars.
ORDINANCE XXII.
Gunpowder and Other Explosive Compounds.
SECTION 1. No person shall keep or deposit any gunpowder within the city, unless it is well secured in tight casks or canisters.
No person shall keep or deposit more than fifty pounds of gunpowder in any shop, store, or other building which is within the distance of twenty- five rods from any other building or wharf ; no person shall keep or deposit more than twenty- five pounds of gunpowder in any shop, store, or other building which is within the distance of ten rods from any other building; and no person shall keep or deposit more than one pound of gunpowder in any shop, store, or other building which is within ten rods of any other building, unless it is well secured in copper, tin or brass canisters, holding not exceeding five pounds each, and closely covered with copper, brass, or tin covers.
SECT. 2. Licenses may be granted by the Mayor and Aldermen, for the retailing of gun- powder, in form substantially as follows; to wit : -
Pub. Stats., chap. 102, § 56.
No person to keep or de- posit gunpow- der, unless, etc.
Limit of amount.
Licenses.
72
Gunpowder License No.
LICENSE TO SELL GUNPOWDER IN THE CITY OF NEWTON.
This certifies that of Newton is (or are) hereby licensed and authorized to sell gunpowder at retail, at on Street, being place of business in said city, for one year from the date hereof, at noon, provided shall duly conform to the laws and to the provisions of the ordinance printed hereon. And in case the said shall at any time during the term aforesaid infringe the laws, or any of the provis- ions of the said ordinance, then this license shall be void.
Dated at Newton this day of in the year of our Lord, one thousand eight hundred and
No person shall sell any gunpowder within the city without such license. Every such license shall be in force one year from the date thereof, provided that any such license may be rescinded by the Mayor and Aldermen, at their discretion.
SECT. 3. Every person so licensed shall keep a sign over the outside of the principal entrance from the street, of the building in which powder is kept, on which shall be printed in capitals the words, "Licensed to keep and sell gunpowder."
SECT. 4. The City Clerk shall keep a record of all such licenses, and of the places designated therein ; which places shall not be changed, unless by consent of the Mayor and Aldermen, in writ- ing. Every person who receives a license shall sign his name to a copy of the rules prescribed in this ordinance, as evidence of his assent thereto.
Exceptions.
Keeping in magazines.
SECT. 5. The provisions of this ordinance shall not apply or extend to the keeping or storing of metallic cartridges in fire-proof magazines, nor to cartridge-manufacturers, so long as they shall
Sales without license pro- hibited.
License may be rescinded. Sign.
City Clerk to keep record of licenses, etc. Place not to be changed, etc.
73
keep their powder in canisters, as prescribed in Sect. 4, and in fire-proof magazines, located and built to the satisfaction of the Mayor and Alder- men, and so long as such manufacturers allow no more than one hundred pounds of gunpowder in any magazine, or five pounds of gunpowder not made into cartridges, to be in any one workshop at any one time.
SECT. 6. No person, except on military duty in the public service of the United States or of this Commonwealth, shall keep, have, or possess, in any building, place, vehicle, ship, or other vessel within one rod of a dwelling-house, any explosive compound other than gunpowder, in quantity exceeding one-fifth of a pound.
SECT. 7. The Mayor and Aldermen may license any suitable person to keep, store, and sell such compound, in accordance with the foregoing provisions.
SECT. 8. Any member of the police or of the Fire Department may enter the building or prem- , ises of any person so licensed, to make the exam- ination provided by law, at his discretion, and on alarm of fire may cause such compound there de- posited to be removed or destroyed, as the case may require.
SECT. 9. Whoever violates any provision of this ordinance shall be liable to a fine not exceed- ing twenty dollars.
Pub. Stats., chap. 102, §§ 59, etc.
Licenses.
Penalty.
74
STATISTICS OF FIRE DEPARTMENT,
From January 1, 1874, to December 31, 1884.
YEAR.
ALARMS.
MEMBERS.
Loss.
INSURANCE PAID.
TOTAL IN- SURANCE.
APPROPRI- ATION.
VALUE OF REAL ESTATE AT RISK.
1874.
31
151
1875.
54
171
$88,300.00 Not Given.
Not Given. Not Given. Not Given. $13,315.00 23,035.00
$55,000.00 Not Given. $40,400.00 87,650.00 60,435.00
$38,916.32 25,500.00
1876.
61
171
$54,430.00
18.390.00
1878.
47
80
23,665.00
Not Given.
1879.
52
86
16,018.10
14,473.10
72,850.00
22,000.00
Not Given.
1880.
39
79
16,380.00
13,247.00
43,350.00
21,990.00
Not Given.
1881.
79
78
15,561.26
11,088.26
39,500.00
23,175.00
$75,850.00
1882.
59
78
20,159.10
15,429.10
203,350.00
23,073.00
185,925.00
1883.
101
78
7,066.60
4,878.60 32,651.70
180,683.00 176,450.00
24,097.51
204,690.00
1884.
51
73
35,441.70
24,000.00
124,460.00
1877.
29
130
33,000.00
23,000.00
Not Given. Not Given. Not Given. Not Given.
25,000.00
STATISTICS OF THE NEWTON FIRE DEPARTMENT,
From January 1, 1884 to December 31, 1884.
Number of telegraph-alarms
- 38
Number of verbal and telephone calls
13
Total of alarms
- 51
Aggregate number of alarms, 1883
- 101
Decrease in number of alarms -
50
Alarms given by citizens
22
Alarms given by firemen
- 19
Alarms given by police
- 10
Loss on real estate
$8,134.70
Loss on personal property -
- 27,307.00
Insurance paid on real estate 6,424.70
Insurance paid on personal property
- 26,227.00
Loss over insurance paid ʻ
2,800.00
Total insurance at risk
- 176,450.00
Assessed value real estate at risk
124,460.00
Annual appropriation for Fire Department "- 24,000.00 -
Number of employees and members of department Number of Hydrants -
- 73
-
422
Population of city
- 20,000
Area protected by Fire Department -
20 square miles
-
-
CITY OF NEWTON.
ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE
CITY ENGINEER,
FOR THE YEAR 1884.
CWT
LIBERTY AND
UNION
FOUNDED
TY 1873
0
YC
1
NEWTON : PRESS OF THE NEWTON JOURNAL. 1885.
OFFICERS OF CONTROLLING BOARDS AND COMMITTEES.
Chief Executive Officer (ex officio). HIS HONOR THE MAYOR, J. WESLEY KIMBALL.
Joint Standing Committee on Highways. ALDERMAN DWIGHT CHESTER, Chairman.
Water Board. EDWARD W. CATE, President.
Joint Special Committee on Sewerage. ALDERMAN JOHN W. CARTER, Chairman.
Joint Special Committee on Parks. ALDERMAN BENJAMIN S. GRANT, Chairman.
Joint Standing Committee on Public Property. ALDERMAN GEORGE PETTEE, Chairman.
Board of Health. ALDERMAN JOHN Q. HENRY, President.
Joint Standing Committee on Fuel and Street Lights. ALDERMAN BENJAMIN S. GRANT, Chairman.
CITY ENGINEER'S DEPARTMENT.
City Engineer. ALBERT F. NOYES.
Principal Assistant Engineer. FRED. H. BARNES.
Assistant Engineers.
WILLIAM S. FRENCH. I. W. HASTINGS.
Transitman and Leveller. WILLIAM P. MORSE.
Rodmen. ARTHUR L. WOODRUFF. STEPHEN CHILD.
REPORT.
CITY ENGINEER'S OFFICE, CITY HALL, WEST NEWTON, MASS., Dec. 31, 1884.
To the Honorable City Council.
GENTLEMEN,-In compliance with Section 5 of Ordinance No. 9, I herewith respectfully submit the Annual Report of the City Engineer's Department for the year 1884.
Amount appropriated for the year 1884 $6,750 00
Amount expended 6,750 41
Amount overdrawn $ 0 41
Classification of Expenditures.
For salaries of city engineer, assistants, draughts-
man, and rodmen . .
$6,049 81
For car-fares and other incidentals ·
228 20
For exchange of horse and care and keeping of horse and wagon . 267 77
For drawing paper and other supplies . 83 82
For instruments and repairs 72 81
For horse hire 48 00.
Total amount
$6,750 41
8
The item of salaries of city engineer and assistants may be divided as follows :-
For defining street lines; making surveys and maps,the examination of titles and draught- ing of reports and orders for street widen- ings, acceptance and extension ; office rec- ords; highway accounts ; defining and establishing proposed grades of streets ; surveys, plans and estimates for proposed work on highways ; and all work relating to highways . $2,897 22
For establishing lines and grades for the exten- sion of water pipes, locating and measuring service pipes and for all work relating to water works
384 47
For collecting and compiling the information required by the sanitary survey ; for mak- ing maps showing the location of conta- gious diseases and wet cellars ; for making estimates of cost of sewerage system ; and for all other work under the direction of the Joint Special Committee on Sewerage 1,070 38 For copying all Newton plans at Registry of Deeds, office of the Clerk of Courts, and County Commissioners' office and indexing the same ; and for copying conveyances to the town of Newton 556 57
For defining the lines, surveys, and plans of city property, making plans and specifications for the alterations and repairs on old build- ings, and superintending the execution of the same, under the direction of the Joint Standing Committee on Public Property
318 11
Amount carried forward,
$5,226 75
9
Amount brought forward,
For defining the lines, making surveys and plans
of various parks ; for laying out and grad- ing of Farlow Park; for compiling the assessment lists and plans for Farlow Park; and for all other work under the direction of the Joint Standing Committee on Parks .
For giving lines and grades for the construction ,
224 59
of drains and culverts, making preliminary surveys, plans, profiles, diagrams, estimates, calculations and all work relating to drains
190 83
For plans, estimates, reports, inspection of plumb- ing, and for all work relating to the Board of Health .
134 19
For locating and making a list of the street lights ; and for making maps showing the same; under the direction of the Joint Standing Committee on Fuel and Street Lights
98 46
For making surveys and levels for plans, profiles and estimates for the use of the City Soli- citor in suits for and against the city ; for attending court, and all work relating to said suits . 85 68
For all other miscellaneous work
89 31
Total amount . $6,049 81
Surveys have been made of the whole or a part of forty- six streets covering a length of nine and six-tenths miles. One hundred and fifteen street plans and profiles have been made: Levels have been taken over the whole or a part of sixty-five streets or brooks, a total length of thirteen and
$5,226 75
10
two-tenths miles. Lines have been established on seventy- one streets and grades on seventy-four streets. Three hun- dred and twenty-three tracings of railroad, land and street plans obtained from various sources have been made.
The minimum number of assistants employed during the past year is five ; average number, six ; and maximum num- ber at any time, twelve.
Plans and profiles have been made ; lines and grades defined ; and the titles and boundaries of the estates abutting upon the following named streets have been examined ; and said streets have been laid out and accepted by the City Council :- An extension of Bellevue street (formerly known as Bowditch street), Ward 1, from Newtonville avenue to Washington street 911 feet, 40 feet wide; Bowen street (formerly known as Maple Avenue) Ward 6, from Homer to Centre streets, 986 feet, 35 feet wide ; Lombard street, Ward 1, from Centre to Claremont streets, 1146 feet, 40 feet wide ; Marshall street, Ward 6, from Sumner street easterly, 422 feet, 40 feet wide; Nonantum Place, Ward 7, from Nonan- tum street northerly, 365 feet, 30 feet wide ; an extension of School street (formerly known as North School street), Ward 1, from Pearl to Gardner streets, 201 feet, 35 feet wide; and Washington Place, Ward 2, from Walnut street westerly 1016 feet, 40 feet wide; making a total length of streets accepted, 5047 feet.
The lines of Walnut street from Morse street to Bul- lough's Pond were altered, the street being straightened thereby and much improved.
All actions of the Board of Aldermen for the year 1884, relating to highways, drains, water works, etc., have been indexed by streets, or under their respective heads, for ready reference.
The copying of all Newton (street, railroad and land) plans on file at the Registry of Deeds, County Commission-
11
ers or Clerk of the Court's offices, has been completed, and the same are now on file at this office. In addition to the above, copies have been made of all plans which could be obtained from private parties, and a record kept of the sources from which they are obtained. These are carefully indexed under their respective heads, and placed where they can be readily referred to.
It is my desire to make the records of the Department convenient and valuable to the public. Already has this scheme proven of great value to persons having mislaid their original plans, and have found copies of the same on file ; or, where persons desiring to find plans of certain properties, after examining various places at considerable expense, have found copies here of what they wanted. Where a series of plans of the same properties have been made, showing sub- divisions or changes, copies are arranged for easy reference or comparison.
I might here suggest that any person having any plans of Newton property, by sending them to this office, copies will be made and placed on record free of expense to them, the original returned, and the copy can be at any time referred to, should the original be lost or not of easy access.
In addition to the work already enumerated, several large district plans (plotted on a scale of forty feet to an inch) have been or are being made as the surveys of streets connecting districts already surveyed are finished.
Early in January, Mr. Henry D. Woods, Principal 'As- sistant Engineer and Draughtsman, resigned his position in the office in order to accept a more favorable one abroad. By his resignation the Department lost the services of a faithful, efficient and skilful assistant, whose loss is seriously felt. His position as draughtsman has been partially filled by Mr. Frank L. Preble, who is employed part of each month, as he may have freedom from his other duties.
HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT.
Highway Surveyors and Joint Standing Committee on Highways.
ALDERMAN DWIGHT CHESTER, Chairman. ALDERMAN JOHN Q. HENRY. COUNCILMAN JAMES H. NICKERSON. COUNCILMAN PRESCOTT C. BRIDGHAM. COUNCILMAN GEORGE M. FISKE.
EXECUTIVE OFFICERS.
Superintendent of Streets. WILLIAM E. FULLER.
Assistant Superintendents of Streets.
GEORGE E. STUART, Wards 1, 2 and 7. JOHN J. WARE, Wards 4 and 5. JOHN A. PECK, Ward 6.
City Engineer. ALBERT F. NOYES.
1
HIGHWAYS.
The management of the highways, the ordinary repairs, the building and rebuilding of streets, drains, culverts, side- walks, etc., and the gravel' lands, are under the general direction of the Joint Standing Committee on Highways, Streets and Ways, Sidewalks, Drains and Sewers, and the Highway Surveyors.
The committee for 1884, with the exception of two councilmen, remained the same as in 1883. The executive officers of the department remained the same as for the last five years.
The policy of thorough work in whatever was under- taken, which was adopted by the Highway Committee and Superintendent of Streets four years ago, has been con- tinued during the past year with equally good effect, although they have adhered to it so closely as to awaken the criticism of some that they were neglecting the surfacing up of some of the old and poorly constructed streets. I can hardly feel this criticism a fair one; for it is due to the requirement on the part of the public for a better class of roadway than they would have been perfectly satisfied with a few years ago.
The Superintendent of Streets desires to again call your attention to the suggestion in my report for the year 1882 which was as follows :
16
" The department, as at present arranged, is divided into four districts, under the Superintendent of Streets and three assistants. The horses of the department occupy the stables jointly with those of the fire department, and are subject to the demands and calls of that department. The district under Mr. Stuart is divided into two,-Newton and Newton- ville; and that under Mr. Ware into three,-Auburndale, Newton Lower Falls and Newton Upper Falls. Under the efficient management of the Superintendent of Streets, there is scarcely a day that the full force of the department cannot work to advantage. As at present arranged, the con- centrated action of the force cannot be obtained, and the Highway Committee have under consideration the advisabil- ity of placing the whole force of the north side of the city at some central point, as at Newtonville; thus separating the Fire and Highway Departments. This would undoubtedly result in great advantage to the Highway Department, enab- ling the Superintendent to concentrate his forces, and carry on the work with greater economy."
The steam road roller, purchased in the spring of 1881, has been kept constantly at work during the summer months. No repairs have been necessary beyond possibly steeling some of the picks ; a new blade or two for the mud scrapers, or babbitting the wheels (which has jast been done for the first time). A careful examination during the past month showed it to be in as good condition, apparently, as when new. It has been run during the past season 1066 hours; it has picked up 60,391 square yards of macadamized road; and has laid down 141,731 square yards of Telford, macadamized or gravel road. It has been let for two days to the town of Watertown; it was used thirteen hours for pull- ing up trees, and it has been put to the equally novel use of hauling heavily loaded teams over roads being repaired or rebuilt.
17
The portable stone crusher and portable hoisting pulley engine, purchased in December, 1883, arrived early in February, and both have proved perfectly satisfactory. The first work of the engine was upon the Eldridget Sreet drain, where it furnished power for a six-inch Andrews pump con- tinuously, and also hoisting power for a derrick.
I would respectfully call your attention to the necessity for systematic repair of concrete sidewalks (see pages 23 and 24 of Annual Report for 1883). A very considerable per- centage of those already built are out of repair, and for safety and convenience should receive immediate attention. I would respectfully recommend that a special appropriation be made for that purpose.
Highways, General Repairs.
Amount appropriated by order of the City Coun-
cil for highways, general repairs for the year ending Dec. 31, 1884 . . $45,000 00
Amount transferred from appropriation for high- way widenings and improvements 4,800 00
Amount transferred from appropriation for mis- cellaneous expenses 450 00
$50,250 00 Amount transferred to appropriation for drains and culverts . 500 00
Total appropriation . . $49,750 00
Amount expended as per Auditor's records . 48,991 20
Balance unexpended as per Auditor's records $758 80 Amount charged to appropriation for highways, general repairs. as per Auditor's records . $48,991 20 Amount charged to appropriation for miscella- neous expenses by the Auditor 201 39
Total amount expended $49,192 59
18
The following table will show in detail the amount ex- pended on each street for maintenance, as made up from the Superintendent's and Assistant Superintendent's records of work : ---
Alpine
$23 34
Arlington
8 75
Ash .
18 00
Auburn
328 34
Baldwin
11 00
Beacon
246 25
Bellevue
255 01
Belmont
16 62
Bourne
563 73
Bowers
350 62
Boyd .
7 59
Boylston
1,399 17
Cabot .
234 75
Carleton
9 87
Cedar .
109 37
Central
60 74
Central Place
5 25
Centre
1,721 85
Charles
23 33
Chase .
21 00
Cherry
176 75
Chestnut
643 50
Church
46 87
Concord,
22 00
Cook .
61 57
Cottage
699 08
Cotton
482 25
Court
30 00
Amount carried forward,
. .
$7,576 60
19
Amount brought forward,
$7,576 60
Crafts
210 87
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