Town of Newton annual report 1885, Part 10

Author: Newton (Mass.)
Publication date: 1885
Publisher: Newton (Mass.)
Number of Pages: 570


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Respectfully submitted, For the Board, NATHAN MOSMAN, Agent.


Compliments of Daniel On. Flammond, City Marshal.


CITY OF NEWTON.


ANNUAL REPORT


OF THE


CITY MARSHAL


OF THE


CITY OF NEWTON,


FOR THE


YEAR ENDING DEC. 31, 1885.


W


LIBERTY AND


FOUNDED


UNIO


A CITY1873


30


8 ...


VANY


Heuton :


PRESS OF THE NEWTON JOURNAL. 1886.


CITY MARSHAL'S REPORT.


OFFICE OF THE CITY MARSHAL, WEST NEWTON, DEC. 31, 1885.


To HIS HONOR THE MAYOR AND THE HONORABLE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NEWTON : -


The following report, showing the condition of the Police Department, and the work done during the current year, is most respectfully submitted : -


ARRESTS.


Number of arrests


485


Arrests on warrants


208


Arrests without warrants


277


Held for trial


433'


Released


52


Females arrested .


49


Foreigners arrested


265


Non-residents arrested.


109


Minors arrested .


110


Colored persons arrested


5


.


.


.


6


Of the five colored persons arrested three were women, and two were boys, all for assault and battery.


Arrested at Police Station, No. 1.


70


Arrested at Police Station, No. 2


40


Arrested at Police Station, No. 3


272


Arrested at Police Station, No. 4


.


103


485


OFFENCES.


Americans.


Foreigners.


Total.


Assault and battery


21


23


44


Assault, felonious


1


1


2


Assault on an officer


1


1


2


Adultery


1


1


Breaking and entering.


3


1


4


Common beggars.


1


1


Common railer and brawler.


1


1


Contempt of Court


2


2


4


Cruelty to animals


3


4


7


Default warrants.


1


1


Disturbing the peace


35


33


68


Disturbing school


2


2


Disturbing public meeting


1


1


Drunkenness


56


142


198


Embezzlement


1


1


Evading car fare .


6


3


9


Fast driving


2


1


3


Fraud .


1


1


2


Gaming


3


10


13


Idle and disorderly


1


1


Insane .


.


5


8


13


Indecency


3


3


6


.


.


.


.


.


.


7


Americans.


Foreigners,


Total,


Larceny simple .


13


2


15


Larceny felonious


1


1


2


Lewdness


1


1


Making bonfires .


2


1


3


Neglected Children


1


1


Peddling without license


1


1


Rape .


2


2


Refusing to assist an officer.


1


1


Robbery


1


1


Runaways .


1


1


Stubborn children


5


3


8


Suspicion of larceny


4


4


Suspicious persons


2


2


4


Threatening bodily harm


1


1


2


Tramps


4


4


Trespass


2


2


Vagrancy


1


1


Violation of the City Ordinances


21


2


23


Violation of the Lord's Day


8


8


Violation of the dog law


1


1


Violation of the liquor law .


·


4


10


14


Witnesses


1


1


2


210


275


485


The females were arrested for the following offences: -


Assault and battery


7


Common railer and brawler.


1


Contempt of Court


1


Disturbing the peace


8


Drunkenness


13


Gaming


1


.


.


8


Insane


· 6


Larceny, simple .


.


1


Larceny, felonious


.


1


Stubborn children


6


Lewdness .


1


Violation of the liquor law .


2


Witness


1


49


NATIVITY OF PRISONERS.


Ireland


212


United States


. 210


Canada


23


England


15


Germany


10


Scotland


6


Sweden


5


Russia .


2


Italy .


1


France.


1


485


NATIVITY OF FEMALE PRISONERS.


Ireland


24


United States


15


Canada


5


England


4


Germany


1


.


.


49


9


LOCAL POLICE WORK.


Arrested by Officers on duty at Newton 94


Arrested by Officers on duty at Newtonville 16


Arrested by Officers on duty at Nonantum . 64


Arrested by Officers on duty at West Newton 132


Arrested by Officers on duty at Auburndale 23


Arrested by Officers on duty at Lower Falls 16


Arrested by Officers on duty at Newton Centre . 94


Arrested by Officers on duty at Newton Highlands 13


Arrested by Officers on duty at Upper Falls


33


485


The residents of Newton who were arrested resided as follows:


Newton


63


Newtonville


10


Nonantum


53


West Newton


88


Auburndale .


30


Lower Falls .


18


Newton Centre


66


Newton Highlands


20


Upper Falls .


28


376


NATIVITY OF THE RESIDENTS OF NEWTON WHO WERE ARRESTED.


Ireland


171


United States


155


10


Canada


20


England


12


Scotland


6


Sweden


5


Germany


3


Russia


2


France


1


Italy .


1


376


OCCUPATIONS OF THE MEN ARRESTED.


Architects


1


Baggage-masters


1


Bar-tenders


2


Brass-finishers


2


Blacksmiths


13


Brewers


4


Carpenters


30


Clerks


10


Cigar-makers .


1


Coachmen


4


Coopers


1


Engineers


2


Engravers


1


Expressmen


1


Farmers


7


Firemen


1


Florists


2


Gardeners


1


Hostlers


9


Horse-clippers


1


11


Harness-makers


4


Hack-drivers .


1


Junk dealers .


3


Laborers


183


Masons


12


Machinists


8


Mill-hands


20


Moulders


1


Organ-grinders


1


Painters


13


Peddlers


3


Plumbers


3


Paper-hangers


2


Physicians


1


Publishers


2


Reporters


1


Sailors


1


Shoemakers


7


Soldiers


.


1


Stable-keepers


1


Teamsters


29


Traders


10


Tanners


1


Upholsterers


.


2


Wool-sorters


1


405


Females


49


Minors with no business


31


485


12


LODGERS.


Station No. 1.


427


Station No. 3.


786


Station No. 4.


225


1438


NATIVITY OF LODGERS.


United States


616


Ireland


574


England


114


Canada


54


Germany


33


Scotland


20


Sweden


10


France


10


Italy .


5


Egypt


2


1438


REPORTS MADE BY PATROLMEN TO THE CITY MARSHAL.


Accidents


46


Buildings erecting


124


Buildings found open and secured


18


Cases investigated


80


Defective street lights


246


Defective sidewalks .


18


Defective streets


12


Defective water pipes


5


13


Disturbances suppressed 51


Fire alarms . 39


Fires extinguished without alarm


16


Intoxicated persons helped home


75


Lost children found and restored to friends


8


Nuisances


=


Sick and injured persons assisted


.


15


Stray teams put up .


.


16


MISCELLANEOUS.


Amount of property reported stolen in the city . $3062 00 Amount recovered, stolen in and out of the city . 2258 50 Witness fees earned by officers and paid by the Clerk of Court to City Treasurer 702 62


Amount of fines imposed by Court


1900 00


Imprisonment imposed by Court,


17 years, 4 months.


Cases reported to Medical Examiner


11


Number of extra duties done by officers .


208


Number of search warrants for liquor served


11


Number of seizures


10


Number of gallons of liquor seized


176


Number of gallons of liquor delivered to Chief of State Police 121


LIQUOR LAW.


Of the fourteen cases for violation of the liquor law, nine were convicted, the fines amounting to $750.00, with the costs of Court in addition.


14


Five were acquitted.


Experience convinces one, that evidence which will bring conviction in most any other case of violation of the laws, is not of sufficient strength to convict a person of the offence of violation of the liquor law.


It is one of the most difficult undertakings to obtain witnesses, outside of the police force, to testify in liquor cases, so that if a conviction is obtained, the Officers have only themselves to thank for it.


If the liquor law could be amended so that the witness fees in liquor cases could be increased, or part of the fines, imposed by Court, could be paid to the citizen making the complaint, (as in the dog law,) or, imprisonment imposed every time a conviction was obtained, I think the Officers who have the business to deal with, would be greatly assisted.


Amount of appropriation for police service in 1885


$19,500.00


Amount expended .


19,498.17


Balance .


$1.83


PROBATION OFFICER.


Acting as Probation Officer, I have taken four persons on probation. One was defaulted by Court and paid a fine, the other three have their probations still pending.


POLICE TELEPHONE.


In December 1884 a police telephone was constructed, connecting the four Police Stations, the residence of the Sergeant and the residence of the City Marshal. It is in


15


good order and very useful in conducting the business of the department.


The horse connected with the department is in good condition, so are the carriages and harnesses.


STATION HOUSES.


Station No. 1 has been remodelled and painted.


Stations 2, 3 and 4 are in good repair. Water closets are needed at Stations Nos. 1 and 2.


At Station No. 3 where there are six cells, four kinds of locks are used, necessitating the use of as many different keys; if one kind of lock could be used, on all the cells, it would be a great improvement.


Since the last report the Force has been increased by the appointment of two patrolmen, making the number of Patrolmen at present 16.


One member of the Force has been reprimanded during the year for violation of the Rules and Regulations govern- ing the department. Otherwise the members have been diligent and attentive to their duties.


DANIEL M. HAMMOND. City Marshal.


CITY OF NEWTON, MASS.


REPORT


OF THE


WATER BOARD,


FOR THE


YEAR ENDING DEC. 31, 1885.


EW


LIBERTY AND


HO FOUNDEL


UNION


88.A CITY1873


M.


GRAT


Newton : PRESS OF THE NEWTON JOURNAL. 1886.


CITY OF NEWTON.


Accepted and sent up.


IN COMMON COUNCIL, Jan. 25. 1886.


ALBERT S. GLOVER, Clerk. IN BOARD OF MAYOR AND ALDERMEN, Jan. 25. 1886. Accepted in concurrence.


I. F. KINGSBURY. Clerk.


THE NEWTON WATER WORKS.


Organization for 1885.


WATER BOARD. EDWARD W. CATE, President.


FRANCIS A. DEWSON. DR. CHAS. FRED CREHORE. ALDERMAN NOAH W. FARLEY.


COUNCILMAN ALBERT F. UPTON.


ALBERT S. GLOVER, Water Registrar and Clerk of Board. ALBERT F. NOYES, Engineer of Board. H. NELSON HYDE, Jr., Superintendent.


THE NEWTON WATER WORKS.


Organization for 1886.


WATER BOARD.


EDWARD W. CATE, President.


FRANCIS A. DEWSON. DR. CHAS. FRED CREHORE.


ALDERMAN GEO. PETTEE. COUNCILMAN GEO. D. DIX.


ALBERT S. GLOVER, Water Registrar and Clerk of Board. ALBERT F. NOYES, Engineer of Board. H. NELSON HYDE, Jr., Superintendent.


REPORT OF THE WATER BOARD.


WATER BOARD OFFICE, WEST NEWTON, January 22, 1886. S


To His Honor the Mayor and City Council of the City of Newton :


In submitting, in accordance with the Water Ordinance, their report of the doings of the Water Department during the year ending December 31, 1885, the Water Board de- sire to say that they have not deemed it expedient to touch in detail upon the routine work of the department. This work during any one year cannot, of necessity, materially differ from the work of any other year, and can be fully un- derstood from an examination of the tables herewith pre- sented.


During the past year the constitution and organization of the Board has remained the same as at the time of mak- ing our last report; all the officers of the Department have been retained and have performed good and efficient work in their several positions.


In the construction of our works, from the peculiar composition of the city, it was necessary to lay long lengths of main pipe to connect our different villages; these sections laid without regard to the income to be obtained from them,


8


and at great expense, have been and will be for a long time to come a great burden to our interest account; were it not for them our works would, by this time, be self-supporting; it should consequently be a source of gratification to the tax-payers that, notwithstanding these unfavorable condi- tions, our present financial standing makes such a favorable showing. By reference to the financial statement on page 33 of this report, it will be seen that our deficit has been gradually reduced from $35,799.52 in 1878 to $13,126.56 at date.


From present indications, and making a liberal allow- ance for necessary construction expenses in the meantime, the deficit will be entirely obliterated by the year 1890; then with our superior plant including the very large mileage of main pipe laid, from which without expenditure by the city a large income is sure to be derived, as the city becomes built up, the prospects of our works will compare very favor- ably with those of any department known to the Board.


ADDITIONAL SUPPLY.


This is the most important matter with which the Board has had to deal during the year. At the time of our last report the Engineer was engaged on experiments to de- termine the most promising source for an additional water supply. He continued in this work till June 15. Borings were made to determine the stratification on both sides of the river from the Pumping Station to and into the Appleton Meadows, and upon the result of his investigations the En- gineer submitted to the Board the following report:


9


CITY OF NEWTON, OFFICE OF CITY ENGINEER, WEST NEWTON, MASS., June 26, 1885.


To the President and Members of the Water Board :


GENTLEMEN : In accordance with your instructions " To examine into and report to the Water Board with my recommendations as to the best method of increasing our water supply," I would respectfully submit the following re- port and recommendations.


In the consideration of this question four schemes have presented themselves.


The first and least expensive is to take water direct from the river.


The second is to take the water after having been filtered by some one of the many ways which can be mentioned.


The third to take the water which is stored in or flow- ing through the ground and


The fourth to look for water from some other source.


In view of the slight taste and brownish color of the water of the river and the constant liability of its becoming to a certain degree polluted, I doubt if the citizens would be willing to use it exceptoin cases of extreme necessity ; in my opinion this source of supply should be considered only as a last resort.


In order to filter the river water so as to free it from its brownish color and from any pollution which might be con- tained in it, the process must be very slow and the filter of large area ; I doubt if the results would warrant the expense at the present time and this source, I think, should only be resorted to in case of pollution or of short supply of ground water, in which case the filtered river water would be pre- ferred.


10


The supply of pure, cold spring or ground water, which is so abundant in the vicinity of the Pumping Station, can, in my opinion, be obtained at a comparatively slight expense and would not warrant going elsewhere for a supply for some years to come. This period of time being dependent, of course, upon the rapidity with which the south part of the city and the water shed of the upper portion of the river be- came populated.


Borings made from time to time in the vicinity of the Pumping Station, on the Newton side of the river, showed that a stratum of coarse sand or gravel underlaid the quick- sand and that through this stratum there must be a large flow of water. As soon as spring opened borings were made ex- tending from Needham street to and beyond Nahanton street in order to determine the character of the sub-soil. These borings showed the previous examinations to be substantially correct. At a depth of from thirty to fifty feet from the surface a stratum of coarse sand, gravel and hard pan from one to twelve or more feet in thickness was found to over- lay what seemed to be the bed rock. Above this stratum of gravel there is a stratum of quicksand from two to thirty or more feet in thickness.


As the subsoil of the water-shed of the Charles River at this point, extending from Crystal Lake on the north, and Bald Pate and Oak Hills on the east, is of the same general nature, there is no doubt of a large flow of water through this sub-stratum of gravel, which is protected from surface pollution by the thick layer of fine compact sand, the filtra- tion through which must be very slow and practically per- fect. The result of these examinations would indicate the practicability of obtaining such additional supply as may be necessary on the Newton side of the river within the lim- its of our own property.


11


The thick layer of quicksand between the levels of high and low water in the present filtering basin would render impracticable the building of a filtering conduit, gallery or basin on the Newton side of the river; and beyond the limit of economy to build large brick wells to the depth of the gravel.


I would therefore recommend that a series of tube wells be driven from the Pumping Station and extending southerly to the Goddard property. These wells to be connected to a conduit pipe of graduated size, laid below the level of the ground water and connected with the high pressure pump in the Station, and also carried to the pump-well, entering it below low water mark.


By this arrangement the pipes would syphon the water to a level equal to grade 85, practically the limit of the draught of the large pumps. Should more water be wanted . the connection of the high pressure pump with the Reservoir could be shut off and by pumping into the pump-well or reservoir as may be desired, the ground water can be drafted upon to grade 67. The amount of water to be obtained by this arrangement I am unable to state, but have no doubt it will equal six or more hundred thousand gallons per day by flowing and one and one-half million gallons per day by pumping and I have reason to believe it will exceed this amount.


After six weeks of continuous pumping during the months of August and September of the year 1883 the consumption of water was about 3,000,000 gallons more than the supply and reduced the storage to within less than 1,000,000 gallons of low water mark in the reservoir.


At the present time there are about 300 more services laid, hence the consumption under similar conditions would be greater than then, and during the past week the supply


12


has scarcely equalled the demand. Should the summer prove dry and warm unless some other means of supply are re- sorted to we will undoubtedly be short of water.


I would therefore respectively recommend that steps be immediately taken to obtain additional supply and that an appropriation of $15,000 be made for that purpose.


Respectfully submitted,


[Signed.]


ALBERT F. NOYES,


City Engineer.


This report was accepted, and in accordance with its recommendations the Board asked and obtained from the City Council an appropriation of $15,000 for the prosecution of the work. Upon recommendation of the Engineer various contractors were asked to submit plans for obtaining a water supply through driven wells, and proposals for work in ac- cordance therewith. These plans and specifications were all carefully considered by the Board and it was finally decided to accept the proposal of John A. Gill, of Boston, for driv- ing a series of two and a half inch pipes in the grounds of the city on the Newton side of the river extending southerly from the Pumping Station to the Goddard property.


After seven wells had been driven, the Engineer not being satisfied with the results obtained, the Board, upon his recommendation, made a contract with the Manhattan Ar- tesian Well Company, the terms of which are substantially as follows :


Said Company agrees to furnish, through a series of pipe wells, not less than four inches, each, in diameter, placed in land of the city near the Pumping Station on the Newton side of the river, a supply of water of not less than 250,000 gallons per day of twenty-four hours; the water to be pumped with a high pressure pump in the basement of the


13


Pumping Station or by a pump similarly situated as to eleva- tion.


It is further agreed that unless said Company shall suc- ceed in furnishing said 250,000 gallons per day, the amount to be determined by the quantity pumped from the wells driven on the last day's pumping in a thirty-one day's test to be made, no charge shall be made the city for the work per- formed.


It is further agreed, also, that upon the successful com- pletion of this contract the city shall have the option of con- tracting with said Company for a further supply, not to ex- ceed 1,500,000 gallons daily, upon the terms of the agree- ment already made.


Work under this contract was commenced November 30, and although, to some extent, interfered with by the weather it has been pushed to a point where the contracting Company expects the full amount contracted for has been secured.


These wells are now being developed, and tests will soon be made to ascertain whether they yield the specified quantity.


Whether upon the completion of this work the Board shall avail itself of the provision in the contract allowing it to secure a still further additional supply is a question still under consideration.


HIGH SERVICE.


The matter of a High Service Supply has received con- siderable attention from the Board during the year, and the Engineer, at the request of the Board, has been making a special study of the matter; but while such a service would undoubtedly be of great accommodation and convenience to certain districts now only partially supplied, the Board feels


14


chat the expense necessary for the proper development of such a work would scarcely, at the present time at least, be warranted by the results obtainable therefrom.


MAIN PIPE.


Although having in stock quite a supply of main pipe it was deemed wise by the Board, in November, to take ad- vantage of the favorable state of the market by purchasing one hundred and fifty tons additional. Proposals were ac- cordingly solicited and received and in November a contract was made with the Warren Foundry & Machine Company to furnish on or before April 1, next, the following quantities, at the prices stated, delivered at Newtonville ; 44 tons of 4 in. at $28.30 per ton; 58 tons of 8 in. at $28.30 per ton ; and 48 tons of 12 in. at $27.60 per ton ; these prices are the lowest for which main pipe was ever purchased for the department.


SERVICE PIPES.


Observations made from time to time during the past two years led the Board to the conclusion that it would be expedient to change the kind of pipe used for services. Tar-coated wrought iron pipe was used till 1883, when en- amelled iron was substituted therefor. At the beginning of the working season of 1885, the Board, forming its judg- ment from experiments and observations made under its direction and from information obtained by correspondence with officials of other departments and from a report upon service pipe issued by the New England Water Works Association decided to recommend to water takers the use of lead pipe, leaving with them, however, the selec- tion, if they had a preference.


As a result of this recommendation twenty-three per- cent. of the services laid during the year were of lead. The


15


Board would prefer to see a much more general adoption of their recommendation, believing, thoroughly, that by the use of lead for service pipe the interests alike of the consumers and the department would best be served.


REBATES.


One of the chief causes of discontent on the part of the water takers and of friction between them and the depart- ment has been removed by the action of the City Council in adopting the recommendation- of the board that tenants vacating houses on which water bills had been paid in advance for the year should receive back the water rental for the unexpired term, less the charge for cutting off the water. The board made the recommendation only after due reflec- tion, and feel convinced from the working of the plan during the short time that it has been in operation that their judg- ment in the matter has been correct, and that their action will be universally approved.


SPECIAL RATES.


The board received during the year applications for special rates for metered water from parties claiming concession on the ground of being large consumers. While it is true that the argument of wholesale consumption is entitled to certain weight in establishing a price for the water used, the board feel, as stated in its report of Dec. 11, to the City Council upon the petition of Joseph Lee for a special rate for the Woodland Park Hotel, that a weightier argument and the one if any that should secure a special rate is that extraordi- nary consumption usually comes from some business enter- prise, the establishment and development of which it may be expedient to encourage within the city limits .. Even in such


16


cases, however, the board feel that the responsibility for a concession should be assumed by the City Council and not the board. The regular rate for metered water is 35 cents per thousand gallons. From this rate there are three devi- ations, viz : a special rate of 16 2-3 cents to the Newton Cemetery Corporation; one of 21 cents to the B. & A. R. R. for its standpipe at Riverside and one of a sliding rate of from 35 cents to 12 cents, depending upon the consumption, to the Nonantum Worsted Company; all of these were granted by water committees of the City Council before the establishment of this board. It would be wise, if, as a result of the consideration of this matter, now before the City Council in the matter of Mr. Lee's petition, it should be decided to amend the ordinance and provide for a special meter rate, to do so in such manner as shall include the three cases above mentioned.


THE USE OF METERS.


The established policy of the department in encouraging the use of meters meets with the continued approval of the board, not only because, in the opinion of the board, the sale of water by measure is the most equitable and satisfactory method of its disposal, but also for the reason that meters are an invaluable auxiliary in the proper administration of that most important branch of water works management, the suppression of water waste. The board have been for some time considering the question of recommending a more gen eral use of meters even tha'n now exists ; and, while believ- ing that possibly at the present time there may not be a necessity for requiring all services supplying bath-rooms to be metered, they feel that in the near future such a plan, or an approximation to it, will be deemed expedient.


17


METER ROOM.


Since the establishment of the works the department has labored under a serious disadvantage from the lack of proper facilities for testing its meters, and in making important tests has depended upon the courtesy of other departments. This obstacle to the successful management of our large and growing meter department has, during the past year, been removed ; and, under the direction of the Registrar, there has been fitted up in the basement of the City Hall a room especially designed for testing meters suitably equipped with the necessary apparatus therefor. The Registrar is at pres- ent at work upon a test of the different kinds of meters in use by the city for the purpose of determining their value to the department in the performance of the work for which they are designed.




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