USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Newton > Town of Newton annual report 1890 > Part 19
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COVERED RESERVOIR.
built of Roxbury pudding stone from the local quarries, laid in American cement mortar.
The covering of the reservoir is formed by a series of arches of four inch brick work, covered with four inches of Portland concrete.
These arches are supported on lines of brick piers connected by brick lintels, the outer edge bearing on the end walls. The brick piers are twenty inches by twenty inches, set eleven feet eight inches on centres each way, and are started on masonry foundations three feet square and three feet deep ; all laid in American cement mortar. The arches are laid in Portland cement mortar. All the arches have ten feet span and ten inch rise. All the walls are to receive a coating of Portland cement mortar one-half inch thick and finished off smooth.
The high water line, which is at grade 320, is the top of the lintel arches.
At the center of each line of arches is located a twenty- four inch cast iron ventilator with a solid cover, and a series of slotted vertical openings to admit a free circulation of air, without admitting direct light.
The bottom of the reservoir, which is a compact hard pan, is to be finished off with four inches of cement concrete, rounded up to the walls on all sides, and graded down to the waste outlet.
The sides of the reservoir are to be protected by gravel banks well packed down, and graded off on a slope of two to one on the east and south, and one and one-half to one on the north and west, which banks will have to be removed when the other sections are built. The slopes of the banks are well loamed and sodded, and the tops are to be finished off with a gravel walk six feet wide all around the reservoir.
The top of the reservoir above the concrete is to receive two feet of loam to be grassed over. A granite edge stone is to be set all around the edge of the loam to divide it from
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REPORT OF CITY ENGINEER.
the gravel walk. Tile drains are to be run over the haunches of the arches to carry off any extra rain that may percolate through the loam above.
In this manner it is expected that the water in the res- ervoir will be kept at a fairly even temperature throughout the year, it will not freeze in winter, nor will it be heated in summer, and the light being kept from it, the growths usual to ground water exposed to the light and air in summer will be wholly prevented.
As already stated the supply to the reservoir is through the gate-chamber. For this purpose a twenty-four inch east iron main has been laid from the gate-chamber to beyond the foot of the bank of the future sections of the reservoir on the west side. This will be prolonged in the spring by a twenty inch main to connect with the present main on Ward street. If at any future time it should become necessary to increase this to twenty-four inches, it will not be necessary to inter- fere with that portion embraced within the lines of the reservoir.
At the gate-chamber the force main is carried up some five feet by means of a Y branch and terminates in the bottom of a steel distributing tank twelve feet high and seven feet six inches in diameter, enamelled inside, situated in the centre of the chamber on a brick and masonry founda- tion. The water is allowed to rise in this tank to near high water line, and then flows into the reservoir through a twenty-four inch gate, and a line of pipe carried down to and along the bottom of the reservoir to the middle, where it flows out through a vertical one-fourth turn globe special.
When the reservoir is full to the high water mark (320), it will flow over a wier near the top of the steel dis- tributing tank, down through a twenty-four inch waste pipe, which has been laid below the force main, in the same trench and bedded in concrete to prevent all settlement of the main. This waste pipe is to be continued by a twenty inch pipe,
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COVERED RESERVOIR.
and connected to the present reservoir, so that the surplus water, if any is pumped, may not be lost. There will also be in this trench a waste pipe of smaller size to carry off any washings of the reservoir into the nearest drain.
The water is taken from the reservoir near the bottom close to the gate chamber, through a line of twenty-four inch pipe and globe specials, and a check valve, back into the force main at the Y branch before mentioned. A twenty inch geared gate controls this flow from the reservoir.
All this piping is laid symmetrically on either side of the gate-chamber, and carried through the walls, so that when the future sections are built, they may be directly con- nected with the system, by simply inserting the necessary gates. One single check valve controls the whole. Any sections can then be connected with the distributing or force main, or with one of the other sections.
There is also a twelve inch connection from the reser- voir into the twenty-four inch waste pipe, to be used in cleaning out the reservoir after it has been drawn down through the distributing gate. This is controlled by a twelve inch gate in the gate-chamber, and the connections are duplicated for the other sections.
The bottom of the gate-chamber is to be concreted, and a separate six inch drain pipe has been provided to carry off any leakage that may occur or water from washings.
Access will be had to the gate-chamber at the surface of the ground through a four foot doorway and a flight of steps, over the location of the force main. The general embank- ment around the reservoir will be continued around the gate-chamber, and cut off by wing walls either side of the doorway, which will be finished off in granite.
A flight of granite steps on the south side of the door- way will give access to the walk on the top of the bank. A similar but longer flight will give access to the walk on the east side of the reservoir.
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REPORT OF CITY ENGINEER.
The top of the gate chamber will be floored over, por- tions of the flooring being set with glass for the admission of light. It is also intended to have the central portion of the floor over the tank made so as to open and allow a view of the water rising up from the main. Probably a structure some twenty-five or thirty feet high will be erected over the chamber that can be used as a point of observation, and eventually form the base of the stand pipe tower.
The top of the reservoir being at grade 325, a very extended and fine view of the surrounding country and the harbor can already be had from the top of the banks.
When the time comes to put in the stand pipe, it is the intention that all the gates, etc., to control it shall also be located in this chamber.
Assistants from this office were detailed to look after the work, acting in the following capacities :
I. W. Hastings, resident engineer.
H. H. Applin, rodman and inspector.
G. A. Harris, rodman and inspector.
ASSESSORS.
It has been evident to the Assessors for several years that a number of errors existed in the areas upon which they were basing their valuation of property. Some of these errors had arisen from clerical errors in copying from one year to another, and others had arisen from errors made many years ago in estimating areas of large unsurveyed tracts of land. These errors had not caused much trouble or become apparent until the land was cut up into lots, or until portions of it were sold, and then it became evident that the balance remaining upon the Assessors' books did not correspond with the land. So many of these errors had been discovered and corrected, that a feeling of uncertainty existed as to the cor- rectness of the record of the remaining areas. It was de- cided to use the block system and to begin work on Wards 3 and 4. Owing to the limited time after the appropriation was made, the work was not fully completed in these wards, but enough was developed to show that the work had been undertaken none too soon, and changes were necessary, either increasing or diminishing a greater portion of the areas. A complete survey of these wards, showing all the fences and division lines was made. These surveys were plotted on a scale of forty feet to an inch on large district sheets five feet wide and from ten to fourteen feet in length.
It was then necessary from land plans, deeds, etc., to determine the location of divisions where no apparent line
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REPORT OF CITY ENGINEER.
existed on the ground. The areas were then scaled carefully and checked. Small plans were made on a scale of 200 feet to an inch for use of the Assessors in the field, showing the area of each lot. An appropriation has been made to com- plete this work next year, and to complete Ward 2 in the same manner. Next year the large district sheets will be traced on bond paper sheets, twenty-one inches by thirty- three inches, the districts comprising the large lots, farms, etc., will be reduced to a scale of eighty feet to an inch, and these tracings will be filed in the office of the Assessors, and corrected and perfected from year to year.
The system of blocking decided upon by the Assessors is as follows :
Each ward is divided into ten sections, and these sec- tions will be numbered to correspond to the ward, viz : Sections 50 to 59 in Ward 5, and so on, the number of the section immediately showing the number of the ward. The seetion lines will follow the principal streets. These sec- tions will be divided into blocks, each block being bounded by streets, and these blocks will be numbered in their sections. When the sub-division of blocks has practically ceased, then the lots will be numbered in the blocks, and the lots will be referred to as Lot 1, Block 8, Section 29, for instance.
The Assessors having the area of each lot in the block, and the total area of the block, can immediately check the accuracy of their clerical work each year, by adding up the area of the block and noticing if it corresponds with the proper area.
It is not expected that these plans can be perfected im- mediately, on account of the expense attending such an attempt, but from year to year as more accurate or complete information is obtained, it will be placed upon these plans.
ASSESSORS. 65
The special appropriation for this purpose was expended as follows :
Salaries of assistant engineers, . $1,870 00
Car fares and incidental expenses, 39 07
Supplies,
81 76
Total, .
$1,990 92
5
SEWERAGE.
Work in making the plans for the sewerage system for the city was continued through the year, and reports made to the committee from time to time upon such portions of the question as required their consideration. The final report made to the City Council may be found in the Appendix, and fully describes the system proposed.
Surface Drainage.
The study and planning for surface drainage of the city has been carried on during the year in conjunction with that of the sewer system, but it has presented so many com- plex questions, more time will be required for their proper solution, and further time for making the report has been asked for. It is expected a report may be made during the coming year.
BOARD OF HEALTH.
The principal work undertaken for the Board of Health was the drainage of what is commonly known as the Elm Street District, West Newton. This consisted principally in the deepening and widening of a branch of Cheese Cake brook, erossing under Webster street and Oak avenue, to a point near Elm street, thereby draining a large tract of low lying land. Plans and estimates have been made for drain- ing what is known as the Henshaw Street District and the Mague Meadows, and an appropriation for carrying out the plans for the same made by the City Council. The work will be carried out by this department during the coming year.
The services of this department have been extended to the Board of Health in the consideration of special questions coming before them from time to time as required.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.
In conclusion I wish to extend to His Honor Mayor Burr, and to the various committees with whom the depart- ment have been brought in contact, my acknowledgements of my appreciation of their courtesy and confidence ex- tended to me.
And to the assistants in this department, I wish to acknowledge my appreciation of the earnest work and co- operation extended to me in performing the various works coming before us to execute.
Respectfully submitted,
ALBERT F. NOYES, City Engineer.
APPENDIX.
ORDINANCES RELATING TO THE CITY ENGINEER'S DEPARTMENT.
ORDINANCE IX.
City Engineer.
SECTION 1. The office of the City Engi- Office estab- lished.
neer is hereby established.
SECT. 2. He shall have charge of all the plans of the streets, drains, sewers, water- works, and lands of the city ; and shall classify them, and put them in a convenient form for reference and use. He shall make all plans, surveys, measurements and levels pertaining to the streets, drains, sewers, lands, water-works, etc., and perform such other duties properly belonging to his office, as may be required of him by the Mayor, the Board of Aldermen, or any committee of the City Council. Drains and sewers shall be constructed and repaired under his supervision and direction.
SECT. 3. He shall prepare all orders, l'e- Orders, etc. solves, and other papers relating to street wid-
Duties. Charge of plans.
Make plans, sur- veys, etc.
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REPORT OF CITY ENGINEER.
enings, extensions and alterations, which the Joint Standing Committee on Highways may require, and shall furnish the City Solicitor with descriptions of lands at his request.
Accounts.
SECT. 4. He shall keep a set of books showing all the debits and credits to every estate, the whole or a portion of which may be taken to lay out, widen, or extend a street, or which may be assessed under any betterment law; and all bills for assessments made under any betterment law shall be made out by him, and deposited with the City Treasurer for collection.
Reports.
SECT. 5. He shall annually, in the month of January, present to the City Council a report for the year ending on the last day of Decem- ber preceding, giving in detail the cost of all special work of the highway department, the expense of his own department, the number of persons employed therein, and a description of the work done.
Building Ordinance.
Applications to City Engineer for street lines and grades.
SECT. 6. No person shall proceed to erect or make alterations in the location or grade of any fence, wall, or building, a part of which is to abut upon a public street, lane, square, or alley, without first applying to the City En- gineer for the lines and grade of the street, lane, square, or alley, upon which he intends to build. Such application shall be made at least fifteen days before the work is begun; and the City Engineer shall within said time furnish the required lines and grade without charge, if in his power so to do. In default of such ap-
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ORDINANCES.
plication the city shall be discharged from all responsibility for damages resulting from such default.
SECT. 7. Whenever the City Engineer Violation. ascertains that any structure has been placed in violation of the preceding section, he shall at once give notice to the Mayor and Aldermen, in writing, of such violation ; and, upon receipt of such notice, the Mayor and Aldermen may forthwith issue an order to the party offending, directing that the structure be removed within the time therein specified; and in case of non- compliance, the Mayor and Aldermen shall direct that the incumbrance be removed at the expense of the delinquent.
SECT. 8. Whoever violates any provision of the two preceding sections of this ordinance, shall be liable to a fine not exceeding twenty dollars.
Penalty.
ORDINANCE RELATING TO DRAINS AND SEWERS.
Be it ordained by the City Council of the City of Newton, as follows :
SECTION 1. The word "Drain " when used in the ordinances and orders, shall be construed to mean a pipe or conduit for the conveyance of storm or surface water, and the word " Sewer," when so used, shall be construed to mean a pipe or conduit, for the" conveyance of house sewage and ground or subsoil water only.
SECT. 2. All common sewers, ordered by the City Council to be made, shall be built and kept in repair, under the direction of the Joint Standing Committee on Sewers, and all drains so ordered, shall be built and kept in repair, under the direction of the Committee on Highways.
SECT. 3. The City Engineer, shall, under the direction of the Committee on Sewers, have the general superinten- dence of all the common sewers, built or owned by the City, and of all connections of private sewers, built under the provisions of this ordinance, and the inspection thereof. He shall make plans and profiles of all main drains and common sewers, built under the direction of the Committee on High- ways and the Committee on Sewers, showing their location with reference to other drains and sewers and the street lines, and showing the location of all private drains or private sewers entering them,; which plans and profiles shall be filed in the office of the City Clerk, and after being so
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REPORT OF CITY ENGINEER.
filed, shall be deposited in the office of the City Engineer, which shall be deemed a part of the office of the City Clerk, for the keeping of said plans.
He shall keep, and whenever requested, report to either branch of the City Council, an accurate account of the cost and all other expenses upon each main drain and common sewer; and he shall, annually, in January, submit a report of all work performed during the year, ending on the last day of December preceding, and the amount of all expendi- tures from the appropriation for sewers.
SECT. 4. Whenever any street shall be opened for lay- ing or repairing water or gas pipes, or for any other purposes, the work shall be executed so as not to obstruct the course, capacity or construction of a main drain or common sewer ; and whenever pipes for that purpose, or any work of con- struction, shall be found to exist in such location so as to interfere with the main drain or common sewer, the cor- poration, company or person having charge of or maintaining the same, shall, on notice, at once remove, change or alter such pipe, in such manner as the City Engineer shall direct, and if they neglect or refuse so to do, said City Engineer may make such removal, change or alterations, and the cost of the same shall be paid by the said corporation, company or person.
SECT. 5. The whole of the average cost of the system of sewers (already determined and found to equal two dol- lars and fifty-six cents per running foot) shall be assessed according to law, provided that no estate shall be assessed until it can be drained into the sewer ; and no estate shall be assessed more than once for the same benefit; if the cost of such sewers exceed the average cost hereinbefore mentioned, such excess of cost shall be borne by the city. The City Engineer shall prepare and submit to the City Council plans of the estates to be assessed, showing the owner's names, frontages and areas, together with a schedule showing the
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ORDINANCES.
assessments on the estates abutting and benefitted. Such assessments to be determined as follows: Four-tenths of the benefit according to the relative frontage and six-tenths according to the area of the estates within one hundred and eighty feet of the street in which the common sewer has been constructed ; provided that upon corner lots, the first sixty feet of frontage upon the second street in which the sewer is constructed shall be exempt, and no area assessed upon the first street shall be assessed upon the second street. The said four-tenths having been ascertained to be sixty cents per front foot, and the said six-tenths having been ascer- tained to be six mills per square foot, said sums are hereby adopted as the standard rate of assessment. The amount assessed and certified by the City Council, shall be entered upon the plan prepared for assessment.
SECT. 6. All applications for the construction of private sewers and their entrance with common sewers, and for permission to enter the same, shall be in such form as the Committee on Sewers shall prescribe, and filed with the City Engineer. All such private sewers within street limits and their entrances into common sewers shall be constructed, maintained and kept in repair by the City Engineer, under the direction of the Committee on Sewers, and shall be the property of the City, and the cost thereof shall be paid by the applicants therefor, before the same are used or house connections made therewith.
The cost of all repairs made thereon shall be paid by the owner of the estate connected.
SECT. 7. No person other than the City Engineer or his employes, acting under his direction, shall construct any private sewer within street limits, or connect the same with any common sewer, or dig up any street for such purpose ; any person violating this section, shall forfeit and pay a penalty of not more than twenty dollars for each offence.
SECT. 8. All applications for entering private drains
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REPORT OF CITY ENGINEER.
into main drains, shall be made in such form as the Commit- tee on Highways shall prescribe, and filed with the Superin- tendent of Streets. No person shall enter a private drain into any main drains without a permit from the said Com- mittee on Highways, nor without first paying such sum as the Mayor and Aldermen shall determine for the privilege.
SECT. 9. Whenever any private drain or private sewer connecting with any main drain or common sewer, shall become clogged, obstructed, broken, out of order, or detri- mental to the use of said main drain or common sewer, or unfit for the purpose of drainage, the owner, agent, occupant, or person having charge of any building, yard, lot of land or other premises which are drained by said private drain or private sewer, shall, when directed by the Mayor and Alder- men, within five days after notice in writing from said Mayor and Aldermen remove, reconstruct, alter, cleanse or repair said private drain or private sewer, as the conditions thereof may require. In case of neglect or refusal to remove, reconstruct, repair, alter, or cleanse said private drain or private sewer for such space of five days, the Mayor and Aldermen shall cause the same to be removed, reconstructed, repaired, altered or cleansed, as they may deem expedient, at the expense of the owner, agent, occupant or other person, who shall also be liable to a penalty of not more than twenty dollars for such neglect or refusal.
SECT. 10. No exhaust from steam engines, and no blow off from steam boilers, shall be connected with any common or private sewer, or any main or private drain.
SECT. 11. No private sewers between the street limits and the building to be drained shall be laid except by the City Engineer, or his employes acting under his direction, or by licensed private sewer layers. Whenever it may be deemed necessary, the Mayor and Aldermen may license such private sewer layers as apply and are found competent. Said licenses shall remain in force until the first of the succeeding
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ORDINANCES.
April, unless sooner revoked. No such private sewer, if of vitrified pipe, shall be laid of a less size than five inches, or a greater size than six inches interior diameter ; and if of iron it shall not be of a less size than four inches, or of a greater size than five inches interior diameter, and shall be of extra heavy pipe, and all the work shall be done as directed by the City Engineer and subject to his inspection. No such private sewer shall be laid by a licensed private sewer layer, without a permit in writing from the City Engineer, and on the com- pletion of the work, the permit shall be returned to the office of the City Engineer, indorsed by the layer of the sewer, with the statement of his proceedings thereunder. Each permit shall be subject to the provisions of this ordinance, and shall state in detail the premises to which it applies, and the time, place, manner, and construction of such entrance.
SECT. 12. Every person licensed as provided in the preceding section, shall, before performing any work by vir- tue of such license execute a bond to the City in the sum of two thousand dollars, with two good and sufficient sureties, to be approved by the Mayor and Aldermen, conditioned that he shall comply with the terms of the permit under which the work is performed; that he will cause the excavations to be properly fenced along the street line ; that he will, when necessary, maintain one or more lighted lanterns in a con- spicuous place over the obstructions, from twilight in the evening and through the whole night, that he will properly make all connections and joints in every private sewer con- structed by him, and will leave no obstruction of any de- scription in said private sewer; that he will properly close up the excavation, and that he will idemnify and hold harm- less the City of Newton from any damages or cost to which it may be put by reason of injuries resulting from neglect or carelessness in making or repairing such sewer, or in properly fencing or lighting any excavation or obstruction, or in per- forming any other work connected therewith. 6
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