USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Newton > Town of Newton annual report 1891 > Part 20
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28
95
ORDINANCES.
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 City Engineer and subject to his inspection and approval. No such private sewer shall be laid by a private licensed sewer layer, without a permit in writing from the City Engineer, and on the completion of the work, the permit shall be returned to the office of the City Engineer, indorsed by the layer of the sewer, with the statements of his proceedings thereunder. Each permit shall be subject to the provisions of this ordin- ance, 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 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 indemnify the hold harm- less the City of Newton from any damages or cost to which it may be put by reason of damages or injuries sustained by any person resulting from neglect or carlessness in making or repairing such sewer, or in properly fencing or lighting any excavation or obstruction, or in performing any other work connected therewith.
96
REPORT OF CITY ENGINEER.
SECT. 13. The crown of each sewer laid out by the City Council shall be established as the grade for drainage and sewerage for the territory for which such sewer is so laid out. The bottom of the cellar or basement cellar of every building hereafter constructed shall be at such an eleva- tion that the private drain or private sewer from said cellar or basement cellar shall have a fall of at least one in fifty to the crown of the main drain or common sewer, unless the City Council shall otherwise permit. If any person constructs or attempts to construct or use any cellar or basement cellar in violation of this section, the City Council may order the owner or occupant of such cellar or basement cellar, so to alter and construct the same, as to conform to the require- ments hereof, and if such owner or occupant fails to comply with such order within ten days after service thereof according to law, said City Council may cause the required alterations to be made therein, the expense whereof shall constitute a lien upon the land wherein such cellar or basement cellar shall be constructed, and upon the building or buildings thereon erected, and may be collected in the manner pro- vided by law for the collection of taxes upon real estate.
SECT. 14. Section (4) four of ordinance (XVI) six- teen, relating to highway department, streets and ways, of the Municipal Register of 1883, is hereby repealed.
RULES AND REGULATIONS OF THE NEWTON
WATER DEPARTMENT, RELATING TO
THE CITY ENGINEER.
Section 2. - Organization.
1. Beside the offices of the Water Registrar and Superintendent established by ordinance, the permanent organization of the department shall be as follows : --
A Civil Engineer, an Inspector of Meters and Fixtures, a Pumping Engineer, a Fireman, a main-pipe Foreman, a ser- vice-pipe Foreman, three Teamsters, and a Clerk in the office of the Water Board. It is understood that the City Engineer is Civil Engineer of this department.
Section 6. - Engineer.
1. Upon receipt of orders therefor from the Board, the City Engineer shall, within twenty-four hours, establish lines and grades for the extension of all water-mains, and shall take such measurements of main and service pipe extensions, and their appurtenances, as will enable him to correctly locate and plat the same ; he shall keep the returns from the Pump- ing Engineer closely posted up, and shall plat therefrom a diagram showing the engine duty.
2. He shall make a daily report to the Water Registrar of the progress and condition of the work under his charge.
3. He shall perform such other duties as the Board may from time to time by vote require of him.
CITY OF NEWTON.
REPORT
OF THE
SUPERINTENDENT OF STREETS,
For the Year 1891.
E
BERTY AND
FOUNDED 1630. 11
UNION
CITY
C
NON
TUM
PORATED ATOY
NEWTON UPPER FALLS : FANNING PRINTING CO. 1892.
HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT.
Highway Surveyors and Joint Standing Committee on Highways.
ALDERMAN JOHN A. FENNO, Chairman. ALDERMAN FREDERIC M. CREHORE. ALDERMAN ARTIIUR F. LUKE. COUNCILMAN EDWARD L. COLLINS. COUNCILMAN GEORGE F. RICHARDSON. COUNCILMAN HENRY E. BOTHFELD. COUNCILMAN WILLIAM F. GRACE.
EXECUTIVE OFFICERS. Superintendent of Streets. CHARLES W. ROSS.
Assistant Superintendents of Streets. GEORGE E. STUART. CHARLES L. BERRY. CHARLES A. PECK.
City Engineer. ALBERT F. NOYES.
REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF STREETS.
To the Honorable Mayor and City Council:
GENTLEMEN :- In accordance with the requirements of the City Ordinances, I herewith submit my first annual re- port as Superintendent of Streets of the City of Newton. The report of the City Engineer has embodied all the mat- ters relative to this department, as required by ordinances, and I would respectfully refer to his report for the detailed statements of expenses and cost of the work performed in the Highway Department.
The City of Newton presents some peculiar features that should be kept in mind whenever considering the matter of expenses on highways.
The territory covered by the city amounts to somewhere about 11,500 acres, or eighteen square miles in round figures. This is formed of the original eight villages of Newton, Newtonville, West Newton, Auburndale, Newton Upper Falls and Newton Lower Falls, Newton Highlands and Newton Centre, each one extending out from a nucleus of more or less closely built up streets and stores ; the smaller villages of Nonantum, Riverside and Chestnut Hill, and the new growing districts of Waban, Eliot and Woodland, all closely connected around the circumference of an oval from three to five miles in diameter, defined by a range of hills separating the city in two parts. There are also the out- lying villages of Oak Hill district and Thompsonville.
Connecting all these localities are long stretches of streets and roads but slightly built upon at present, but
6
REPORT OF SUPERINTENDENT OF STREETS.
which have to be maintained and cared for as well as those in the more settled sections.
This condition of things frequently causes delay in getting the more bulky apparatus over the hills from one side to the other of the city as the local needs may require, and is an important factor in considering the matter of duplicating some of the plant in order to have the same facilities for executing the work expeditiously on both sides of the city at the same time, as is frequently needed.
The city is crossed by five important roads, viz .: Washington, Boylston, Beacon, Centre and Walnut streets, which form the main thoroughfares between Boston, Brook- line, Dedham and Needham, Wellesley and Watertown, over which loaded freight teams constantly travel, and add to the natural wear of the roadbeds caused by the traffic of the city itself, thus adding materially to the cost of main- tenance of these streets.
There are in Newton, some 169 miles of streets, divided as follows :
Ward.
Miles accepted.
Miles unaccepted.
Total.
1st District.
7
15.59
1.48
17.07
66
1
8.03
2.94
10.97
66
66
2
17.12
7.04
24.16
2d District.
3
16.27
6.91
23.18
4
23.39
13.20
36.59
3d District.
5
23.98
12.55
36.53
66
66
6
9.82
10.92
20.74
114.20
55.04
169.24
The general run of streets of the city when I was placed in charge of the department was in a fair condition, and the force employed in the different parts of the city formed of old and efficient servants of the city, so that few changes were found necessary either in the force or the form of the general management of the department.
7
REPORT OF SUPERINTENDENT OF STREETS.
The Force.
The force employed on the highway work consists of about forty-two men permanently employed in taking care of the horses, carts, tools, and city property generally, and five men to attend to the collection of ashes. Besides these, from 200 to 400 men are employed during the working season, who are taken on gradually as the work to be done requires the services of additional help. This whole force is grouped into three divisions, each in charge of an Assistant Superintendent having a certain portion of the city to look after. The divisions are as follows :
1st District, including Wards 1, 2, and 7, in charge of Assistant Superintendent, George E. Stuart.
2d District, including Wards 3 and 4, in charge of Assistant Superintendent, Charles L. Berry.
3d District, including Wards 5 and 6, in charge of Assistant Superintendent, Charles A. Peck.
General Care of the Streets.
In this matter a new system for Newton was inaugurated this year at the suggestion and under the encouragement of His Honor, Mayor Hibbard, as far as relates to the principal streets of the city.
Although criticised at first by many of our prominent citizens, the results have been so satisfactory as to be now considered the cheapest and best method of repairing and maintaining most of our streets.
The system consists in dividing the streets into sections of about equal importance, considering the area of road-bed, amount of travel and consequent wear of road metal, and actual condition of the street. One man is put in charge of each section, whose duty is to keep it constantly in good order; that is to do all necessary patching, filling up all ruts and gulleys, keep gutters clear of mud, weeds and leaves,
8
REPORT OF SUPERINTENDENT OF STREETS.
trim the grass borders, look after the sidewalks, and in fact keep a constant watch for all defects liable to appear either from natural wear, or the effects of storms, and repair the same directly, as far as possible, and report all those of more importance that he cannot remedy.
As an incentive to this work and in order to encourage the men in taking hold of this, to them, new method, his Honor, Mayor Hibbard offered some $200 to be distributed in prizes, at the end of the year, by the Highway Committee, for the best kept sections.
This year the plan was tried by putting ten of the best men of the department at work on sections of about two miles each, of the principal streets, this length varying some- what according to the location and amount of travel. Each man was equipped with a wheelbarrow, shovel, iron and wood rakes, edging-knife, cord line, pick and sickle. With these tools he was expected to keep his section in good order at all times.
At first a section seemed a long piece of work to attend to, but by the end of the first month, when the men got accustomed to the different kinds of work required, and the best order in which each should be done, people began to notice the improvements.
Gravel and crushed stone were dumped, at intervals, along the side of the streets as might be required for use in patching up whatever holes or ruts might appear in the road- bed or on the sidewalks.
The Superintendent and Assistants could oversee the work as they travelled over the city from one piece of work to another, and note any neglect or correct any defects in the manner of doing the work, and see what progress was being made, and whether the men were attending properly to their work.
All the section-men succeeded remarkably well in their undertaking, and I would respectfully recommend that the
9
REPORT OF SUPERINTENDENT OF STREETS.
system be extended the coming year to additional lengths of streets, so as to make twenty instead of ten sections thus cared for. I think the work done in this way will not only improve the appearance of our streets, but will increase the life of the road-bed and be a considerable economy in the cost of maintenance. The season during which this system was applied was from and including April to December.
There were 22.40 miles or about 442,000 sq. yards of road-way cared for this season under the section system, at a cost of some $4,414.74. The portion of streets included in this were as follows :
SEC.
STREET.
LOCATION.
Length.
Width.
Sq. yds. road
per ft.
AREA OF ST.
1.
Centre
Washington to Church
1,500
60
3.66 4.50
22,917 sq. yds. 6,750
2.
Sargent .
Washington to Ward Center to Waverly .
2,434
40
3
7,302
€
3.
Walnut .
Watertown to Mili :
4,800
50
3.50
16,800
60
4.
Watertown
Washington
Cross to Auburn
4,867
50
3.50
17,035
66
5.
Auburn .
Wash. to Woodland .
5,183
50
3.50
18,140
66
Woodland .
Auburn to Wash. . .
4,000
40
3
12,000
Washington
Auburn to River .
7,560
50
3.50
26,460
6.
Grove
Wash. to Pine Grove
2,150
40
3
6,450
66
(Concord
Wash, to River
3,400
50
3.50
11,900
Center
Church to Ward. .
6,300
60
4.50
28,350
7.
Franklin
Center to Waverly
1,800
40
3
5,400
66
Ward
Center to Hammond .
5,100
45
3 33
17,000
Center
Ward to Beacon
3,100
60
4.50
13,950
Beacon
Center to Boston
7,500
70
5.33
40,000
66
8.
Beacon
Center to Walnut .
3,250
50
3.50
11,375
6.
(Walnut
Mill to Beacon
4,200
50
3.50
14,700
( Center
Beacon to Boylston
5,000
50
3.50
17,500
Walnut
Boylston to Hyde .
.
2,500
50
3 50
8,750
Lincoln
Waltnut to Woodward
2,164
50
3.50
7,574
Hartford
Lincoln to Boylston .
1,025
40
3
3,075
10.
High .
Boylston to Elliot
2,500
40
3
7,500
Chestnut
Boylston to Oak
3,600
40
3
10,800
119,263
442,082 sq. yds.
.
Craft to Boston
6,250
55
Waverly Ave.
6,030
50
3.50
21,105
Washington
Craft to Cross
5,650
55
3.66
20,716
66
Waltham
Watertown to Craft . Waltham to Town line
4,400
50
3.50
8,400
60
4.50
15,400 37,800
66
Elliot
Boylston to River .
4,600
45
3.33
15,333
.
9.
Washington
10
REPORT OF SUPERINTENDENT OF STREETS.
The other portions of the streets have been cared for periodically by the regular force in each district. Whenever important repairs were called for, the whole district force, exclusive of the section-men were united at one place. The total spent on Highway General Repairs was $60,361.74, and on Drains and Culverts $6,088.72.
During the present year the sewer construction in por- tions of Wards 1, 2, and 7, has added greatly to the amount of repairs to be done on the streets. This same cause will continue for some time to come, owing to the settlement which is bound to take place in the filling put in the trenches, however well they may be puddled. On account of this very settlement it would not I think be advisable to renew the road-bed of these streets at present; but rather patch them as needed temporarily till the settlement is completed. The building of the sewers for the next few years in the various parts of the city is going to materially increase the cost of maintenance in all districts.
Special Work.
Besides the appropriation for general Highway Repairs and Improvements, there were special appropriations made last year for some specific sections of the city. In doing these pieces of work the method used has been to mass the whole available foree of the department in one gang, under the Assistant Superintendent of the particular district where the work was to be performed, and proceed with one piece of work at a time, carrying it rapidly through to, completion. This has been found to be much more economical than to employ only one single district force on a job; besides clos- ing a section of street to public travel for a much shorter time, which is an item much appreciated by our citizens. The work performed in this manner was in the following streets : Arlington, Bellevue, Boyd, Boylston, California, Chapel, Cabot and Harvard, Centre, Elliot and Hammond
11
REPORT OF SUPERINTENDENT OF STREETS.
street from the depot towards Beacon street, and also through the ledge section ; Woodland avenue from Washing- ton to Grove street. The details of cost of this work will be found tabulated in the report of the City Engineer. The total amount expended was $22,581.07.
Appropriations were also made last year for some special drains. In order to carry on this work without interfering with the other work of the department, one drain gang was organized and equipped under the charge of James Cannon, with portable tool-boxes and tools necessary for handling and laying drain-pipes. The work done by this force was as follows :
Finishing up the Court street drain and putting in drains on Lenox street, Hillside avenue, Otis street, Murray and Otis streets, Woodland avenue, Maple street, and Berkeley place, Central avenue and Washington street, Oak and Chestnut streets ; Chestnut street at Highland street ; Linwood avenue or Page's drain, and River street at Lexing- ton street. Total expenditure $16,568.74.
Gutters.
Considerable work has been done each year in paving the gutters at the sides of the streets to allow of the free running off of rainwater, and more will be needed each year. The usual custom has been, when a gutter was found needed, to pave a strip twenty-four to thirty-six inches on either side of the roadway with cobbles. This naturally facilitates the running off of the water, without forming gulleys or under- mining the road metal; but the unevenness of the surface formed by the nodules of the cobbles causes mud to ac- cumulate, and in warm weather, weeds quickly start up be- tween the stones. These weeds cause leaves and twigs to accumulate and retard the flow of water, unless constantly dug out, and this is a hard and slow job. Each winter the
12
REPORT OF SUPERINTENDENT OF STREETS.
frost throws the stones out some, so that repairs are needed from time to time.
Hard concrete gutters do not present these drawbacks. To be sure they cost more in the first outlay, but are much more durable ; they do not clog up, and the leaves do not collect in them in the autumn, as they do on the cobbles. We still have some concrete gutters on Centre street, that were laid six or more years ago that are in good condition now. This year considerable length of concrete gutters were laid, and I would recommend that concrete, rather than cobbles, be used as far as possible in the future, as a matter of economy in annual cost.
The expenses on gutters are included in the general repair account of the different streets and amounted to $3,511.16 for construction ; (this includes 1,398 sq. yards of concrete gutters put in this year at a cost of $1,608.60) and $5,363.19 for cleaning gutters.
Curbing.
Granite Curbing is set in sidewalks only when petitioned for, and one half the cost assessed on the abuttors.
There was set this year 3,056 linear feet of granite curb- ing at a cost of $2,146.54.
Sidewalks and Street Crossings.
Gravel sidewalks have been built during the year as far as possible with the appropriation available, wherever petitioned for and found to be really needed; when fine crushed stone is available this has been used for surfacing the sidewalks, much to the improvement in the looks and the quality of the surface. Where concrete has been laid, the surface has been as usual prepared both on the sidewalks and the street crossings by the street gangs ready for the con- creters. Some of the old plank sidewalks have been repaired
13
REPORT OF SUPERINTENDENT OF STREETS.
or entirely renewed, as on Hammond street, and some new plank walks put in when petitioned for. There was spent on sidewalks and street crossings 819,229.00. including $9.761.61 for concrete bills.
Removal of Snow, and Sanding Sidewalks.
There are few cities that do as much in the matter of clearing off or levelling snow over the roadway as is done in Newton, yet there are many causes for complaint. Many people right in the villages are very slack and dillatory in the matter of clearing the snow off of their sidewalks : they leave it as long as possible hoping that some of the street force will come along and do the work for them rather than wait to bother them to do it. Measures should be taken to have the ordinances in relation to cleaning sidewalks more rigidly enforced.
In the winter the forces of the department are divided up so as to start out with snow ploughs as soon as a storm abates, and plough out the sidewalks, doing the principal streets and the centre of the villages first. For this purpose there are used eleven horses and ploughs in Wards 1, 2, and 7 ; nine in Wards 3 and 4, and ten in Wards 5 and 6. The cost of this work during the year amounted to 83,129.21.
During the cold weather I have made it a point to have sand sprinkled over all icy and slippery sidewalks as soon as possible, in order to prevent all accidents ; and would con- sider it a favor to be notified as early as possible of all dangerous places noticed by the publlc. Much of this work would be unnecessary if the abuttors cleaned off the snow at the proper time. Cost of sanding sidewalks 81,382.16.
Bridges.
In the early summer, a contract was made with Messrs. Wilson & Dwyer of Newton Upper Falls, for repairing the
14
REPORT OF SUPERINTENDENT OF STREETS.
bridge across Charles River at Boylston street; this called for replanking and new railing, at a cost of $225, the Town of Wellesley bearing one-half the expense.
The bridge on Washington street, Lower Falls, needs to be replanked, and this work should be undertaken early this year.
The bridges at Bemis, Auburn, Concord, Wales, Elliot, Needham and Nonantum streets over the Charles River, and those at St. James, Bellevue, Auburn, Woodland, Washing- ton, Beacon and Hammond streets. over the B. & A. Railroad are generally in a satisfactory condition.
Shade Trees.
One of the special features and ornament of our streets are the shade trees that have been set out from time to time on either side, and they should in all casses be cared for by the authorities, but on some of the narrower streets they should be set inside of the boundary line rather than on the curb line to insure their protection and growth. The pro- priety of this will be specially noticed where concrete walks are laid with edgestones. As the trees increase in size, the roots grow up under the concrete and so break it up that it is soon disintegrated ; then when the concrete is repaired the protruding roots have to be pared off, and the trees becomes one sided and loses much of its charms. One thing has been overlooked in this matter and that is that when the trees were first set out, elms and maples were put in alternately ; the quick growing maples soon giving shade while the slower growing elms were getting their growth. But the original intention was that when the elms were full grown the maples would be thinned out so as to allow some sunlight to reach the road bed. At present some of our streets are so shaded that for considerable time after a storm the road bed is covered with mud and pools of water that dry out very slowly as the sun gets no accesss to them; and the atmos-
15
REPORT OF SUPERINTENDENT OF STREETS.
phere of the street is constantly damp. These streets should be taken in hand and the surplus trees cut out, so as to let more light in, and also give the elms a better chance to develop.
The cost of trimming trees on the streets amounted to $599.91.
Sign Posts.
Although there are quite a number of sign posts located in various parts of the city, yet there are many streets with- out them, and many corners where there is need of posts giv- ing the traveller the name of the intersecting streets. This matter should be taken up this coming season, and the streets uniformly furnished with suitable name posts. Many of the old ones are about worn out, and the others are in need of repainting. I would recommend that those that are still serviceable be painted this winter and new ones procured and put up as fast as convenient.
Collection of Ashes.
As has been customary in former years the city carts make a weekly call at each house for the collection of ashes. For this purpose a special force is employed, consisting of five men and two carts to make the rounds, taking one ward each day. In mid-winter one additional cart is employed on this work, owing to the extra amount to be collected, and the greater difficulty in getting around.
The total expense of this work was $4,933.37.
Crushed Stone.
During the present year the system of having the stone for the macadam-roads crushed by contract has been in force. Owing to unforseen circumstances, the Contractor after sup- plying some 5,500 tons of crushed stone was obliged to
16
REPORT OF SUPERINTENDENT OF STREETS.
suspend operations, and as the city was in need of more stone, it was deemed best to carry on the contract for the account of the bondsmen, by the highway department. This was done from September 24 to December 20, during which time some 5,300 tons were crushed at the ledge on Murray street, and at the pit on Bourne street, at a cost of $3,280.83.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.