Town of Newton annual report 1891, Part 27

Author: Newton (Mass.)
Publication date: 1891
Publisher: Newton (Mass.)
Number of Pages: 728


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887 93


gate-boxes


1,537 12


meters, new


3,846 21


meter maintenance


250 25


new engine and foundation


6,863 92


pumping station improvements 333 16


blow offs .


65 00


city teams


783 01


reservoir indicators


349 25


additional supply and covering old basin . 5,562 89


land for additional supply


1,824 60


extension pumping station build- ing . 181 63


new reservoir


22,522 71


$113,390 09


CR.


By receipts during the year $4,904 86


Net expenditure during 1891


. $108,485 23


Net expenditure to Dec. 31, 1890 . 1,416,697 44


Net expenditure to Dec. 31, 1891 . $1,525,182 67


Comparative Statement of Receipts and Expenditures from 1878 to 1891, inclusive.


EXPENDITURES.


RECEIPTS.


YEAR.


WATER RATES.


DEFICIT.


Interest.


Maintenance.


Services and Meters.


Total.


From City.


Other Sources.


Services and Meters.


Total.


1878


$44,800 00


$9,777 69


$6,997 45


$61,575 14


$5,896 74


$17,598 33


$5,280 55


$25,775 62


$35,799 52


1879


45,500 00


8,841 20


4,860 57


59,201 77


6,132 50


21,023 02


3,138 68


30,294 20


28,907 57


1880


47,750 00


9,223 70


4,212 24


61,185 94


8,919 00


24,815 58


6,192 40


39,926 98


21,258 96


1881


48,900 00


12,682 49


4,951 20


66,533 69


8,533 18


26,953 10


5,206 48


40,692 76


25,840 93


1882


49,600 00


13,811 62


5,590 63


69,002 25


8,729 01


32,703 38


5,454 59


47,886 98


21,115 27


1883


50,900 00


16,266 01


5,498 65


72,664 66


12,851 22


36,476 73


5,727 50


55,055 45


17,609 21


188-4


52,500 00


13,351 94


5,584 97


71,436 91


12,127 56


37,641 45


5,879 38


55,648 39


15,788 52


1885


53,100 00


12,873 49


6,471 25


72,444 74


14,278 89


39,567 77


5,471 52


59,318 18


13,126 56


1886


54,380 00


12,986 51


5,998 86


73,365 37


11,177 00


43,183 88


6,311 50


60,672 38


12,692 99


1887


55,740 00


13,951 64


3,998 79


74,053 48


14,301 29


42,947 76


5,194 64


62,443 69


11,609 79


1888


59,600 00


13,938 33


3,499 22


77,296 11


15,341 26


48,692 21


3,747 05


67,780 52


9,515 59


1889


61,340 00


15,420 78


3,532 00


80,700 79


15,310 96


51,296 78


5,871 20


72,478 94


8,221 85


1890


66,840 00


14,794 36


3,498 42


85,558 40


16,225 09


54,940 02


4,161 46


75,326 57


10,231 83


1891


74,160 59


13,975 02


3,498 06


*91,927 65


17,350 77


57,910 21


5,546 88


80,807 87


11,119 79


REPORT OF WATER BOARD.


Including $293.98 rebates.


27


SUMMARY OF STATISTICS.


REPORT OF 1891.


In Accordance with the Recommendation of the New England Water Works Association.


NEWTON WATER WORKS, MIDDLESEX COUNTY, MASS.


Population by census of 1890 24,379


Date of construction 1876


By whom owned . City of Newton.


Source of supply .


Filter basin on the bank of Charles River, fed by in- tercepted springs.


Mode of supply


Pumping through the mains to the reservoir making the reservoir a storage and regulating basin.


Pumping.


1. Builder of pumping machinery, H. R. Worthington


2. Description of coal used :-


(b.) Kind . Bituminous


(c.) Size . Broken


(d.) Brand


Georges Creek, Cumberland


(e.) Price per gross ton delivered $4.90


(f.) Percentage of ash (estimated) 6


(g.) Wood, price per cord . 6.00


30


REPORT OF WATER BOARD.


3. Coal consumed for the year, in pounds . 1,542,700


4. Wood consumed for the year, in lbs .__ coal in lbs. . 13,000


3


5 Total fuel consumed for the year (3) -|- (+), 1,555,700


6. Total pumpage for the year, in gallons, 388,753,278


7. Average static head against which pumps work . 199 6-10


8. Average dynamic head against which pumps work


9. Number of gallons pumped per pound of coal 252


10. Duty in foot-pounds, per 100 pounds of coal, using following formula, reckoning only coal actually used in pumping : Duty = Gallons pumped(6)x8.34 (lbs.)x100xdynamic head (8) =


Total fuel consumed (5)


Cost of Pumping Figured on Pumping Station Expenses of $5,378.61.


11. Per million gallons raised against average dynamic head (8) into reservoir . $13 83


12. Per million gallons raised one foot high (dynamic) .


Cost of Pumping figured on Total Maintenance (see Financial A A and B B), $88,135.61.


13. Per million gallons raised against average dynamic head (8) into reservoir .


14. Per million gallons raised one foot high (dynamic)


$226 71


FINANCIAL STATEMENT. MAINTENANCE ACCOUNT.


RECEIPTS.


EXPENDITURES.


DIVISION I.


From Consumers :


A. Water rates, domestic


$55,645 29


B. Water rates, manufacturing 2,264 92


C. Services and meters put in and re- paired


5,421 05


D. Total from private customers -$63,331 26


From Public Funds :


E. Hydrant service, 642 at $20 .


$12,840 00


F. Horse troughs, 11, all metered


1,261 71


G. Street watering, metering rates .


2,100 00


H. Public buildings, etc., all metered . 1,025 77


I. Drinking posts, 10 at $6


60200


J. Public fountain, I, metered 63 29


K. Service pipe, etc. .


125 83


L. Total from public funds


17,476 60


M. Gross receipts from all sources


$80,807 86


DIVISION II.


N. From fixed rates, domestic


' $7,587 12.


o. From meter rates, domestic 50,053 09


P. From meter rates, manufacturing 2,264 92


$59,905 13


Q. Balance, deficit


11,119 79


$91,927 65 FE. TOTAL


. $91,927_65


REPORT OF WATER BOARD.


AA. Management and repairs, details on page 24 $13,975 02


BB. Interest on bonds .


. 74,160 59


CC. Service and meter account, details on page 25 3,498 06


DD. Rebate account 293 98


32


FINANCIAL STATEMENT .- Concluded.


CONSTRUCTION ACCOUNT.


RECEIPTS.


EXPENDITURES.


From bonds issued .


$103,580 37


Expended for all purposes on this account, for details see page 27


. $108,485 23


$108,485 23


$108,485 23


Net cost of works to date Bonded debt at date


$1,525,182 67 ( $600,000, 6 per cent.


Value of sinking fund at date


1,550,000 00 250,000, 5 per cent. 356,595 06 2 700,000, 4 per cent.


Average rate of interest


4 9-10 per cent.


FINANCIAL STATEMENT.


33


From premium on bonds and material sold


4,904 86


34


REPORT OF WATER BOARD.


Consumption.


1. Estimated total population . 26,000


2. Estimated population on lines of pipe . 25,200


3. Estimated population supplied at date . 24,700


4. Total number of gallons consumed for year 389,562,509


5. Passed through domestic meters, gallons 151,800.000


6. Passed through manufacturing meters, gal-


lons 13,300,000


7. Average daily consumption in gallons . . 1,067,294


8. Gallons per day, each inhabitant (1) 41


9. Gallons per day, each consumer . 43 2-10


10. Gallons per day, each tap (distribution 22) . 2:27


Distribution.


1. Kind of pipe used . Cast iron


2. Size From 20 inches to 4 inches


3. Extended 45,828 feet


4. Discontinued 136 feet


5. Total now in use . 102 miles


6. Cost of maintenance per mile, including re- pairs, blowing off, care of hydrants, etc., $10.08


7. Number of leaks discovered for year 16


8. Small distribution pipes, less than 4 inches, total length . 2 6-10 miles


9. Hydrants added . 34


10. Number now in use 676


11. Stop-gates added . 40


12. Number now in use 515


13. Small stop-gates less than 4 inch . 35


14. Number of blow-off gates 215


15. Range of pressure at centre for day and night


(average) pounds 84


35


SUMMARY OF STATISTICS.


Services.


16. Kind of pipe used Lead, wrought and cast iron


17. Size . From 1-2 to 4 inches


18. Extended 14,355 feet


19.


Discontinued


None


20. Total now in use


55 6-10 miles


21. Service taps added


265


22. Number now in use 4,705


62 4-10 feet


Gross, $29.42


24. Average cost of service


Net, 13.84


25. Meters added


284


26. Number now in use :


(a) Domestic 3,251


(b) Manufacturing


18


3,269


27. Motors and elevators added


1


28. Number now in use 16


29. Stand-pipes for street watering 66


23.


Average length of service


REPORT OF THE ENGINEER TO THE WATER BOARD.


WEST NEWTON, December 31st, 1891.


To the Newton Water Board :


GENTLEMEN .- I herewith respectfully report that settle- ment for land taken for additional water supply, has been made with the following parties :


Charlotte A. K. & Sarah B. Bancroft 8


J. Henry Bowers .


4 18-100


66


John F. Bowers .


5 79-100


66


Walter Bowers 2d


11 5-100 66


George H. & John C. Caldwell


3 28-100


66


George Colburn


6 3-10


66


Mary A. Damon


6


3-10 66


Philip Fanning


4 21-100


66


George H. Gay


10 79-100


66


Marietta Hunt


.


11 9-10


66


Benjamin C. & Henry C. Kimball


22 4-10


66


Amasa Kingsbury


25 50-100


66


Dexter Kingsbury


14 18-100


66


George Lyman Kingsbury


62-100


66


George Otis Kingsbury


5 16-100


66


Isaac M. Kingsbury


9 80-100


66


Luther Kingsbury


13 2-10


66


acres.


. Warren Colburn .


6 3-10 66


38


REPORT OF WATER BOARD.


William Morton . 7 18-100


acres.


C. W. Morton & C. H. Dewing


64-100


Heirs of Thomas Orr 1 23-100 66


John E. Richards 25-100


Joseph H. Rowe .


4 57-100 66


Thomas Ryan


2 11-100


66


Heirs of Thomas Ryan


7 52-100


Hannah B. Smith


3 78-100


Sarah B. Thomas


39 44-100


66


William R. Whitaker


1 2-10


66


John A. Wing


8 79-100


66


Artemas Wiswall


47 7-10 66


Denys Zirngiebel


3 94-100


66


Making a total of


297 31-100


66


Negotiations have been entered into for a settlement for a large portion of the balance of the land taken, and there is every indication of an early adjustment of same.


A readjustment of the line of seizure has been suggested, which can be made to advantage to the city. By making the proposed change the city will acquire rights in certain desirable strips of land, and will abandon small areas of land of but little use for purposes of water supply.


Surveys for the suggested changes have been made, and the lines staked out.


In accordance with the instructions of the Board, plans for obtaining an additional water supply from the land taken for that purpose were made and accepted by the Board at their meeting held May 22d, 1891.


The plan contemplates the extension of the covered conduit from Kenrick street, nearly parallel to the river, to or near the Dedham line, with branch lines extending along the edges of the hard land. These extensions should be made from time to time as the increased daily use of water may require.


39


REPORT OF ENGINEER TO THE BOARD.


Filtering Conduit.


Plans, specifications and contracts, for placing gravel filling in the portion of the filtering basin in which the conduit was laid, and for grading and loaming over the new conduit, were prepared, and the following proposals received on February 13th, 1891, based upon the placing of. 9,600 cubic yards of gravel filling, and for moving about 1,600 cubic yards of loam to or from the spoil banks, and grading slope and banks about the filtering conduit.


Canvass of Bids.


Gravel per cubic yard.


Loam per cubic yard.


Amounts.


J. A. Cahill


18 cts.


26 1-2 cts.


$2,152


T. F. Mague


19 4


23


66 2,192


M. McDonald


20 ..


30


66


2,400


C. H. Hale


22 4


25


66


2,512


The contract was awarded to Mr. J. A. Cahill, of Newton Upper Falls, on February 17th, 1891, and the work performed in a satisfactory manner.


The gravel filling was taken from the gravel bank adjacent to the filtering basin on the city property. As the filling was placed, the stones were raked to the bottom of the dump, and retained near the filtering conduit ; care also being taken to have the best gravel placed over it.


This filling was levelled off to a grade ten feet, and the manholes were finished off to a grade twelve feet above the axis of the conduit.


The embankment around the basin was replaced where damaged during the execution of the work.


The grounds along the line of the filtering conduit were graded and levelled off, making the surface everywhere on a gentle slope from the bank of the river across the conduit line to the high ground above; thus furnishing means for drainage of surface water to the river. The grading up of


40


REPORT OF WATER BOARD.


several low places of considerable area required a large amount of extra filling.


Loam was spread, and grass seed sown over the line of the conduit from Kenrick street, to the end of the old basin, covering a length of 2,220 feet, and a width of from fifty feet to 150 feet.


The excavation for several hundred feet at the upper end of the conduit was made through several feet of muck, which was removed over a section fifteen or more feet wide, on each side of the conduit, and the space refilled with clean gravel or sand.


The following is a memorandum of the actual cost of the work :


For placing 10,906 cubic yards of gravel filling


at 18 cents .


$1,963 08 For grading and placing 2,338 cubic yards loam at 26 1-2 cents . 619 57


For pay of labor and teams including extra work and filling which could not be satisfactorily measured . 2,109 54


$4,692 19


The amount of water used during the year has not been sufficient to determine the amount of additional supply, which may be expected from the extension of the works ; but there is every indication it will be fully equal to that anticipated, and the results of the work have proved so far entirely satisfactory.


Pumping Station.


The contract with the Blake Manufacturing Co., re- quired that the brick foundations and sub-foundations be put in by the city. The location for the new pumps was oc- cupied below the cellar floor by the old brick foundations on which the old pumps originally sat, and the concrete blocks


41


REPORT OF ENGINEER TO THE BOARD.


built in below it 1882, in attempts to prevent the settlement that was taking place at that time by enlarging the area of the foundation. There were also the concrete and brick foundations of the small pumps to be removed.


The material below these old foundations, was fine gravel with veins of quicksand of varying thicknesses, and the ground water rose to within one and one-half feet of the cellar paving.


On the opposite side of the building were the solid concrete and hard pine foundations for the Worthington pumps, put in in 1883, and extending over half the width of the building.


This foundation extended down to grade 84.75 on the edges, and 85.75 in the central portion. The level of the bottom of the new brick foundations called for by the plans prepared by the Blake Manufacturing Co., was 92.33 with a small section under the air pump down to 90.33.


The sub-foundations for the pumps occupied the entire eastern portion of the building and the excavation made to grade, and the entire space filled with American cement concrete, composed of one part of American cement, two parts sand, and five parts stone.


In order to give additional rigidity to the mass, pieces of old iron railroad rails, twenty-nine feet long, were laid in the bottom of the excavation, and the concrete laid over them.


A Carson trench machine was rigged up, passing through the northwest window of the engine room and used for remov- ing the material excavated, and gave satisfactory economic results.


Contracts and specifications for furnishing the granite and putting in the brick work for the foundations were prepared, and proposals were received from the following parties : 4


42


REPORT OF WATER BOARD.


From Leach & Grant, of Boston, at $7 per cubic


yard $760 55


From Burnham & Davis, of Newton, at $8.67 per


cubic yard 913 00


For furnishing granite necessary in pump foundations :


Robert M. Gill & Co., Waltham . $695 00


F. A. Hale, Fitchburg 720 00 .


McAuliffe, Fitchburg 740 00 .


Terrell, Fitchburg 825 00


McDonald, Cambridge .


875 00


Mr. Gill, not bidding with a full understanding of the requirements of the contract, and declining to take the con- tract upon the terms called for, the contract was awarded to Mr. F. A. Hale, of Fitchburg, for the sum of $720.00, the contract for brick work to Messrs. Leach & Grant, of Boston.


In order that more space might be had in the boiler room in front of the new boilers to be set, it was decided to make an addition to the building about six feet, eight inches deep, and the width of the building.


Contract, plans and specifications were drawn for mak- ing. this extension, for taking down the brick work and re- moving the old boilers, the city to furnish the brick, cement and sand.


Proposals for furnishing the other materials required and for doing the work were received from the following parties, and for the following sums :


From Messrs Leach & Grant, Boston, Mass., mason and carpenter work . . $1,895 00


From Lyman A. Ross, Newton Highlands, mason


and carpenter work ยท


1,500 00


From Burnham & Davis, Newton, masonry 700 00


From Henry H. Hunt, West Newton, carpenter work and painting 549 00


43


REPORT OF ENGINEER TO THE BOARD.


The contract was awarded in two sections to Messrs. Burnham & Davis and Henry H. Hunt.


Pump and Boilers.


Work on the new pump and boilers, which were fully described in the City Engineer's Report for 1890, has pro- gressed slowly, and while the pumps and engines have been set up and operated, the designers and manufacturers have not perfected them to their complete satisfaction, yet there is every indication that their efficiency will fully equal the contract requirements.


One of the boilers made by Edward Kendall & Sons, of Cambridgeport, has been delivered. The second boiler is made and will be delivered as soon as the first boiler can be connected with the Worthington engine and the old boilers can be removed from the building.


The construction of the engine, pumps and boilers have been carefully inspected during their construction by Mr. F. W. Dean, Mechanical Engineer, of Boston, and the work carried on under his supervision and much of the credit for the ex- cellent quality of the machinery is due to his intelligent advice. He designed the piping for connecting the high pressure boil- ers with the Worthington engine, and proposals for furnish- ing and erecting the piping and fittings were obtained from the George F. Blake Manufacturing Co., of Boston, for $925; from Edward Kendall & Sons, of Cambridgeport, for $690.


The contract was awarded to Edward Kendall & Sons.


Reservoir.


Work on the new covered masonry reservoir was re- sumed by the contractor, Mr. William H. Mague, on April 13th. The remaining portions of the masonry walls were completed, about one-half of the covering arches laid, and covered with four inches of Portland cement concrete.


The arches and concrete covering laid during the late fall and early winter, although laid in cold weather, have


44


REPORT OF WATER BOARD.


come out all right apparently without injury from exposure to the winter weather so soon after being laid.


The concrete covering after being thoroughly set and dried out was covered with a coating of hot coal tar, well sprinkled with sand, well spread and rubbed into any small cavities there might be in the concrete, and making the covering perfectly water tight.


The granite coping stone were set on the top of the masonry about the edge of the walls.


The surface of the cement concrete covering was graded with a slight slope towards the east bank, and from the crown to the spandrel of each arch.


Along the spandrel between each arch, tile drains one and one-half inches in diameter were laid to take the water from the top of the reservoir and connected with larger tile drains extending to the base of the bank. These tile were covered with four inches of screened pea gravel. In order to further insure the stability of the edgestone from the action of the frost, a backing of rubble-stone masonry about eighteen inches deep was laid dry. The remaining space inside and to the level of the top of the edgestones was filled with loam.


The Portland cement plaster was put on, and was specially satisfactory in its results ; it was put on in three coats. Beginning at the bottom and working up, the first or rough coat was slashed on with trowels, all of the mortar that would hold on to the stone. When it had partially set they spread it with their trowels, pressing it into all the rough interstices of the stone work. The second coat was then laid on and smoothed off, and a third and finishing coat, somewhat richer in cement, was applied as soon as the other had set. Each coat was trowelled down until the surface was smooth and even.


A flooring of Portland cement concrete, having a proportion of one part of cement, two parts sand and five parts stone not above two inches in any diameter, was laid


45


REPORT OF ENGINEER TO THE BOARD.


four inches thick, levelled off and well rammed with small plank rammers. This was finished off with a thin finishing coat of Portland cement mortar, having one part cement and one part sand.


During the work of finishing off the inside of the reservoir, it was lighted by the use of sheets of bright tin set above the vent holes, from which the sunlight is reflected upon similar sheets of tin under the vent holes and inside of the reservoir. By their use the light can be thrown upon any part of the interior of the reservoir.


Access to the interior of the reservoir may be had through an opening left in the top near the western wall. It extends the full width between the arches, ten feet, and is three feet wide. In this opening an iron frame is set and is provided with a cover in three sections.


Vent manholes were set in an iron frame resting on, and built into the arches, one being set in the centre of each line of arches and over the centre of the reservoir.


The manhole frames consist of an iron cylinder two feet in diameter and projecting about eight inches above the loam, at which height slots were left in the eylinders to pro- vide a free circulation of air, but arranged so as not to allow the direct rays of light to strike the water.


Just outside of the edgestones and on the top of the banks a gravel walk six feet wide was constructed and two flights of granite steps were set, one on the east bank and one on the west by the gate chamber.


Before the walls of the gate chamber were brought up to grade a brick base was built in to receive the distributing tank, and the tank was set on this base and brought up to the right grade by means of set screws furnished with it. It was set so that the overflow would be at grade 320, then the brick walls were brought up to a solid bearing all around, enclosing the set serews. The connections were then made with the waste pipe and the supply to the reservoir. The


46


REPORT OF WATER BOARD.


lower piping was connected up some time previous, at the time the waste and the force main were laid. These two mains are located on top of each other, and are carried twenty-four inches in size back to beyond the foot of the embankment of any future enlargement of the reservoir, some 125 feet.


As there would be no need of access to the waste pipe, and as it was placed below the bottom of the walls of any future extension, the trench was filled in with concrete and well rammed before the force main was placed in it.


The waste was laid so that at the lower end it came out on a grade with the force main and after being reduced to twenty inches was brought up nearer the surface, and carried along side of the force main, to the grade of the old reser- voir; here it was reduced again to twelve inches with a twenty inch branch, delivering by gate into the old reservoir, so that any overflow from the new reservoir would be de- livered into the old.


In case of cleaning the reservoir the connection with the old could be shut off and the waste carried down the twelve inch pipe to an outlet in the brook below. A six inch pipe was also carried out from the bottom of the gate chamber to carry off any seepage and waste water from the floor.


The work on the reservoir was practically completed and was put in service at 7.45 A. M., August 8th, 1891.


On July 24th, a contract was made with Mr. George E. Winslow, of Waltham, for placing one of his recording gauges at the reservoir, which would indicate automatically the height of water in the reservoir at all times both at the pumping station and Water Registrar's office, City Hall, where the record of the height is kept on a card.


The float for the recording gauge is placed in a stand pipe twelve inches in diameter, placed in the gate chamber, and connected by a two inch pipe with the twelve inch waste pipe from the reservoir. This connection was provided with


47


REPORT OF ENGINEER TO THE BOARD.


a proper shut off and waste pipes so water could be drawn from the reservoir in the gate chamber if desired or the stand pipe emptied.


To insure against the water's freezing, so as to render the float inoperative, the stand pipe and connections were enclosed in a wooden box and the space between it and the stand pipe filled with sawdust.


A contract was made with the New England Telephone and Telegraph Co., to put up and connect the necessary wires to operate the gauges and indicators between the reservoir, City Hall, and the pumping station.


A battery of twenty-four Sampson No. 1 cells was placed in the gate chambers and connection made with the apparatus at the different stations. An electric bell is connected with the indicator, and rings at each rise and fall of one foot. This keeps the engineer constantly apprised of the level of the water in the reservoir and the warning often prevents his filling the reservoir too full, and to maintain the fires under the boilers with greater economy than would be other- wise probable.


The gate chamber was provided with a temporary plank roof made water tight with a covering of double thickness of tarred paper, which was covered with a heavy coating of tar and gravel.


In addition to the work performed by the department as above described, the meetings of the Board have been attended, and plans showing location of house connections and street mains made.




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