USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Reading > Town of Reading Massachusetts annual report 1932 > Part 14
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.73
Total from Mun. Depts.
$ 8,745.00
1933 New P. S. Acct. ..
.00
Rents, Fines, Summons, Misc. Receipts
316.08
(Trans. to 1933 Bal. Carried Fwd.)
10.61
Service Pipes
1,381.12
1933 Regular Acct.
$ 12,833.05
Main Pipe Maint.
Hydrant Maintenance
94.81
Total
$ 70,107.74
Bal. of New Standpipe Acct. from 1931 73
New P. S. Acct. Bal. Fwd. from 1931 $
3,853.91
New Wells Acct. Bal. Fwd. from 1931 382.47
Total $ 70,107.74
1933 New Wells Act. ..
JANUARY 1, 1932 TO JANUARY 1, 1933 YEARLY RECORD OF HUNDRED ACRE MEADOW PUMPING STATION
Month
No. Lays
No. Hrs.
No. Min.
Gallons Pumped Venturi Meter
Total Head
Power K.W.H.
Gal. per K.W.Il.
Rainfall
Fuel Oil
Daily Average Gallons Pumped
January .
31
354
30
11,124,200
227
16,900
058
3.92
240
358,845
February.
29
336
45
10,885,500
227
16,200
672
1.90
390
375,362
March .
31
414
00
12,862,150
227
19,300
666
4.83
400
414,908
April.
30
396
15
12,689,200
227
18,700
679
2.01
175
422,973
May.
31
468
20
15,375,350
227
22,400
686
1.17
495,979
June. .
30
409
45
15,494,100
227
21,600
717
1.81
516,470
July
31
444
00
16,391,700
227
22,620
724
2.04
528,765
August.
31
375
55
14,001,400
227
19,680
711
5.09
451,658
September
30
322
55
13,102,100
227
17,200
762
7.24
436,737
October.
31
340
30
13,760.150
227
18,000
764
7.26
273
443,876
November.
30
392
45
13,289,850
227
17,000
781
5.25
225
442,995
December .
31
325
15
12,633,800
227
16,100
785
1.29
300
408,510
Totals.
366
4,580
55
161,609,500
227
225,700
Average 716
43.81
2,003
441,423
163
SUMMARY OF STATISTICS For Year Ending December 31, 1932
Reading Water Department Reading, Middlesex County, Massachusetts
General Statistics
Population by census of 1930: 9747.
Date of Construction : 1890, 1891, Mill St .- 1931, Grove St.
By whom owned: Town of Reading.
Electric Pumps at Grove St. Station Description of Pumps :
(A) Pumping Unit No. 1-2-Stage 5/4 DeLaval, 75 H. P. 1750 R. P. M. 3 phase, 60 cycle, 440 volts, 650 G. P. M.
(B) Pumping Unit No. 2-2-stage 8/6 DeLaval, 125 H. P. 1750 R. P. M. 3 phase, 60 cycle, 440 volts, 1000 G. P. M.
K. W. H. used for year : 225,700.
Power cost for year: $4,178.52.
Total Pumpage by Venturi Meter : 161,609,500 gallons.
Cost of pumping per million gallons, power only : $25.86.
Average number gallons pumped K. W. H .: 716.
Cost of Pumping figured on Total Pumping Station No. 2 expenses, per million gallons pumped : $43.64.
Total cost of supplying water per million gallons figured on total maintenance, plus interest on Bonds : $120.73.
Average static head against which pumps work: 227.
Average dynamic head against which pumps work: 258.
Statistics Relating to Distribution Mains
Extended 1932 :
1,160.9 ft. of 12" 2,443.9 ft. of 8" 3,402.3 ft. of 6" 229.2 ft. of 1 1-4" 459.0 ft. of 1"
Number of Hydrants in use (Public and Private) : 264. House Services Extended : 2,754.30 feet.
Number of active service taps added during year : 45.
Number of service taps in use : 2556.
Number of meters added: 30.
Number of meters in use: 2711.
164
WATER BONDS AND INTEREST
There were $16,000.00 in bonds payable in 1932.
The interest on serial bonds for the year 1932 amounted to $4,202.50.
There are $15,000.00 in bonds and $3,615.00 interest due in 1933 as follows :
Date of Issue
Payable
Interest
Bonds
Sept. 15, 1927
March 15, 1933
$200.00
April 15, 1931
April 15, 1933
525.00
$4,000.00
April 15, 1931
April 15, 1933
210.00
3,000.00
May 1, 1925
May 1, 1933
120.00
2,000.00
June 1, 1907
June 1, 1933
80.00
1,000.00
June 1, 1917
June 1, 1933
225.00
1,000.00
June 1, 1930
June 1, 1933
580.00
3,000.00
Sept. 15, 1927
Sept. 15, 1933
200.00
1,000.00
April 15, 1931
Oct. 15, 1933
455.00
April 15, 1931
Oct. 15, 1933
157.50
May 1, 1925
Nov. 1, 1933
80.00
June 1, 1907
Dec. 1, 1933
60.00
June 1, 1917
Dec. 1, 1933
202.50
June 1, 1930
Dec. 1, 1933
520.00
Totals
$3,615.00
$15,000.00
WATER DEPARTMENT
Early in January the Water Department commenced the installa- tion of an eight inch water main on Lowell St. from Bancroft Ave. to High Street. The benefits from this project were two fold, ie., in pro- viding a needed distribution main and also in furnishing work for the unemployed, the work being accomplished by unemployed men under supervision of the Water Department employees.
At the junction of High and Lowell Sts. a twelve inch pipe was laid connecting with two eight inch mains, and later in the year this twelve inch was installed to Grove St. and will eventually be laid up Grove St. to Franklin St., there to connect with the twelve inch line laid to the new pumping station in 1931 off Grove St. All of this work being done in the winter months provides work of a constructive nature for the unemployed and beneficial to the Town.
Continuing the policy of the Board in eliminating dead end water supply mains wherever possible, four such were eliminated early in the spring by connecting through to the nearest main. This work will be carried on as far as possible each year.
165
Previous to the new concrete construction in Reading Square every house service in that area was dug up and examined and found to be in such a perfect state of preservation that not one was re-laid. Several discontinued service taps were shut off at the corporation on the main, and larger services laid where necessary in the Square. Two services were laid to the curb to care for possible future developments.
The annual inspection of hydrants was made as usual and every hydrant is in perfect working condition. After due consideration it was decided to change the color scheme of the hydrants this year, and each one was given two coats of red paint with white trimmings re- sulting not only in their very attractive appearance but also enabling them to be seen more readily by automobilists at night. By this change of color we are in hopes it will eliminate the breaking of hy- drants by autos.
Five new hydrants have been set, viz., one on Weston Road, north side, between Longfellow and Parkview Rds., one on Parkview Rd. east side, opposite No. 8, one on Virginia Rd. south side, near Lot No. 13, one on Washington St. north side, near No. 86, and one on Washington St. north side, opposite No. 119.
The hydrant at the corner of Elliott St. and Washington St. was re- moved, as it was in danger from traffic, being installed too near the travelled way. The hydrant on Main St. opposite No. 399 was raised four feet, the hydrant on Main St. near No. 408 was raised, the hydrant on Salem St., corner of John was raised and the drip repaired, and the hydrant on Pearl St. opposite No. 108 was moved back sixteen feet be- cause of the widening of Pearl St.
During the past year motor vehicles have broken off four hydrants, two of them occurring at night and the other two in day light, the hydrants being located as follows : One at corner of Franklin and Grove Sts., one on Grove St. opposite Forest, one on Winter St. corner of Salem, and one on Main St. corner of Franklin. In every case except one the Town has been reimbursed by the one causing the damage. The prompt arrival of the Water Department crew in each case prevented the loss of any great amount of water.
Five breaks in the 1 1-4" Main on Washington St. resulted in the laying of a new six inch main from Main St. to Village St. to Green St. These breaks were caused by the weakened condition of the pipe due to electrolyses. Other main pipe installations were made where necessary as shown by the accompanying table in this report.
Forty-five new house service taps were made during the year total- ing 2,754.30 feet, or an average length of 58.60 feet per service. Sixty- five new cellar shut-offs were installed on old services, and on forty-six services it was necessary to repair the pipes through the cellar walls. As the first services installed are now over forty years in service, there will be an increasing amount of this type of work each year. Thirty
166
new meters were set this year after having been carefully tested by the Meter Department, and two hundred and ninety-two old meters, some of which had been in service for many years, were taken out, repaired, cleaned, tested and set back. Although there are fourteen different types of water meters in use at present, 97 per cent were found to be in first class condition.
The new electric pumping station at Hundred Acre Meadow has proven very satisfactory, 161,609,500 gallons having been pumped in 1932, an increase of 16,685,576 gallons over 1931. This station is auto- matically operated, requiring the services of the engineer only a few hours daily.
Two new suction lines were added during the year. They were Line C, consisting of 400 ft. of 12" pipe and 440 ft. of 8" pipe, totaling 840 ft., where eleven 2 1-2" wells were drilled to an average depth of 33 ft. In Line D 300 ft. of 12" pipe and 300 ft. of 10" pipe were laid and twelve 2 1-2" wells drilled to an average depth of 32 ft. A total length of 3.341 ft. of suction main are now in use. Although these wells were drilled in the dry season they all produced 25 or more gallons per minute. The drilling of these wells was done by contract, and the laying of the suction lines and connecting of the wells was done by the Water Dept., giving work also to the unemployed.
The old Pumping Station on Mill St. has been held in readiness for emergencies, and pumped for a period of three hours on Sunday, May 1, 1932, during the height of the fire at the Symonds Box Factory. One million five hundred thousand gallons of water were used in combating this fire which was the worst the Town has had for many years.
I submit at this time the following recommendations for 1933 :
Installation of a 12" water main from corner of Haven and Main St. down Main St. to Ash, also Ash to Brook St., along Brook St. to Summer Ave., along Summer Ave. to Third St. and up Third St. to con- nect with the present 12" main on Cedar St. This addition to our dis- tribution system I consider very necessary, as at present the new stand- pipe has an outlet consisting of a twelve inch main emptying into a six inch main. As 5.66 six inch pipes are required to equal the flow of one twelve inch, it can be readily seen that this new main is necessary. That portion on Main St. from Haven St. to Ash St. should be installed before the new construction on Main St. is started.
Construction of a six inch water main on Haverhill St. from Bay State Road to Wakefield St. a distance of 4,800 ft. is recommended. This street has been laid out by the County Commissioners and will be reconstructed in the near future. This construction would also be of importance as a fire preventative, by the addition of fire hydrants.
A six inch main should also be laid on South St. from the end of the present 6" main near Walnut St., a distance of 1500 ft. to connect
167
with the 6" laid in from West St., many complaints of poor water having been received from this section.
A 1 1-4" main should be installed on John St. Court, where at pre- sent a 3-4" main is supplying four houses.
Would also recommend the purchase of a new truck for the Water Department, and the turning over to the Sewer Department of the pre- sent Water Department trucks. The present Sewer Department truck was purchased in 1928, and is in very poor mechanical condition.
1932 MAIN PIPE EXTENSION
Streets
12 inch
10 inch
8 inch
6 inch
11/4 inch
1 inch
Total
Bancroft Ave.
96.5
96.5
Brook St ..
176
176
California Rd.
93.5
93.5
Grove St .. .
451.0
451.0
Harriman Ave.
212
212
Lowell St ..
709.9
2433.9
3143.8
Longfellow Rd.
290
290
Oak Ridge Rd.
337
337
Parkview Rd.
430.3
430.3
Spring St.
52.7
52.7
South St.
112.5
112.5
Thorndike St.
12.6
&112.6
Tower Rd ...
51.4
51.4
Virginia Rd.
115
115
Village St ..
224.5
224.5
Washington St.
1358
Weston Rd.
150.5
528.5
Suction "C"
400.0
440.0
840.0
Lines "D"
300.0
300.0
600.0
Totals.
1860.9
300.0
2873.9
3402.3
229.2
459.0
9125.3
HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT
To the Board of Public Works : Gentlemen :
The following is the yearly report of the Highway Department: Appropriations and Balances :
Voted in March Town Meeting :
1. Highway Maintenance Construction . .
$ 30,000.00
2. Chapter 90-Reading Sq. Const.
7,000.00
3. Removal of Snow and Ice
3,500.00
4. Maintenance of Storm Drains
3,000.00
5. Sidewalk Construction
8,000.00
6. Development of Storm Water Drainage
5.000.00
7. Care of Dumps
832.00
8. Longw'd Rd. Const. und. Betterment Act
2,000.00
$ 61,532.00
Voted in Special Town Meeting, Jan. 18, 1932.
9. Libby Ave. Const. under Betterment Act
2,200.00
1358 378
168
Voted in Special Town Meeting, Dec. 12, 1932
10. Fair Rd. Const. under Betterment Act 737.24
(Unexpended Bal. of Libby Ave. & Longwood Rd.) Unexpended Bals. from Prev. Appropriations :
11. 1931 Storm Water Drainage $ 1,006.44
12. Survey & Plans for Spec. Drainage 72.50
13. Hancock St. Extension Act. 100.00
$
1,178.94
Rec. from State and County-Chapter 90- Reading Square Const. 11,725.18
Total 1932 Appropriations and Balances Forward from 1931 $ 75,173.36
Expenditures and Balances of the above Appropriations :
1 Appro. for Maint and Const. $ 30,000.00
Misc. Credit
4.30
Total $ 30,004.30
Expended :
29,999.73
Balance
$
4.57
2. Chapter 90-Reading Square Const.
$ 7,000.00
Received from State and County
11,725.18
Total
$ 18,725.18
Expended :
17,714.97
Balance
$ 1,010.21
3. Removal of Snow and Ice Expended :
$ 3,500.00
3,500.00
Balance
.00
4. Maintenance of Storm Drains Expended :
$ 3,000.00
2,298.93
Balance
$ 701.07
5. Sidewalk Construction Expended :
7,579.73
Balance
$ 420.27
6. Development of Storm Water Drainage
$ 5,000.00
11. Balance Forward from 1931
$ 8,000.00
1,006.44
$ 6,006.44
169
Expended : 5,874.97
Balance
$ 131 47
7. Care of Dumps Expended :
$ 832.00
832.00
Balance
.00
8. Longwood Road Const. Under Betterment Act $ 2,000.00
Expended :
1,515.25
Balance
$ 484.75
9. Libby Ave. Const. under Betterment Act Expended :
1,947.51
Balance
$ 252.49
10. Fair Road Const. under Betterment Act
Bal. from Longwood Rd.
$ 484.75
Bal. from Libby Avenue
252.49
Total
$ 737.24
Expended :
23.35
Balance
$ 713.89
11. (See No. 6)
12. Survey and Plans for Special Drainage :
1931 Balance Forward
$ 72.50
No Expenditures in 1932
Balance
$
72.50
13. Hancock Street Extension Account Expended :
100.00
Balance
$ .00
Totals
Items
Appro. $ 30,004.30
$
Expend 29,999.73
$
4.57
2
18,725.18
17,714.97
1,010.21
3
3,500.00
3,500.00
.00
4
3,000.00
2,298.93
701.07
5
8,000.00
7,579.73
420.27
6 & 11
6,006.44
5,874.97
131.47
131.47
7
832.00
832.00
.00
$ 100.00
Balance Forward
Balances
1
$ 2,200.00
170
Totals
Items
Appro.
Expend
Balances
Balance Forward
8
2,000.00
1,515.25
484.75 (transferred)
9
2,200.00
1,947.51
252.49 (transferred)
10
737.24
23.35
713.89
713.89
12
72.50
.00
72.50
72.50
13
100.00
100.00
.00
REPORT OF BOARD OF SURVEY
Town of Reading
The following streets were approved by the Board of Survey in 1932 :
Feb. 5 Longwood Road-from West St. Westerly 1.000.00 Ft.
Feb. 5 Winthrop Avenue-from Tower Rd. to Hartshorn St. 520.00 "
Feb. 5
Parkview Road-from Auburn St. to Weston Rd.
420 00 "
Feb. 5 Longfellow Rd .- from Weston Rd. Southerly 328.00 "
Feb. 5 Weston Rd .- from Longfellow Rd. Easterly 368 00 "
Feb. 5
Ide St. from Wilson St. to Gardner Rd. 223.00 "
Feb. 5 Hartshorn St .- from Bancroft Ave. Easterly 153.00 "
May 20 Tower Road-from land of Landers Westerly 615.00 "
May 20 Parkview Rd-from Weston Rd. to Tower Rd. 555.00 " May 20 Longfellow Rd .- from Weston Rd. Northerly 900.00 "
June 3 Smith Ave .- from Eaton St. Easterly 494.35 " Aug. 5 Fair Road-from Salem St. to Harvest Rd. 724.95 "
Nov. 4 Nelson Ave-From Main St. Easterly 426.00 "
Nov. 4 Park Street-from Auburn St. Northerly 732.63 "
Dec. 2 Intervale Terrace-from Lowell St. Easterly 588.39 "
Total
8.048.32 "
MARTIN B. HARTSHORN, Chairman ROBERT E. FOWLE, Secretary
HAROLD W. PUTNAM
WILLIAM T. FAIRCLOUGH
FRANK M. MERRILL ALEXANDER BIRNIE. Supt.
Board of Survey
171
HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT
The following work has been carried on by the Highway Depart- ment in 1932 :
Snow and Ice Removal, Maintenance, Construction, Drainage, Gran- olithic Sidewalk, Gravel Sidewalk treated with Tarvia B and general work.
Snow and Ice: Early in the fall all plows were overhauled and re- paired. The horse-drawn sidewalk plows were distributed and drivers acquainted with their routes. The personnel of the Highway Depart- ment were on call at all times during snow storms and handled every snow fall in an efficient manner. Sand was applied liberally and promptly on streets and sidewalks when icy conditions warranted such treatment. Unemployed labor was used to good advantage on this work.
Maintenance : The increasing number of unemployed on the lists of the Board of Public Welfare have presented a problem that has been efficiently solved by the Board of Public Works. At times there have been as many as 125 of these men on the pay roll per day. Representing as they do, many forms of occupations, such as painting, masons, mechanics, etc., they have been assigned as far as possible to tasks within the limits of their training.
Due to the mild winter, the Spring of 1932 found our highways in excellent condition, the general maintenance work being started as soon as the ground was free of frost and continuing through the summer and fall. Where necessary, the roadways were scarified, graded and rolled, treated with Tarvia B and covered with screened sand.
Materials used on maintenance work were 50,181 gallons Tarvia B covering an area of 200,724 square yards of street surface. For the general upkeep of our streets we have used 4,103 gallons of Tarvia K. P. and 410 tons of Pea Stone.
There were three town meetings in 1932, the following streets being accepted.
Special Town Meeting January 18, 1932.
Libby Avenue, under Betterment Act, from Salem St. 2021.48 feet Northerly.
Annual Town Meeting March 14, 1932.
Ide Street, between Wilson Street and Gardner Road.
Hillside Road, from Main St. 495 feet Westerly.
Winthrop Avenue, from 1891 acceptance 1,118.5 feet Northerly.
Longwood Road, under Betterment Act. from West St. 1000 feet Westerly.
Vista Avenue, from Pratt St. 200 feet Easterly.
Grove Street, Relocation through Meadow Brook Golf Club.
172
Special Town Meeting, December 12, 1932. Longfellow Road, from land of De Laskey 973.4 feet Northerly. Parkview Road, between Auburn St. and Tower Road. Tower Road, between Bancroft and Hanscom Avenues. Smith Avenue, from Eaton St., 494.35 feet Easterly.
Longfellow Road, Alteration, from West St. 180 feet Westerly.
Fair Road, under Betterment Act, from Salem St. 725 feet West- erly to Harvest Road.
Work on Libby Avenue accepted under the Betterment Act, start- ed on January 20, 1932, and furnished work for the unemployed at an opportune period. Gravel from the Town pit was spread to a depth of seven inches, graded, and rolled. The roadway was then left to settle until April, when it was again shaped, levelled and given a treatment of 4,421 gallons of Tarvia B, and covered with screened sand. The residents of Libby Ave. now enjoy a hard surfaced road at a nominal cost.
Longwood Road, also accepted under the Betterment Act, was constructed along similar lines to that of Libby Avenue. It was neces- sary to make a slight alteration in the West Street end of the accept- ance in order to avoid a residence on the corner. Tarvia B to the extent of 2,035 gallons was used in the treatment of Longwood Rd.
Construction of Fair Road, accepted under the Betterment Act, December 12, started on December 28, and will be completed when con- ditions permit. The ten other accepted streets were graded with gravel, rolled, and treated with Tarvia B. In all, thirteen streets were ac- cepted as Public Ways by the Town. Street signs were installed where necessary.
Curbing has been installed to a total length of 376.1 feet as shown in the table :
Owner
Location
Feet Installed Returns
Clyde L. Davis
91 Bancroft Ave.
40.4 2
George S. Woodman
93 Bancroft Ave. 40.2
2
Charles A. & Katherine Schmitt
81 Summer Ave. 69.0
2
Christine F. Atkinson
32 Washington St.
75.0
0
Harold K. Veazie
48 John St. 14.5
2
Emily P. Howard
Haven Cor. Main St. 137.0
2
-
376.1
10
173
1932 Sidewalk Construction Granolithic
Street
Frontage
Sq. Yds.
Bancroft Avenue
100.00
54.47
Berkeley Street
273.15
145.44
Elliott Street
263.65
165.24
John Street
80.00
44.67
Locust Street
82.50
45.72
School Street
661.69
366.22
Summer Avenue
88.00
52.71
Thorndike Street
434.40
261.53
Vine Street
1,008.38
560.72
Woburn Street
82.50
50.30
3,074.27
1,747.02
Stone Dust
Stonedust totaling 159.2 tons was used to cover 380 sq. yds. of sidewalk surface.
Tarvia B Sidewalk
A new departure from the usual method of dirt sidewalk con- struction was introduced on Main Street. After the gravel of which the new sidewalk is constructed had settled, it was smoothed and given a treatment of Tarvia B at the rate of three quarters of a gallon to the square yard, sanded where necessary and rolled. This is an original method, and after close observation was found to be very satisfactory, producing a hard, smooth walking surface unaffected by rain or frost. Other sidewalks in various sections of the town were then constructed in the same manner, 5,145 gallons of Tarvia B being used to cover approximately 6,400 sq. yds. of sidewalk surface. A large number of unemployed were used on this work, consisting as it did of much hard labor.
Storm Water Drainage, 1932: The storm water drainage system was advanced 6467 feet in 1932, installations being made where con- ditions warranted it. Drainage projects were used during the entire year to furnish work for the unemployed, under the supervision of em- ployees of the Highway Department. The following table will illus- trate the work that has been accomplished.
174
SIZE OF PIPE INSTALLED
Location
24 in.
21 in.
20 in.
18 in.
15 in.
12 in.
10 in.
8 in.
C.B.
M.H.
Totals
Salem St ..
472
1
472
Libby Ave.
1
236
176
2
416
John St .. . .
350
2
350
Summer Ave ..
696
728
630
9
1
2,054
Pennsylvania Ave.
178
Hancock St.
14
36
56
Pearl St ..
20
2
15
37
Pleasant St.
120
Woodward Ave.
74
1
74
Vine Street
104
1
104
Green Street
262
2
262
Weston Rd.
217
42
4
1
259
Scotland Rd.
36
36
Oak St ..
697
5
697
Harnden St.
413
3
413
West St ..
12
2
12
Woburn St.
38
4
1
38
Lowell St.
232
1
232
Haven St.
1
2
Main St.
503
40
3
543
Totals
20
2
14
747
1,738
3,617
284
40
42
5
6,467
Open Ditches: As many open ditches had not been thoroughly cleaned for some years, a systematic program in this work has been carried on in 1932, the work being accomplished by large crews of unemployed under the supervision of employees of the Highway De- partment. In Birch Meadow 3.200 ft. of open ditch were cleaned, and in many cases elevations were taken to insure proper drainage. Other open ditches cleaned are as follows: From dam in Birch Meadow to old sand pit off Longwood Road, 7,200 ft., in swamp adjoining Wil- low St. 2,500 ft., Hancock and Mineral Sts. to Ash and Brook Sts. 10,000 ft., Washington and Main Sts. to John St. 2,500 ft., Salem St. at Memorial Park to Eaton to Green St. 3,780 ft., Washington, Main, Elliott and John Sts. 3,150 ft., Salem St. near Libby Ave. 400 ft., mak- ing a total length cleaned of 32,730 ft.
Reading Square: At the annual Town Meeting in March $7,000 was appropriated to construct Reading Square under Chapter 90. General Laws with the State, County and Town each paying a third of the total cost, estimated by the State Department of Public Works at $21,000.
On June 3, 1932, the Board of Public Works voted to construct Reading Square from the south side of Haven St. to the State High- way north of Lowell St. with a 40 ft. width of re-inforced concrete on Main St. and bituminous macadam sides, with the intention of let- ting the concrete strip out to contract, and the Highway Department constructing the macadam portion.
When the contract for the 40 ft. strip was awarded, however, it
*
178
12
108
1
59
Hanscom Ave ..
59
-
Salem St.
106
175
was found to amount to only approximately one third of the State Department of Public Works estimate. The contract was awarded to P. J. Holland and work commenced.
On August 16, a petition was received from the storekeepers in Reading Square and prominent citizens requesting the Board of Pub- lic Works to reconsider their vote of June 3 regarding the construction of the Square and construct the entire surface of the Square of re- inforced concrete. On August 19 the Board voted to rescind that portion of their previous vote which called for bituminous macadam construction, and surface the balance of the Square with reinforced concrete, provided the total cost of the entire job would not exceed the appropriation of $21,000, and if the approval of the State Depart- ment could be secured. After several conferences with the officials of the State Department of Public Works they allowed the Town to award P. J. Holland the second contract, an extension of the 40 ft. strip already awarded him on August 10, 1932 and at the same cost per sq. yd.
The drainage work in the Square consisting of 1,226 ft. of drain pipe, fourteen catch basins and one man-hole was done by the High- way Department. This drainage construction provided work for many of the unemployed. The bituminous macadam approaches to the streets entering the Square were constructed by the Highway Department, being a total of 1,112 sq. yds.
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