USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Reading > Town of Reading Massachusetts annual report 1946 > Part 17
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Filtration Plant
The filtration plant operated efficiently throughout the year, a total of 258,826,800 gallons of raw water direct from the tubular wells, averag- ing 709,115 gallons per day having been aerated, filtered and delivered to the clear water basin. Tables included in this report show the results obtained by aeration and filtration.
Sand Filter No. 1 was raked twice and scraped three times, Filter No. 2 raked once and scraped four times during the year. As the Filter Plant had been in operation for ten years with no replacement of sand in the sand filters, a new sand blanket 12" in depth and totaling 200 tons was placed in each filter. Each filter in turn was carefully scraped sufficiently deep to remove the iron hydrate impregnated sand, which was removed from the filters by means of the ejector box. Replacement sand was secured, after careful investigation and analyses by our Con- sulting Engineers, from Plum Island, and dumped through a wire screen direct from the trucks into each filter in turn. The sand was then carried in wheelbarrows and spread evenly over the filter bed. The sand was then carefully disinfected, the filter filled with water, let stand for 24 hours, and run to waste. Chemical tests for impurities were then made, and the filter put back in operation. Three days work was re- quired for each filter, with one filter bed always in use. Satisfactory results have been realized from the new sand blanket.
Both subsiding basins were drained, cleaned and disinfected, also the clear water basin. Vertical aerator tubes were cleaned and brushed as needed during the year, and tube caps reamed periodically.
Standpipes
No major repair or maintenance work was required on either standpipe during 1946.
PUMPING STATIONS
Hundred Acre Pumping Station
Hundred Acre Pumping Station operated daily during the year,
Water Department
222
averaging 13.51 hours of operation daily, and delivered 258,826,800 gallons of raw water direct from the tubular wells to the iron removal or Filtra- tion Plant and filtered water to the distribution mains, averaging 709,115 gallons per day, at a cost of pumping figured on total pumping station expenses of $31.68 per million gallons pumped. The greatest amount pumped in any one day was on Friday, July 19, 1946 with a total pumpage of 1,472,000 gallons; in any one week, from July 14 to 20 inclusive, with a total pumpage of 8,625,000 gallons. The 75 H.P. high lift pump was in operation for a total of 4409.5 hours during the year, and the 125 H.P. high lift pump in operation for a total of 522.25 hours.
The 75 H.P. high lift pump motor, which had been in continuous operation since 1931, was removed from the pumping station and sent to the factory for overhaul and repairs. When returned, it had been cleaned, new slip rings installed, and new rubber bushings installed in the motor couplings. New wearing rings were also installed on No. 1 Low Lift Pump, and several minor repairs were made by the pumping station engineers to pumps and equipment.
During the winter months the pump room was cleaned and painted, as were the pumping equipment contained therein.
Six interruptions of electric power supply occurred during the year, from various causes such as high winds, sleet storms, electrical storms, etc. The longest of these interruptions occurred during a lightning and high wind storm on June 8, when falling trees and branches broke the power line. Power was off from 9:15 P.M. June 8 to 9:30 A.M. June 9. As the standpipes were nearly filled at the time of power interruption, no water shortage to consumers occurred.
On December 11, 1946 a fire in Hundred Acre Meadows, fanned by high winds, threatened the water shed area. The fire started at the Boston and Maine Railroad, Woburn Street Wilmington crossing, and rapidly swept down the meadows. Fire departments from several sur- rounding towns assisted the local fire department in extinguishing the fire before any serious damage was done.
Mill Street Pumping Station
Mill Street Pumping Station was not actively operated during the year, but was kept in readiness for possible emergency operation. At the annual March 1946 Town Meeting it was voted "to authorize the Board of Public Works to sell upon such terms and conditions as they may determine the machinery and equipment located in the Mill Street Pumping Station". Several prospective purchasers have examined the machinery and equipment, but no offers to purchase have as yet been received by the Board.
The building has been used extensively for storage purposes to re- lieve congestion at the Municipal Garage.
Water Department
223
HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT
Gentlemen:
The following is the yearly report of the Highway Department: Appropriations voted in March Town Meeting:
1. Highway Maintenance and Construction $ 47,000.00
2. Removal of Snow and Ice 20,000.00
3. Maintenance of Storm Drains 4,500.00
4. Sidewalk Construction and Maintenance 8,000.00
5. Development of Storm Water Drains 8,000.00
6. Care of Dumps
1,900.00
7. Construction of West Hill Circle Bal. Fwd. from 1945 $ 834.06
Appro. 1946
250.00
1,084.06
8. Construction of Wescroft Road
Bal. Fwd. from 1945 $ 1,850.90
Appro. 1946
500.00
2,350.90
9. Construction of Springvale Road
Bal. Fwd. from 1945 $ 162.24
Appro. 1946
250.00
412.24
10. Construction of Harvard Street
Bal. Fwd. from 1945
351.20
11. Construction of Cape Cod Ave. Bal. Fwd. from 1945
1,961.00
12. Construction of Wood End Lane
Bal. Fwd. from 1945
1,511.00
13. Construction of Mineral St. Bridge
Bal. Fwd. from 1945 250.00
14. Development Committee Bal. Fwd. from 1945
15. Post War Planning Bal. Fwd. from 1945 2,264.76
16. Received from State and County for Chap. 90 Maint. 1,500.00
17. Road Machinery Fund
Transfer from Road Machinery Acct. 16,300.00
Balance from 1945 262.51
18. Refund Over-payment
16.45
19. Received from State, County and Town for Chap. 90 Const .- Lowell St.
12,000.00
257.15
Highway Department
224
20. Received from State, County and Town for Chap. 90 Const .- Main St. 10,000.00
20a. Chapter 90 Const. Charles St. Appropriation
4,500.00
21. Transfer to Snow and Ice from Reserve Fund
25,000.00
22. Transfer to Highway Dept. from Reserve Fund
300.00
23. Transfer to Highway Dept. from Chap. 90 Const. 202.00
24. Transfer from Chap. 90 Maintenance
500.00
25. Voted at Special Town Meeting Oct. 28, 1946 Highway Department 1,500.00
26. Federal Works Agency Appropriation 750.00
27. Municipal Garage Appropriation 25,000.00
Grand Total $175,173.27 Expenditures and Balances of the above Appropriations :
Item
1. Highway Maintenance and Construction $ 47,000.00
22. Transfer to Highway from Reserve Fund 300.00
23. Transfer to Highway from Chap. 90 Const. 202.00
24. Transfer to Highway from Chap. 90 Maint. 500.00
25. Voted at Special Town Meeting 10/28/46 1,500.00
$ 49,502.00
Expended :
Pay Roll $ 24,450.13
Road Material 10,247.78
C-90 Maint.
1,000.00
Supplies and Tools 2,056.33
Road Machinery Acct. 7,503.78
Misc.
4,235.97
Total Expended
$ 49,493.99
Balance Unexpended 8.01
2. Removal of Snow and Ice
$ 20,000.00
Transfer to Snow and Ice from Reserve Fund 2,500.00
$ 22,500.00
Expended :
Pay Roll
$ 11,968.62
Plowing and Hauling
2,358.59
Repairs and Supp.
4,261.39
Highway Department
225
Rd. Mach. Acct.
2,978.97
Misc. 449.78
Total Expended
$ 22,017.35
Balance Unexpended
$ 482.65
3. Maintenance of Storm Drains
Expended :
Pay Roll $ 2,131.66
Supp. and Misc.
2,368.34
Total Expended $ 4,500.00
Balance Unexpended
.00
4. Sidewalk Construction and Maintenance $ 8,000.00
Expended :
Pay Roll $ 5,833.54
Supp. and Misc.
2,158.26
Total Expended 7,991.80
Balance Unexpended 8.20
5. Development of Storm Water Drainage $ 8,000.00
Expended :
Pay Roll $ 4,488.82
Pipe
852.99
Supplies and Misc.
2,108.10
Road Mach. Acct.
545.26
Total Expended
$ 7,995.17
Balance Unexpended
$ 4.83
6. Care of Dumps
$ 1,900.00
Expended :
Pay Roll $ 1,713.25
Misc.
184.65
Total Expended $ 1,897.90
Balance Unexpended $ 2.10
7. Construction of West Hill Circle
Bal. Forward from 1945 $ 834.06
Appro. 1946
250.00 $ 1,084.06
No Expenditures in 1946
Highway Department
226
$ 4,500.00
8. Construction of Wescroft Road
Balance Fwd. from 1945
$
1,850.90
Appropriation No expenditures in 1946
500.00 $ 2,350.90
9. Construction of Springvale Road
Balance Fwd. from 1945 $ 162.24
Appropriation 1946
250.00 $ 412.24
No expenditures in 1946
10. Construction of Harvard Street
Balance Fwd. from 1945
$
351.20
No Expenditures in 1946
11. Construction of Cape Cod Ave. $ 1,961.00
Expended :
Pay Roll $ 820.15
Supplies
408.09
Crane Hire
315.00
Road Machinery
416.96
Total Expended $ 1,960.40
Balance Unexpended $ .60
12. Construction of Wood End Lane
Expended :
Pay Roll $ 516.19
Supplies
569.28
Crane Hire
168.00
Road Machinery
245.35
Total Expended $ 1,498.82
Balance Unexpended
$ 12.18
13. Construction of Mineral St. Bridge
Balance Fwd. from 1945 $ 250.00
No Expenditures in 1946
14. Development Committee
Balance Fwd. from 1945 $ 257.15
15. Post War Planning
Balance Fwd. from 1945 $ 2,264.76
Expended :
Pay Roll $ 922.14
10.00
Engineering
Highway Department
227
Total Expended
$
932.14
Balance Unexpended $ 1,332.62
16. Chapter 90 Maintenance
Received from State and County
$ 1,000.00
Transferred from Highway Dept.
500.00
$ 1,500.00
Expended :
Pay Roll $ 357.32
Road Material 828.57
Road Machinery
314.11
Total Expended $ 1,500.00
Balance Unexpended .00
17. Road Machinery Fund
Balance Fwd. from 1945 $ 262.51
Transfer from Rd. Mach. Acct.
16,300.00
18. Refund Over-payment
16.45
$ 16,578.96
Expended :
Repairs and Gasoline
$ 15,297.47
Balance Unexpended
1,281.49
19. Chapter 90 Lowell Street (Town 4,500) (State 5,000)
(County 2,500) Total
$ 12,000.00
Expended :
Pay Roll $ 3,617.35
Supplies 1,529.03
Road Machinery Acct.
3,848.31
Total Expended $ 8,994.69
Balance Unexpended
$ 3,005.31
20. Chapter 90 Main St. (Town 2,500) (State 5,000) (County 2,500) Total
$ 10,000.00
Expended :
Pay Roll $ 688.87
Road Machinery 305.36
Supplies
5,589.53
Highway Department
228
Total Expended
$ 6,583.76
Balance Unexpended
$ 3,416.24
20a. Chapter 90 Charles St.
Appropriation No Expenditures in 1946
$
4,500.00
26. Federal Works Agency Appropriation
$ 750.00
Expended
750.00
Balance Unexpended
.00
27. Municipal Garage
Appropriation
$ 25,000.00
Expended
269.60
Balance Unexpended
$ 24,730.40
Totals
Items
Appro. and Transfers
Expended
Balance
1-22-23-24-25
$ 49,502.00
$ 49,493.99
$ 8.01
2-21
22,500.00
22,017.35
482.65
3
4,500.00
4,500.00
.00
4
8,000.00
7,991.80
8.20
5
8,000.00
7,995.17
4.83
6
1,900.00
1,897.90
2.10
7
1,084.06
.00
1,084.06
8
2,350.90
.00
2,350.90
9
412.24
.00
412.24
10
351.20
100
351.20
11
1,961.00
1,960.40
.60
12
1,511.00
1,498.82
12.18
13
250.00
.00
250.00
14
257.15
.00
257.15
15
2,264.76
932.14
1,332.62
16
1,500.00
1,500,00
.00
17-18
16,578.96
15,297.47
1,281.49
19
12,000.00
8,994.69
3,005.31
20
10,000.00
6,583.76
3,416.24
20a
4,500.00
.00
4,500.00
26
750.00
750.00
.00
27
25,000.00
269.60
24,730.40
$175,173.27
$131,683.09
$ 43,490.18
Highway Department
229
Highway Department
Although seriously handicapped by lack of experienced laboring per- sonnel, much was accomplished during 1946 by the Highway Department. Labor was more plentiful than in preceding years, but was very unstable, with a tendency to come and go. Had the department been able to compete with labor rates currently offered by private industry, better qualified workers could have been employed under much more stable conditions, and more work accomplished.
Chapter 90 road construction was resumed after a long absence during the war years, and Chapter 90 Maintenance work continued. Two private ways were accepted and constructed as public town ways under the Betterment Act, and maintenance work was accomplished on many highways.
The storm water drainage program was carried on somewhat more extensively than in several preceding years, but by no means is keeping pace with requests for needed drains from citizens. Annual appropri- ations for storm drain installation must be much greater before needed relief from deplorable drain conditions can be expected.
Granolithic sidewalk installation was accomplished to the full extent of available funds, as was granite curbing installation, but by no means kept pace with the constantly increasing applications from property owners for sidewalk and/or curbing construction. As of January 1, 1947 there are on file a total of sixty-four individual applications for granolithic sidewalk construction and thirty-seven applications for granite curbing installation.
A more detailed account of the work accomplished by the Highway Department follows :
Snow and Ice
Eighteen snow storms were recorded in Reading during 1946, four of which were under 1" depth, six were under 2" depth, and eight of which were from 4" to 12" in depth and required plowing. The follow- ing table includes only the eight storms requiring highway snow- plowing :
Highway Department
230
Recorded Snowfall-1946
Date
Snowfall Temp. (inches) 12
+22º
N.N.E.
Moderate
Medium heavy - mixed with sleet
Jan. 24
4
+31°
N.N.E.
Light Wet and heavy - slush
Jan. 30
6
-+-26°
N.N.E.
Moderate Wet and heavy
Feb. 19-20
12
-+-22°
N.E.
Moderate Light and Fine, then
to Gale
heavy
Feb. 26-27
4
+26°
N.E.
Light
Snow, rain and sleet
Dec. 20-21
5
+24°
N.N.E.
Moderate Heavy and wet
Dec. 27
6
+22°
N.E.
Moderate Light and Fine
Dec. 28-29
4
-+30°
N.N.E.
Light
Snow, rain, sleet
Total
53 inches
Snow storms during 1946 were so spaced that no particular difficulty was experienced in plowing any one storm. Sanding of icy streets, however, was necessary almost daily during the winter months.
During the storm of February 19-20, the Adams Motor Grader, rigged with a 60-40 V-type plow formerly used on a large tractor, hung on a push-frame and lift-fabricated at the garage workshop, was used for the first time, on outlying streets such as Haverhill Street, Bay State Road, etc. The unit performed satisfactorily, and has been used in each storm since.
Lack of experienced replacement personnel made it necessary to require key departmental employees to work long hours without relief during several of the storms, which they did without complaint. Break- downs among old equipment somewhat hampered snow plowing efforts.
Several privately owned trucks were hired to augment the depart- ment's plowing equipment, and the privately owned Ford-Ferguson tractor was again hired to plow private ways.
Sidewalks on main traveled streets were plowed as often as drivers could be secured for the two crawler-type tractors. These two tractors are old and worn, and seldom got through a storm without one or more breakdowns.
The snow loader was used regularly in snow removal operations, and several employees were trained in its operation. This unit has proved its worth in economical and rapid snow removal. With a fleet of trucks equipped with high side boards, and a well-organized method of getting them in and out from the snow loading chute, a comparatively large quantity of snow can be removed in a comparatively short work- ing period.
Highway Department
231
Wind Direction
Force
Remarks
Jan. 20-21
Sanding of icy streets was a costly and continuous operation during the storm periods. With only four small home-made semi-automatic sanders available, much of the sand has to be hand-cast from sand trucks, which is a slow, arduous and costly method of highway sanding. Funds should be made available for the purchase of modern sanders.
General Highway Maintenance
Roadway maintenance operations were carefully planned and executed in an effort to make the material available cover the most street surface. During the war years, street surfaces were neglected due to shortages of sealing materials. Cold, changeable winters also contributed to the surface breakage of many streets where inadequate storm drainage helped cause frost boils and heaves, and our highways, which had over a period of years immediately preceding the war been built up by honing, mixed-in-place and surface seal methods, have badly deteriorated.
During 1946, honing and mixed-in-place operations were not done to any great extent, the available material being used for surface seal and spot-spray methods of road maintenance. A total of 65.007 gallons of various types of road oil were used to surface treat 133,608 lineal feet of roadways totaling 240,725 square yards, and 2483 tons of various types of sand and stone were used as cover.
Roadway patching was carried on extensively through the year, with K. P., commercial mixed, and gravel being used. A total of 1,050 gallons of cold patch liquid was used by the department in mixing cold patch aggregate at the garage mixing plant, and 515 tons of ready-mixed com- mercial patching material was used in street patching operations.
The annual Spring sweeping and cleaning of streets and gutters was accomplished as early in the Spring as weather conditions permitted. A heavy deposit of sand from winter sanding operations existed, and to expedite completion of this work an Elgin street cleaner was rented from a private contractor, as also was a Case tractor with a front scoop lift. The department's truck-mounted Roto-sweeper and hand labor were utilized to sweep streets and gutters, followed by the Elgin street cleaner which picked up the waste material and deposited it in selected central dumping location. The Case tractor scoop then loaded the material on department trucks, for final disposal. During the street cleaning period, frequent rainy weather kept dust at a minimum, but hindered sweeping operations somewhat.
During the winter months, when weather conditions permitted, brush was cut from roadsides on outlying streets to alleviate possible traffic hazards. The street sign program was furthered considerably, with new wooden street signs and metal hangers constructed and lettered at the garage workshop.
Highway Department
232
Chapter 90 Maintenance
Chapter 90 Maintenance work, made possible through funds con- tributed by the State, County, and Town for maintenance of secondary highways, was accomplished on West, Salem, High and other streets included in this category. Foiled and spalled sections were cut out of stone surfaced streets, new broken stone installed, penetrated, sealed and compacted, etc. Other roads were surface sealed, guard rail posts were repaired, replaced and new cables installed, etc.
Chapter 90 Construction
For the first time in several years, funds were allocated by the State and County for road construction, Main Street and Lowell Street being selected for partial reconstruction.
Main Street, from Haven Street to Washington Street, of cement concrete construction installed in 1934 by a private contractor under State supervision, had surface-spalled rather badly, and State Public Works Department engineers recommended that it be resurfaced with a Type I Bituminous Concrete Mixture. Departmental employees pre- pared the street surface for the new top coating by removing all loose material from the roadway, raising all surface structures such as catch-basin and manhole castings, water gates, etc., installing some additional storm drains, etc. The roadway was then covered, curb to curb, with a Class I coating furnished and laid by contract by Warren Brothers Roads Company of Cambridge, Mass. This construction was completed early in September.
Lowell Street construction was then undertaken, and was to have consisted of completely rebuilding a section of Lowell Street from Grand Street towards Reading Square, by the department, with a stone surface. Excessive amounts of roadway ledge were encountered, slow- ing the work considerably. Early in December, orders were given by the State Department of Public Works postponing all further road work until the Spring of 1947 because of cold weather. At the date of the stop order, the job had been approximately 80% completed, with the only work remaining to be done the stone surfacing and fine grading. Road- way excavation, storm drainage, gravel borrow etc. had been completed, as also had been storm drainage to be included in a future Chapter 90 construction project on Lowell Street. When the stop order was re- ceived, a road oil was applied to the compacted gravel borrow, to sur- face seal the roadway for the use of traffic during the winter. In the Spring of 1947 a stone penetration surface will be installed and the job completed.
Highway Department
233
Chapter 83 Construction
For the first time in four years, two private ways were accepted as Public Ways and constructed under the provisions of Chapter 83 of the General Laws authorizing the construction of streets under the Betterment Act. Cape Cod Avenue and Wood End Lane were the streets accepted and constructed in 1946, the work consisting of ex- cavating the roadways, replacing the excavated material with bank gravel and rolling same in place, installing the necessary storm drainage, sealing the gravel surface with road oil, and building stonedust topped gravel sidewalks, complete with loamed and seeded tree lawns, on each street. Granite radius curbing was set at the interesections of Wood End Lane and Cape Cod Avenue, and Cape Cod Avenue and Middlesex Avenue, at no cost to the abutting property owners. The cost of con- structing the streets is paid for in its entirety by the abutting property owners.
Granolithic Sidewalk Construction
The following table illustrates granolithic sidewalk construction in 1946 :
Granolithic Sidewalk Construction by Streets
Street
No. Lots
Feet Frontage
Square Yards
Bancroft Ave.
3
232.30
148.17
Bond St.
6
453.04
270.15
Deering St.
1
75.00
43.18
Green St.
1
76.50
39.06
Highland St.
1
75.20
44.48
Hillcrest Rd.
2
212.50
99.03
Howard St.
1
76.00
47.32
John St.
1
53.20
32.32
Linden St.
2
154.30
87.38
Mineral St.
1
60.00
36.98
Mt. Vernon St.
1
83.00
49.83
Prescott St.
2
278.00
151.24
Puritan Rd.
2
188.80
107.69
Springvale Rd.
1
120.20
66.57
Summer Ave.
1
101.20
75.50
Willow St.
1
50.01
31.37
Village St.
1
146.90
81.45
Totals
28
2,436.15
1,421.72
Highway Department
234
Each of the above listed granolithic sidewalks was installed at the request of the abutting property owner under the provisions of the Betterment Act, by means of which one-half the cost of construction is borne by the abutting property owner and one-half by the Town. The property owner may, at his discretion, pay his portion of the con- struction cost in a lump sum or extended over a period of years not exceeding ten, providing a minimum of $5.00, plus interest, is paid annually.
Maintenance work was acomplished on several existing granolithic sidewalks, where squares of concrete had been disturbed through various causes.
Gravel and Stonedust Sidewalks
The usual temporary surfacing of rough, uneven dirt sidewalks with gravel and/or stonedust was accomplished. This is strictly a temporary measure, but many existing dirt sidewalks are in such deplorable con- dition as to render them unsafe for pedestrians, and an attempt is made each year to render passable the rougher of these sidewalks.
Gravel sidewalks were also constructed abutting a number of newly erected dwelling houses, and stonedust was placed on a number of exist- ing gravel sidewalks.
Granite Curbing
Granite Curbing was again available after a lapse of several years, and applications for curbing installation, some of which had been on file for some time, were filled in chronological sequence. The applica- tions filled were all in locations where granolithic sidewalks were in- stalled.
The following table illustrates granite curbing installation during 1946:
Granite Curbing Installation by Streets
No. Feet Curbing No. Lots Installed Straight Returns Length
Bancroft Ave.
2
94.8
5
94.8
Green St.
1
60.0
3 60.0
John St.
1
35.8
2
35.8
Linden St.
1
61.0
1
61.0
Mineral St.
1
40.1
2
40.1
Prescott St.
2
217.6
4
217.6
Puritan Rd.
2
155.2
4
155.2
Village St.
1
128.1
2
128.1
Willow St.
1
32.0
2
32.0
Totals
12
824.6
25
824.6
235
Highway Department
Total
Street
Storm Water Drainage
The storm water drainage program was advanced during the year as illustrated in the following table:
Storm Water Drainage Installation-1946 Size and Length of Pipe Installed
Total
Location
12"
8"
6"
C.B.'s
M.H.'s Pipe Only
Cape Cod Ave.
154.50
2
2
154.50
Grove St. (Spruce Rd.)
143.50
2
2
143.50
Lowell St.
591.40
18.40
19.30
9
3
629.10
West St.
672.50
6
5
672.50
Wood End Lane
129.50
2
1
129.50
Totals
1,691.40 18.40
19.30
21
13
1,729.10
Of the drains listed, two were to serve newly accepted and con- structed public ways, one was on Chapter 90 road construction, and two were to relieve particularly annoying drainage conditions. On Grove Street, at Spruce (Private) Road, drainage had for some time caused dangerous conditions on the roadway, particularly during freezing weather. New catch-basins, manholes and drains were installed and connected to an existing drain. The drain on West Street relieved a large sector of surface drainage from West Hill Circle, and was rendered difficult to construct by the presence of much trench ledge.
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