USA > Massachusetts > Hampden County > Wilbraham > Wilbraham annual report 1941-1945 > Part 32
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The new railroad bridge at the intersection of Boston Road and Old Boston Road was recently and very satisfac- torily completed.
The Crane Hill Road bridge has become dangerous and should be replaced this year. An Article in the warrant pro- vides for this and the Board urgently recommends its adoption.
Your Board has continued this year its policy of providing a two in one annual town report. The first section on an individually colored paper contains a condensed town review for quick and convenient perusal. The second section on another color stock contains a convenient directory of town officials etc. Section 3 and 4 contain the detailed reports (gen- eral and financial respectively) which the Town has previously voted to continue. Your Board was gratified to learn that this town report for 1944 won second place in the state wide award for Town Reports for towns of five thousand or less, and was doubly pleased to learn that the 1944 equivalent of this Selectmen's report to the Town received first award for the entire state in that classification.
In response to request of several residents, the Board has sought ways and means of diverting heavy through truck travel from Main Street. The fact that this street is a Chapter 90 Street leading to another town limits the action available to the Town in this regard. However, the Board has developed a plan which when coupled with some special night patrolling by local constables should promise to show satisfactory results on this problem.
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The Board takes this opportunity to thank the Towns- people for their cooperation and sincere interest in the affairs of Town of Wilbraham.
Faithfully yours, IRVING J. CORDNER, J. LORING BROOKS, JR. ALBERT L. MARTIN Selectmen
TIGHE & BOND Consulting Engineers
November 23, 1945
Board of Selectmen
Town of Wilbraham, Mass.
Gentlemen:
In accordance with your authorization, we submit here- with the following engineering report on the sewerage and sewage disposal problems of the town of Wilbraham.
In the preparation of this report the existing built up areas and areas where future concentration of population can be expected within the next 25 years were studied. This portion of Wilbraham is more definitely defined as follows:
Bounded on the south by Tinkham Road, Bounded on the west by the City of Springfield, Bounded on the north by the Chicopee River and bounded on the east by the Wilbraham Mountains.
For the purpose of this report, this portion of Wilbraham will be sub-divided into the following so-called areas :
Ludlow area of Wilbraham
The built up area of Wilbraham adjoining to Springfield and laying between the Boston & Albany railroad, the City of Springfield and the Chicopee River.
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The Flats
The built up area of Wilbraham in the vicinity of the Boston Road and west of Ninemile Pond.
North Wilbraham
That portion of Wilbraham sloping towards the Chicopee River and laying between Ninemile Pond and the Boston Post Road underpass including the Collins Depot area so-called.
Wilbraham
Center
That portion of Wilbraham abutting on Tinkham Road, Springfield Street, Stony Hill Road and North and South Main Street; north of Tinkham Road and south of the ridge which runs parallel to and between Springfield Street and the Boston Road.
Before a study of the sewerage problem of a community can be made, a general knowledge of the topograhpy, the grades of existing highways, and population, past and present, in order to forecast future population, must be known.
The town of Wilbraham was surveyed in 1938 by the United States Geological Survey and a topographical map was prepared. This map shows (1) existing ponds and streams, (2) relief, including mountains, hills, valleys and other features of the land surface and (3) works of man including roads, rail- roads, boundaries and existing buildings. This map is to a very small scale and its scale was enlarged by us 4 times by a photographic process and we have used this enlarged map as a base map in preapring these studies.
Streets and roads were surveyed and the surface elevations of these streets and roads at all points of changes in grade were placed on the base map.
From this completed base map, existing populations of areas can be determined by counting the houses and multiplying the number of houses by 4.5 persons per house.
The general topography including the slope of the area, profiles of roads, location of streams available for discharge of sewage and other features necessary for a proper study of sewerage can be determined.
We find that cutting across Wilbraham and running parallel to and about midway between the Boston Road and
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Springfield Street is a ridge of high land running from the Springfield line to the Wilbraham Mountains and the land north of this ridge pitches to the Chicopee River while the land to the south of this ridge pitches to the North Branch of the Mill River.
This type of topography adapts itself to two systems of sewers; (1) a system collecting the sewage from the area north of the ridge and outleting into the Chicopee River; (2) a system of sewers collecting the sewage from the area south of the ridge and outleting into the North Branch of the Mill River.
The North Branch of the Mill River in Wilbraham has a relatively small drainage area, with low dilution value in times of dry weather flow and downstream it is used for recrea- tional purposes. These conditions prevent the discharge of raw or treated sewage into this stream when it can be pumped into the Chicopee River, a stream with a large dilution factor and one which is at the present time used by many communities to care for their sanitary wastes.
The non use of the North Branch of the Mill River for the discharge of sanitary sewage means that the discharge from the collecting system of sewers in this area must be pumped over the ridge which runs parallel and between the Boston Post Road and Springfield Street and discharge into the col- lecting system in the Chicopee River drainage area.
EXISTING SEWAGE FACILITIES
There is a small system of sewers in the North Wilbraham area which cares for about 50 buildings with a total population of less than 400 persons.
Due to the topography, this system of sewers cannot be extended to care for a large additional area and the future average sewage flow thru the existing outlet near the Collins Manufacturing Plant is estimated as 50,000 gallons per day.
In the Ludlow area of Wilbraham there is a short sanitary sewer system which discharges into the Chicopee River a few hundred feet east of the Springfield-Wilbraham town line. The population served by this system is small and the topo- graphy of the area is such that the system can not be extended without pumping to care for additional population. The future average daily sewage flow at this outlet is also estimated at 50,000 gallons per day.
INDUSTRIAL WASTE
The Collins Manufacturing Company, manufacturer of fine writing paper, discharges its industrial wastes into the
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Chicopee River without prior treatment. The volume of the wastes from this industry is in excess of 1,000,000 gallons per day. The cost to the town of Wilbraham of constructing a treatment plant to care for this volume of industrial waste would be excessive. This industry by carrying waste utilization to its economic limit thru save-alls and recirculation of white water can solve its own polution problem.
The sanitary wastes from the industry should be cared for by the town of Wilbraham.
Existing State Laws Relative to Discharge of Sewage into Streams in the Commonwealth.
Prior to 1945, the State had little or no jurisdiction over existing sewer outlets discharging into streams in the Common- wealth. Chapter 388 of the Acts of 1941 prohibited the con- struction of new sewer outlets which would discharge untreated sewage into the streams in the Commonwealth. Chapter 615 of the Acts of 1945 enabled the State Department of Public Health to pass the following rules and regulations which have all the force of law. These rules and regulations, in accordance with the Act, were approved by the Governor and Council on December 19, 1945.
No sewage and no human excrement or compost con- taining human excrement, and no house slops, sink wastes, or waste water which has been used for washing or cooking, or other polluted water, shall be discharged or put into any lake, pond, stream, tidal water and flat within the Commonwealth, or into a tributary of such tidal water and flat, except as may be approved by the Department of Public Health when in the opinion of the said Department the best practicable and reasonably available means to render harmless such sewage, human excrement, house slops, sink wastes, waste water or other polluted water have been provided in accordance with plans approved by the Department.
No manufacturing refuse, or waste product, or polluting liquid, or other substance which by itself or in combination with other substances is of a nature poisonous or injurious either to human beings or animals, or any putrescible organic matter whatsoever, shall be discharged or put into any lake, pond, stream, tidal water and flat within the Commonwealth, or a tributary of such tidal water and flat, except as may be approved by the Department of Public Health when in the opinion of the said Department the best practicable and reason- ably available means to render harmless such manufacturing refuse, waste product, polluting liquid, substance, or putres- cible organic matter, have been provided in accordance with plans approved by the Department.
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It appears that all sanitary sewage and harmful industrial wastes now being discharged, untreated, into the Chicopee River in Wilbraham, will have to be treated in the immediate future.
We are taking cognizance of the Acts of 1945 in the prepara- tion of this report.
QUANTITY AND QUALITY OF SEWAGE
To determine the proper capacity of interceptor sewers and sewage treatment works, it is necessary to consider the past, present and probable future sewage flows. Sewage im- provements should not be constructed for the present day needs alone, but should be designed with allowances made for future growth of the community. It is customary practice . and considered good engineering to design a sewage treatment plant for anticipated conditions 25 years in the future and intercepting sewers for the 50 year future anticipated con- ditions.
Sewage quantities depend upon many factors including tributary population, per capita domestic sewage contribu- tions, industrial wastes and ground water leakage or infiltra- tion.
POPULATION GROWTH
The population changes in the town of Wilbraham are shown graphically by the Population Chart, Drawing No. 1. The estimated 1970 population is 3750 persons and the popula- tion in the proposed sewered area in 1970 is estimated to be 3250 persons including the student population at Wilbraham Academy.
WATER CONSUMPTION
The average daily water consumption per year for the year 1935 to 1945 inclusive are herein after tabulated.
Yearly Average Daily
Year Water Consumption
1935
45,000
1936
55,000 (leak)
1937
45,000
Average Annual Increase in Con-
1938
55,000
1939
60,000
1940
55,000
1941
65,000
1942
70,000
= 50 gallons per capita.
1943
72,000
1944
86,000 (dry year)
1945
80,000
sumption = 3500 gals. per day. Estimated Water consumption in 1945 == 160,000 gals. per day.
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GROUND WATER INFILTRATION
The chief sources of dry weather sewage flow are three, namely, industrial waste, domestic sewage and ground water infiltration or leakage.
Leakage in sewer lines is a condition common to all sewer- age works. It is a result of broken and leaking lines, joints, service pipes, etc. and the quantity entering the system varies greatly, depending upon many factors, such as; the number of joints, the materials of which they are constructed, the type of soil in which the pipe is laid, the elevation of the ground water table and the degree of care experienced in the construction and maintenance of the system.
In a new and well constructed collection system, where man-holes are tight and the pipe joints are well made, an average leakage of approximately 5,000 to 15,000 gallons per day per mile of pipe line is not unusual. Infiltration in new sewer systems can, in many cases, be reduced to a minimum by careful construction, but once a sewer system has been built it is difficult and very costly to reduce ground water leakage.
The future infiltration in Wilbraham is estimated as 15,000 gallons per day per mile of sewers.
FUTURE SEWAGE FLOWS
Total mileage of sewers - 15.8 exclusive of 5 miles of pressure sewers and 3 miles of house connections. Total mileage of system - 23.8.
Ground Water Infiltration.
15.8 miles at 15,000 gallons per mile per day = 237,000 gallons
Sanitary sewage 3250 persons at 50 gallons per person per day 162,500 gallons per day.
= 399,500 gals. per day.
The Ludlow area of Wilbraham can be treated most economically by discharging into the City of Spring- field System.
Estimated future volume gallons per
day
=
50,000 Gals. per day.
Capacity of Sewage Disposal plant
to care for town of Wilbraham 1970 349,500 gals. per day.
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PROPOSED SEWER SYSTEM.
As has been previously mentioned in this report the town of Wilbraham is broken up into two separate and distinct drainage areas. In designing a system of sewers for the town one would therefore expect that only two systems of sewers would be required and the system to care for the North Branch of the Mill River drainage area would pitch to a common point and only one pumping station would be required to raise this sewage over the divide and into the Chicopee River drainage area system.
Under ideal conditions a system of sewers could be con- structed in the Chicopee River drainage area which would flow by gravity to a central point where the sewage could be treated before discharging into the Chicopee River and pumping would be eliminated.
We find in Wilbraham each drainage area is flat and is sub-divided into small sub-drainage areas by tributary brooks and that six systems of sewers will be required with 6 pumping stations and long lines of pressure mains from the pumping stations to the proposed outlet into the Chicopee River.
The proposed sewerage system for Wilbraham is shown in colors on the attached plan. The system consists of 15.8 miles of gravity sewers, 5 miles of pressure sewers and 3.0 miles of house connections.
The estimated cost of the proposed system of sewers, pumping stations, force mains and disposal plant is estimated as follows:
6 Pumping stations at $6,000.00 each $36,000.00
5 miles of force mains at $12,000.00 per mile. 60,000.00
13.8 miles of gravity sewers at $20,000 per mile 276,600.00 Sewage disposal plant. 50,000.00
Total $422,600.00
10 percent incidentals & Engineering. 42,260.00
Total Cost completed System $464,860.00
Note: Length of existing sewer system estimated as 2 miles so length of gravity system to be constructed will be 13.8 miles.
A program of sewer construction of such magnitude is unwarranted in Wilbraham. Wilbraham is a rural and resi- dental community with no areas of heavy concentration of population. The predicted growth for the next 25 years does
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not lead one to assume that in the future there will be a heavy concentration of population that from a health view point will require such a program of sewer construction.
MODIFIED SYSTEM OF SEWERS FOR WILBRAHAM
We submit for your consideration the following proposed modified system of sewers which we believe will care for the needs of Wilbraham for many years to come.
Gravity sewer to care for area on No. Main Street between the drive to the Woodland Dell Cemetery and the high point on No. Main Street about 1800 feet north of Faculty Street, Faculty Street and Springfield Street between Main Street and the Mill River and house connections from main lines to property lines.
Total length - 16,020 lin. ft. $67,652.50 10% incidentals & Engineering. 6,765.00
$74,417.50 $74,417.50
Pumping station $6,000.00
Pressure main from Springfield Street
to Ninemile Pond 11,500 lin. ft ..... 28,750.00
Pressure main from Ninemile Pond to
Disposal site length - 3,703 lin. ft. 9,325.00
$44,075.00
10% incidentals & Engineering
4,407.00
$48,482.00 $48,482.00
Pressure main from existing outlet near Collins Mfg. Co. to Disposal plant site 4,700 lin. ft
$11,700.00
Pumping station
6,000.00
17,700.00
10 % incidentals & Engineering.
1,770.00
$19,470.00 $19,470.00
TOTAL
$142,369.50
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THE FLATS
18,940 lin.ft. = 3.6miles at $20,000 $72,000.00
Pumping staiton 6,000.00
Force main 4,100 lin. ft. 10,250.00
Sewage Disposal plant (200,000 gal-
lons per day capacity) 35,000.00
$123,250.00
10 % incidentals & Engineering
12,235.00
$135,575.00
Connecting existing sewer system in the Ludlow area of Wilbraham to
the City of Springfield System. 6,000.00
$141,575.00
$141,575.00
TOTAL COST $283,944.50
CONCLUSION
It would appear, due to legislation, that Wilbraham will discontinue discharging raw sewage into the Chicopee River within a few years and the sewage from the Ludlow area of Wilbraham can be most economically treated by discharging it into the Springfield system. The estimated cost of this connection is $6,000.00. The treatment of the raw sewage now being discharged into the Chicopee River just north of the Collins Mfg. Co. will require the construction of a small sewage disposal plant of 50,000 gallons per day capacity close to the existing sewer outlet. The cost of such a plant with the neces- sary pumping station is estimated at $23,000.00.
Consideration should be given to locating the plant closer to the Flats area and constructing the plant to care for the proposed modified system of sewers for Wilbraham. This project including the connection from the existing outlet is estimated to cost about $54,470.00.
Respectfully submitted,
TIGHE AND BOND,
By PHILIP E. BOND
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1945 REPORT OF THE Trustees For County Aid To Agriculture AND THE HAMPDEN COUNTY IMPROVEMENT LEAGUE TOWN OF WILBRAHAM
AGRICULTURAL WORK
All farmers in town have been kept informed of the latest developments in Agricultural problems by means of personal visits by the County Agents or through group meetings, circulars, bulletins, and field demonstrations. Opportunity has been given to all in matters pertaining to crop production, better care of livestock and general farm management problems.
HOME BUREAU WORK
During the year 166 women attended 28 meetings or demonstrations conducted by 9 different local leaders assisted by the County Agents. There were 5 different projects under- taken as requested by various groups of homemakers, and the following local leaders incurred expenses amounting to $20.40; Mrs. Charles J. Hatch, Mrs. Philip H. Shaw, and Mrs. Charles F. Bradley.
4-H CLUB WORK
There were 12 young people enrolled in 5 different 4-H Club projects under the direction of 4 local leaders and the County Agents. Outstanding awards for excellence in their projects were given to several members.
FINANCIAL STATEMENT
1945 Appropriation
None
Balance carried over from 1944
78.88
$78.88
Expended in 1945
20.40
Balance available for 1946
$58.48
Appropriation recommended for 1946
None
NOTE-The town appropriation is deposited with the County Treasurer and held to the credit of the town for reim- bursing local town leaders for their necessary expenses in conducting such work as may be assigned them.
Respectfully submitted, Trustees for County Aid to Agriculture L. B. BOSTON, Clerk
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Assessors' Report
Tax Appropriations
$192,805.50
State Tax
$3,536.00
State Audit
469.43
State Parks and Reservations
125.41
County Tax
4,685.45
Tuberculosis Hospital Assessment
427.02
Overlay
1,708.89
10,952.20
$203,757.70
Estimated Receipts
Income Tax
$9,834.66
Corporation Taxes
13,323.88
Reimbursement State Owned Land
116.41
Gasoline Tax
5,161.32
Motor Vehicle and Trailer Excise
3,000.00
Licenses
3,500.00
Fines
500.00
General Government
400.00
Health and Sanitation
500.00
Charities
2,000.00
Old Age Assistance
7,500.00
Old Age Tax
335.15
Schools
4,000.00
Public Service Enterprise
7,300.00
Interest
200.00
Total Available Funds
41,050.00
Total Estimated Receipts and
Available Funds
98,721.42
Net Amount raised by Taxation
$105,036.28
929 Polls 1,858.00
Value of Personal Property $297,656.00
Tax on Personal Property 8,929.68
Value of Real Estate $3,141,620.00
Tax on Real Estate
94,248.60
Total Taxes Levied on Polls and Property $105,036.28
Tax Rate $30.00 on $1,000.00.
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No. Dwellings
882
No. Horses
62
No. Swine
74
No. Neat Cattle
290
No. other Animals
324
No. Fowl
11,619
Tax on Motor Vehicle and Trailer Excise
$3,416.58
Respectfully submitted,
CHARLES W. VINTON
HENRY I. EDSON
E. RAY PEASE
Building Inspector
1 story house
16
Tool shed 2
2 story house
2
storage room
1
1 car garage
12
porches
3
2 car garage
8
alterations
3
Additions
16
Remodeling
3
Hothouse 1
Furnace
1
Brooder house
3
Barn
1
2 story hen house
3 Cellar under house
1
Hen house
8 Bathroom
1
Store house
1 Wiring installation 1
Total permits issued
87
Estimated cost
$185,997.00
Respectfully submitted,
GEORGE G. HERTER
Building Inspector
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Dental Clinic
Clinic sessions
32
Number of patients receiving attention
102
Teeth filled:
Permanent teeth
92
Temporary teeth
78
Total
170
Cleanings
79
Extractions:
Permanent teeth
9
Temporary teeth
13
Total
22
DR. IRVING P. DINNEEN
School Dentist
Fire Department
Fire Loss:
Buildings
$9,030.00
Contents
2,050.00
Assessed Valuations
31,675.00
Department responded to 64 alarms and 2 silent alarms.
Buildings 15
Tar Truck 1
Chimneys
9
Oil Burners 3
Automobiles
2
Dump
4
Motorcycle
1
Grass & Brush 31
103 inspections
77 permits for storage of No. 1 and No. 2 Fuel Oil 7 permits for Explosives
44 Extinguishers recharged
The storage of fuel oil and oil burner installations should have a proper inspection by the Fire Department before opera- ting, in the past year we put on quite a drive on these inspec- tions and got excellent results.
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Fifty percent of our fire loss for 1945 was caused by faulty oil burning equipment.
I wish at this time to call to the attention of the citizens of Wilbraham that the apparatus at North Wilbraham will be twenty years old in 1947, which means the town will have to consider buying a new truck at that time for adequate fire protection.
We hope that the citizens will co-operate with the depart- ment for this request.
FIRE DEPARTMENT PAYROLL - 1945
Ralph Tupper
$367.00
George Herter
145.00
Clifton King
141.00
Joseph Baldyga
107.00
Lewis Banta
88.00
Ralph Bennett
90.00
John Brackinsky
109.00
Harold Brown
96.00
Wesley Chapman
88.00
Carl Heiden
95.00
Thomas Nopata
106.00
Victor Patnode (resigned March 30th)
28.00
John Tupper
98.00
William Tupper
94.00
Cyril Woods (appointed April 1st)
68.00
Total
$1,720.00
I wish to thank the call men for their cooperation during the past year. Also the Board of Selectmen, Board of Fire Commissioners, and all other departments of the town as well as the citizens of Wilbraham.
Respectfully submitted,
RALPH E. TUPPER, SR.
Fire Chief
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Report of Board of Fire Commissioners
During the past year there have been some developments which your Board and the Fire Chief have endeavored to solve in the interest of better fire protection for the residents of the Town of Wilbraham. As a result of thorough and successful tests made by the Army and Navy in fighting fires with fog nozzle and foam equipment, we have provided each fire truck with a combination fog nozzle for the booster line. In addition, we now have fog nozzle for one and one-hafl inch hose on the Reo truck at Wilbraham as well as fog nozzles for both one and one-half and two and one-half inch hose on the Maxim truck at North Wilbraham. A portable foam unit has been added to the equipment on the North Wilbraham truck, which will be of great assistance in extinguishing gasoline and oil fires.
A new fire hydrant has been installed at the entrance to the North Wilbraham Fire Station which fulfills a need of several years standing. It provides a standard hydrant for training the firemen in making hose connections on present and new equipment, and a convenient connection for wetting down 5000 feet of fire hose (which should be done every three months) and the refilling of booster tanks on the fire trucks. These operations can be carried on without interfering with traffic on the State Highway. The new hydrant installation can be used in connection with fires on properties on the north side of Boston Road between the Fire Station and the railroad under- pass without the necessity of laying hoselines across the State Highway and holding up traffic for a considerable length of time.
At the request of the New England Telephone & Tele- graph Company, a new arrangement of the fire alarm system has been completed, which functions independently of the operator of the switchboard at the North Wilbraham Telephone Exchange. The fire telephones and fire siren alarm switches are installed in duplicate in the homes of Fire Chief Ralph E. Tupper and Assistant Fire Chief Clifton F. King. Dual telephone coverage is provided twenty-four hours of the day to make certain that fire telephone service is available at all times. The new Fire Telephone number for exclusive use of reporting fires is North Wilbraham 24. This number must be connected before the fire sirens can be sounded. If you do not remember the number, call the telephone operator and say, "Emergency- Fire" in order that you can be promptly connected with the Fire Telephone number. When connected with the Fire Telephone number, give the following information:
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