Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-03-10
BUILDING A CITY.

Improvements Already Made.
The report of E NJ. Bigelow, Chief of the
Department of Public Works, made tc
Councils, was as follows:
To the President and Members OF Select and Com
mon Councils:
Agreeably to law, present to your honorable
bodies my annual report for the fiscal year end
ing January ST. 1890.
Upon review you will find il as brief as posi-
bic and to the point. During the year just
closed the work performed by this department
has equaled the transactions of last year,
which were up to that time unprecedented In
number and extent The outlook for the in
coming year is that it will be in every particular
as busy as last great deal depending on the
manner in which the Supreme Court decides
and the Legislature provides a method for the
collection of the cost of our public improve
ments.
The growth of the city continues in its CON-
manding proportions, and with it the demands
upon the department are continually multiply
ing. We have been able up to this time to
meet the demands upon us. and with our in
creasing facilities hope to be able to continue
IN the fullest discharge of every duty falling to
this branch of the city government.
With regard to the cleanliness in the matter
of repairs and the general condition of the
streets. including lighting and the supply OF
wafer, our CITY Is now IN better COQOlIlOu ludu
ever before. l would ask respectfully that
your attention be given to such an extent as
Will make apparent to you the many demands
upon the department and the effort continually
required for it 10 discharge successfully its
manifold duties.
Many Improvements Made.
The department has been especially energetic
during the year in pressing forward improve
mentslupon highways, extending the sewerage
system of. the city, in providing breathing
places for the masses. and in point of cleanli-
ness by the use of improved machinery on the
streets. l am pleased to say we have arrived at
results almost up to our expectations and when
our facilities shall be increased with the ina
chinery already purchased we will be able to
preserve the city in condition of cleanliness
not attempted in previous years.
Pursuing the WelI-SeJtled plan CT the depart
ment large number of streets were repaved
with block stone and asphalt during the year,
and with your help this work will go on every
year until in this respect the streets of our city
will be in a condition to bear favorable CON-
parison with the thoroughfares OF the many
prominent cities of this country. The many
miles of sewers which have been built in the
extension of The general system, and the great
amount of water pine laid to provide for the
needs of our people in the rapidly growing sec
tions OF the CRY have been the means of i'm
proving the sanitary condition very much.
In my report last year called attention to
the reservoir capacity of the city, and now
AGAIN call your attention to II, and also my let
construction of an additional reservoir. In
this matter we are not keeping apaCe with the
growth OF our city. In this connection again
press upon your consideration the great need
Tor the establishment of a system of water
meters. The waste OF water by the people is
very great and it increases with the increase of
the population. This waste should be stopped,
and II car be stopped by the use OF meters. The
method OF water assessment collections as now
operated is as near perfect as possible without
the meters.
of this department has been and is cared for
bv the bureau to which that work has been
especially assigned. 1t is in good condition
with the exception of Council Chambers, which
hope in a short time will be refurnIshed in
keeping with the building,
Extension of Public Lighting.
There is a marked extension of the system of
public lighting, and this work hope will 60 on
until in every section the dark corners of the
city will be illuminated.
The splendid entrance of l9 acres to Schenley
Park was after some difficulty secured. mal1iug
a total of 425 acres in this beautiful tract. The
work Of cleaning up the grounds and making
clay roads through the park was pushed IN a
vigorous manner, enabling thousands to enjoy
its natural beauties. We will continne to push
and Highland parks. and will leave
nothing undone that will add to the opportunI-
ties there, for the enjoyment AID recreation of
the people.
thanks are due to my assistants and associates
for their vigorous cooperation IN discharg1ng
the duties presented to them. 1 have to thank
you Tor your conslGerate treatment of my re-
quests during The year. For The future you
may be assIred that nothing will be omitted
that would add TO the growth and prosperity of
the city so far any effort of this department
NAV be directed to accomplish these desirable
E. NJ. B1GELow,
Chief of Department of Public Works.
'1aa 70 NJ Pisral. Ilitarro
Chief Clerk, shows the transactions of the de-
partment in detail. During the year there was
collected and paid to the City Treasurer SS6,-
347 g. OF this sum S69. SO IS came from CRY
property, wharf and market rentals, and Sll,-
090 y from the water assessments on new
buildings. The assessments returned to the
City Treasurer for collection were S229, 800 7s
for 30 streets graded, paved and curbed; $685.
Cos 05 for 81 sewers. and S., 795 81 for board
walks, total of S5SS. SI9 10.
Millions spent on the Streets.
The street Improvements made during the
year included the paving of q streets with a
total length of 375 miles, and the grading of
two streets at total cost of $3.50 SO 30: the re-
pairing of ten streets with total length of 5.37
miles at 4 total cost of S249 $50 81; the building
of six boardwalks of length of 3. II miles, at a
coss of s. as 10; the building of 66 pipe sewers
with a leugh h Of l3 "a miles, and three brick
and stone sewers with a length of Tl.06 miles, at
a total cost Of S25S,S ,S26 81 There are now in the
PIPE sewers and 1872 miles of brick and stone
sewers This work was done by the Bureau of
Engineering and Surveys.
The Bureau of Highways expended in re-
streets S2S.405 81. Cleaning streets cost S73-
I'll O9 repairing sewers, s., ,5l6 81; cleaning sew
ers 1851 81; repairing boardwalks, etc, ST.
SO 42 The cost of removing snow and ice from
the streets was So 292
The Bureau OF CITY Property cost SSi, 400
chiefly for wages. The receipts were S53 l0s p
,osl-aF al : ft,,r
The Bureau of Water Supply and Distri-
button shows that at the Brilliant pumping
station 1852 SIS gallons of water are lifted
daily at cost of 81 79 for each LOCO O0O gallons
pumping was S65.950 IS. while renewal of the
valve chambers cost Si9,S2S 81. The Bedford
S. 44I Al was for a new infiuent chamber. The
Heron Hill station cost s.. $40 80. and the
Garfield pumping station cost $500 IS. Dur
ing the year 1886 lineal feet of water pipe
ranging from inches 30 inches in diameter
were laid and l0636 feet were relaid. lowered or
raised. There are now in use 1885 ferrules
,653 fire hydrants. 5,l09 gate valves and 2o69l
miles of pipe. The receipts of the bureau
iron.
Collection of Water Rents.
The Bureau of Assessments of Water Rents
cost 50 6S4 g. of which 9OS4 81 was for salaries
The water assessment for 1880 was S643 Ill 75 |
and for new buildings Sll 09O,42 Fifty-seven
water meters in use were assessed at SD g6I 81;
l2O hydraulic elevators using direct power,
s23, ,g6l g.. and 81 hydraulic elevators using |
pumps and tanks, sl.Sl5.
TIE Bureau OF Public Lighting expended /
s14l SO3 s. OF this Sl30.099 95 went to the East
End Electric Light Company, S7.552 81 10 the \
County Light Company. S9SS Y to |
the Piutsburg Light Company, and Sl.5S7 to |
erecting and repairing lamps. There are now |
n the city $40 arc lights of 1000 candle power |
1t Sl02 per year, $50 incandescent lamps of 25
candle power at SIG per year, and 29l7 |