The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1901-12-17
Superintendent Of Sewers

A large amount Of work has been
done by this department during the
year Just ended While the number of
men employed has been smaller than
during the year previous the work has
been fully as heavy and difficult
From Dec ] to April the average
number of men employed was l6S, and
the minimum number for any one week
was 1O7. From April 1 to the end of
the year the number of employees aver
aged 1856 with a maximum of 1862 dur
ing the week ending June 81 The min
! imum rate of wages for able bodied
men has been $l.75 per day of eight
hours The length of the working DAY
| was limited by popular acceptance OF
the statute to eight hours at the cleo
! ton in December, 1900. This change
has had q very material effect upon
the cost of the work this year As the
| major part Of the excavation was de-
Ipendent upon machine work, it was inn
| possible for the men to accomplish
any more than eight-ninths as much
work as formerly because the ma
chimes had always operated at as high
a speed as possible.
+ Most of the work done has been on
| the separating system and has been
very deep. much of it between 20 and
30 feet below the surface Of the
streets Excavations have been made
| through gravel, hardpan. quicksand
and ledge Two short tunnels have
| been driven, one through quicksand
under air pressure and one through
rock
! The financial statement shows ap-
preparations and revenues available for
| the use of the department amounting
| to $400, 1850, of which $374,216.63 have
! been expended.
! The statements made in the last re-
port regarding needed improvements at
! the headquarters on East Worcester
! Street are just as true and should be
made fully as urgent.
! TESTING LABORATORY.
The work done in this laboratory has
remained about the same as last year,
and has proved of material value
The tests of cement are becoming
/ more and more valuable and interest
ing as more of the long time tests are
Iobtained This year the first 36 months
/ tests were completed.
! The department met with severe loss
| in the death of Edward l.. Smith, who
/ had been connected with the work for
several years as chemist. Mir. Smith
was largely instrumental in the estab-
/ lishment of the laboratory for testing
/ supplies. and to his careful and con-
scientious work much credit is due for
! the success attained.
! 1t is most interesting to note that
| there have been no heavy showers
during the year There were only six
I showers in which the precipitation in
| 20 minutes exceeded one-half inch, and
none in WlHch it was more than one.
MAINTENANCE
/ The large increase in the size of the
sewer system which has taken place
during the last few wears has called
for a continual increase in the amount
of work REQUIRED for the proper main
tenace of the same. The automatic
! regulating gates. syphons and special
devices can 5or considerable att i on
appliances in good working order.
| The work done by the public service
corporations in the streets has required
! expensive repairs of catch basins and
| manholes. This work is not classified
! with the natural repairs and main
tenance Of the system, but is classed
| in a separate item.
! Tho recommendations made In +be
1,s+ 7a,,o,,t ara aoair ,,reearted for con
! sidera ion a. MS tina The condition
! If tbe seT-ar in Sbraveh1lrv street
| gro,E-s ,,-o,,se aoc, v,aa,, and +ha navirer
Of the Middle Rroci, channel is INST as
Trga,,t &C a,-ar hsida fro,,, a fau-
n1i7,o, ,,er,oire ,,hic, vii he IIlade Ji,1r,
! mo The l,intar The svetem is in Z,er,,
/ 20 -.,4t4i' ~, i - -
5,i, jI, INC, ora iiaI1 IN h
| required for several years.
/ ,-t,o s,,r,, of en- zo- go l. Tho not oo-+
~ ~ 7oaI, re- ~ s,,,!
! G,,,.i,, ~, yr,+ 1a,, paei,,o ~ l,,l
c'Iia+fS,, ~ tba ,,,Ir,,ie s Ill, df
| ee,,-ars az The baginning of tho 100,
rar,eiI, ~ noe IL +to lot -. ii, 81
ro,. tn+.i Observation-Disclosures ctsro,o
| he Ell 10 yrLig irc1,,,1as a. -
/ tenanra If 25gS catcb bseire and 5go-
manbojas The COST If claaning re-
| ea(,-n,.s ,,o,, ,5,iia t,os boa,, * 70
CONSTRUCTION
MI. -...,. oooo IT,. r. -.... ,.-.--
! NJ 81 80 .IiiG9 " %" 20 ia {
peeI eTii9lI uCteu III 'Iit- uepai intent VI
t' roIi9 ~ IN eLis9T %
10 lIlo,e9 @IIG q ca1GH DflsIils
,,,,' irCi,,5a 10 ,eo 80 o-l. (Saii
eoet lIluIo 10 no 80, - SgN - .
ailu &c oa.eIi LN'9Ilia'
during the wear fo, connection Win
public sewers. OF these 142 were for
surface water ass for severa ge : for
repairs and As were not used. making
| 55I new drains constructed. Tn n cases
surface water and sanitary drains
We're kent separate as far as the curb
! and then Joined. running to the main
| sewer in a single pipe. The total
| length Of the drains constructed
I amounted to 4.5S miles.
There have been no very expensive
or difficult constructions called for in
this branch of the work. and the total
! length of sewers built has been rather
under the average for the last few
! years. Considerable advance has been
roado toyyar1 ,,ro,-i,1;,rr -o,,.or- -,