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

get so much travel now as to require
a new floor every second or third year.
Total amount expended on bridges.
81, 305.S8.
The permanent improvements this
year aside from the new granite block
paving are few in number and small in
expense
Grafton and Newton Square grass
plats We're completed: Southbridge
Street worked to full width of location,
and little preliminary work done
looking to a new stone arch bridge at
New Worcester. Total amount thus
expended is $1069.47.
Sixty-two new brick crosswalks have
been constructed at a total cost Of
S4320.47 an average cost of S69.6S. These
are built from six to nine feet wide on
a concrete base and make an ideal
walk.
The sprinkling of streets has been
done by the American Car Sprinkler
Company this completing the third
year Of their five year contract. The
mileage sprinkled was increased this
year by about IL miles, making the
total mileage sprinkled nearly y miles.
car sprinklers cover about 26 miles and
the remainder IS taken care of with
carts. The total cost of sprinkling was
AOD,tDt.oO All DIV ctSE u SOlI.OO pei AlillV
There has been no decided change in
the method or cost of street cleaning
and sweeping. The machine sweeping,
so far as weather conditions will per-
NIT. 1t done at night, this being supple
mented by hand work by day. 1858
loads of sWeepings have been collected
during the year, at a total cost Of
$12, OS3.51.
Street cleaning. which means princi'
pallv the cleaning of maCadam streets
by the six section gangs, has been con-
tinued as usual: 21.907 loads have been
collected and taken to dump at cost
of SIS, 6S759.
It has become quite the custom now
for the street department to do the re-
laying Of paving over bitches for prac-
tically all who make street openings in
paved streets throughout the city. The
volume of such work has been much
greater this year than ever before, ag-
gregating in cost S4O,S27.21.
The total expense of street construC-
ton for the year was $l9,5I6.30. Is new
streets were completed and several
others begun
At the present time we are collecting
samples of street signs and as soon as
a satisfactory sample is presented in
tend to place an order for several
hundred I am not well pleased with
the signs that We have been using in
the past and hope to get one easier to
read as well as more durable and at
tractive.
The real estate belonging to the de-
Ipartment is particularly located for the
business of the department and with
a few small additions will afford the
best possible headquarters for the de-
partment for several years. The build
Iings situated upon it are very poor and
by no means a credit to the fair city
to which they belong. Practically all of
the personal property of the depart
ment is in first class order and so far
as thar goes we are well equipped for
doing effective work. We need more
stable and shed room. however so as
to be able to do more work with our
own force and less with outside agen-
cies. The estimated value Of real es-
tate and building is $4j136.76; personal
property. s36,52612.
The number of permits granted and
the number of miles Of ditch opened
this year is considerably less than last
year and We shall welcome further re-
ductiOn in the year now upon US. The
total number of permits issued was
l2796; total number of openings, 1910
The street commissioner recommends
the construction of a new stable and
the purchase Of additional land. and
after referring to the several kinds of
paving used on much travelled streets.
granite blocks. brick, asphalt and
wooden blocks, he says:
During my term of office we have
not been privileged TO lay any other
| than granite block paving, and that
/ has been so we'll done and is so salts
/ factory to you and to our entire people.
7
/ to show you what highly satisfactory
! pavement we can give you with the
| other kinds of material. unless we ask
/ the privilege. l would. therefore. most
| respectfully request that we be per-
mttted TO lay one good sample stretch
/ Of each of these four kinds of pave
ment the coming year-say, one-quar-
! ter of a mile each, making one mile in
/ also that all our people may see and
/ judge for themselves which. right here
! in Worcester, is most durable. and to
! know by experience and observation.
/ one and all. that all four are good and
/ none bad, l would like TO be privileged
I to pick the streets that the samples
shall be laid on, for different kinds are
adapted to different streets. and all
kinds are not adapted to - same
I street.
I would recommend that bituminous
macadam pavement be given q trial.
for it has every indication of possess
ing rare merit.
would recommend that a portable
crusher be purchased and that we I'M
dertake the improving of our prinCi-
pal country roads in a suitable MAN.
ner There is at least two years work
for such a plant in the vicinity OF
I Greendale and Summit Station. con
meeting the macadam at Chadwick
Square with the new state road beyond
the summit; and still another TWO
years would be occupied in the North
Worcester district connecting ChSi-
wick Square with the state road Oh
Grove Street near the Holden line.