be substantially tight under full pressure, the leakage being measured by metres and found very small. The amount which Mr. Norman agreed to do for the sum of $24,000 was to furnish and lay the flexible pipe only, the connections to be made with the old main at the edge of the channel; but it was subsequently decided to extend the new line over the flats, and make the connections above tide water on solid ground. The total length of new pipe laid was 1,463 feet, being 813 feet more than the amount contracted for. The performance of this extra work was intrusted to Mr. Norman, and the entire cost, including the contract price, was $24,878.08.

・Extension of the Works for the Year ending April 30th, 1871.

Statement of the Length of the Different Sizes of Pipes Laid and Stopcocks put in during the Year ending April 30, 1872.

Size.

Number of Service Pipes put in in the Year 1871-72.

2

2

48

2

48

11

1

161

1

161

1

13

358

3

167

2

140

9

5

436

Water to Deer Island. - The work introducing water from East Boston to Deer Island was completed last year, at a cost of $68,951.56. The pipes have been connected with the new boiler, and since then, in September and October, about 3,000 feet of 8-inch pipe were laid on the island to distribute the water to all the buildings.

WHARVES AT DEER ISLAND. During the year, it became necessary to extend the ferry wharf at the Shirley Gut crossing, about 100 feet, on account of the shoaling which is constantly going on at this point. Plans and specifications were prepared by the City Engineer and the work was thoroughly and substantially done by Amos Quimby, at a cost of $910.00. The steamboat wharf was also thoroughly strengthened by driving 23 new oak piles, putting in additional braces, and new stringers, and replanking. This work was also done by Mr. Quimby, at a cost of $2,195.00.

WEST BOSTON BRIDGE. -Under the direction of the Commissioners on the West Boston and Cragie's Bridges, the City Engineer made a thorough examination of the West Boston Bridge and prepared plans and specifications by which

the bridge was very thoroughly repaired. The work was done by Ross & Lord, under contract. They have built three new piers; a new bulkhead on both sides of the bridge for its entire length with an air space between the bulkhead timbers, and earth filling in to prevent rotting; a planed and painted railing the whole length, on both sides; reset the edgestones; repaved the whole roadway with new materials and relaid the brick paving of the sidewalk; repaired the pier occupied by the draw-tender's house; new stringered and new planked the draw pier; new planked the sides of the draw-pier and built a new bulkhead to the draw. From the Boston end of the bridge to the draw, the roadway (except the space between the railroad tracks) is paved with the Warren wooden pavement; from the draw to the solid filling on the Cambridge side the same portion of the roadway is paved with the Nicolson wooden pavement; the portion of the bridge on the Cambridge side, that is filled solid, is paved with small granite blocks, and the entire portion between the rails of each track, which, by law, is maintained by the Union Railway Company, is paved with small granite blocks. By the final estimate of the City Engineer, the total cost of the contract work was $45,624.32; cost of extra work, stone and materials furnished by Ross & Lord, $3,865.77. Cost of cesspools, $1,000.00; total, $50,490.09.

FORT HILL.-The work of grading this hill has been completed during the past year, and several of the streets paved. Sidewalks will be laid at once on all of the streets not already paved, and the streets put into a condition suitable for public travel. The betterments will be assessed by the Board of Street Commissioners as authorized by law before the first of July next. The amount to be assessed is not yet estimated. The city own, by purchase and surrender, twenty-two estates on Fort Hill, containing 26,182 square feet, and five lots, formerly school-house lots, containing 23,

These

067 square feet, making 49,249 square feet in all. estates will probably be sold at public auction (excepting those the city reserve for public uses) during the present year; and a large revenue will be derived from this source.

THE SUFFOLK STREET DISTRICT. This district, so called, embracing the land, with the buildings and other fixtures thereon, lying between Tremont street and Washington street, Dover street and Pleasant street, was taken on the 13th of July, 1870, under the authority of chapter 277 of the acts of the year 1868, for the purpose of abating a nuisance caused by the impaired drainage. This territory covers an area of about 31 acres; and at the time of the taking it was occupied by 749 buildings, mostly dwelling-houses, which gave shelter to nearly six thousand persons. The plan of improvement contemplated raising the grade of the streets to at least 18 feet above mean low water; the cellars and back yards to 12 feet; raising and underpinning the buildings to correspond with the new grade; and widening and extending many of the streets. The estimated expense of the improvement was $2,351,550.00. The work was

begun in September, 1870, and has been prosecuted since with great energy, under the direction of a Joint Special Committee of the City Council. The contractors for filling were Manuel and Haynes (Phineas E. Gay, assignee) and John Souther. The former furnished the gravel, by cars on the Boston and Albany Railroad, at $7.50 per square; the latter furnished earth from Fort Hill, by carts, at $9.60 per square. The work of filling is now (May 1, 1872) very nearly completed -over 250,000 cubic yards having been put in. With the exception of one building on Washington street and one on Tremont street, all the buildings which were in a suitable condition have been raised and underpinned. About 150 buildings were destroyed, either on account of the widening and extension of streets, or because

they were unfit to raise. Suffolk street (now Shawmut avenue) has been widened from 40 to 60 feet, and extended to Pleasant street, crossing the Boston and Albany Railroad track and Orange street by an iron bridge. Middlesex street has been widened between Castle street and Hingham street, and extended through to Dover street. Emerald street has been widened between Paul and Castle streets. Carney place has been widened between Washington street and Shawmut avenue. Washington street has been widened on the westerly side. Castle street has been widened from 22 to 50 feet. Wheeler's court has been widened and extended to Indiana place. A new street, named Cobb street, has been laid out between Washington street and Shawmut avenue. A new and substantial retaining wall has been built on the southerly line of Indiana place between Shawmut avenue and Tremont street; and a heavy retaining wall on the northerly line of Castle street, between Shawmut avenue and Tremont street, is nearly completed. The strip of land between Orange and Castle streets has been sold to the Boston & Albany Railroad Co. Between Chapman and Dover streets, the edgestones have been set, the sidewalks laid, and the roadways paved. The work of putting the other streets in order for public travel has been begun and will be completed during the summer. The new system of sewerage, adapted to the improved grade, has been nearly completed. Settlements have been effected with about half the former owners of estates on the district, either by the re-conveyance of the estates taken, or the payment of their appraised value at the time of taking. The time designated by statute within which persons entitled to estates in the district are required to file a bill in equity expires in the early part of July next. Any party failing to appear within the time prescribed is forever barred from recovering any damages on account of the property taken.

Total amount expended on this improvement to April 30th,