Making the whole length laid in the city, this year, 34,933 feet, or about 63 miles, and the total length of sewers 112 miles.

Of the amount expended by the city there has
been assessed upon estates benefited
The treasurer has collected during the year, as-
sessments amounting to

The superintendent has collected from fees, use
of tools, &c.,

Total collections,

$52,300 03

44,660 OL

2,848 87

$47,508 88

During the year, 1412 permits have been given to construct or repair house drains, 113 manholes covered with iron covers, and 233 manholes cleaned, containing 312 loads of sewage

matter.

Early in the year an agreement was made by which the city purchased the sewers laid by the Water Power Company upon the Back Bay lands, and assessed the usual proportion of the cost upon the abutting estates.

The actual cost of these sewers was

$36,011 79

The amount assessed (three fourths of cost)
Of these assessments, a portion had been pre-
viously settled by payment to the Water
Power Co., and there has been abated on this
account.

27,008 86

5,523 54 5,986 31

Of the remainder the treasurer has collected

By the construction of Atlantic avenue the outlets of seven large sewers were cut off from discharging into the open channel, and would naturally have been extended, each through the enclosed property to the sea wall of the avenue; but, with the consent of the most active wharf proprietors, who recognized the evil which the discharge of the sewers had created in their docks, an act was obtained from the Legislature by which the city was enabled to intercept all these sewers in Commercial

and India streets, and discharge them by one common outlet at the end of Central wharf. The cost of the whole improvement, which has been completed this year, has been $43,178.89, and by the provisions of the act will soon be assessed upon the various corporations and individuals which have received benefit therefrom.

The large sewer in Concord street, built to increase the storage and discharge from the South End system, has also been com pleted to tide water and furnished with double, self-acting tidegates. Its effect in relieving the other outlets is very marked; in fact, it is the same as would result from cutting off all the drainage south of Brookline street, but as yet no opportunity has offered for determining the amount of benefit arising from it during a heavy rain at high water, which is the period of danger to the cellars of the district.

No complaint has been presented from the Church street territory since the improvements were carried out, and it is hoped that during the coming year the whole drainage system of the Suffolk Street District will be reconstructed with an independent outlet to tide water; and by disconnecting it entirely from Dover street and the sewers above, to make it perfect in itself, besides relieving the more southern territory by an equal amount of drainage area.

The little that has been done in Dorchester was not for the conveyance of house drainage, but to preserve what will be a useful outlet in the future; and it is apparent that most drainage works in that section will consist in the improvement of existing water courses for the purpose of reclaiming swamp lands, rather than for the disposal of house drainage.

The proposed improvement of Stony Brook remains as last year, no active measures having been taken by the city although petitioned to do so by its own citizens, and also by the neighboring corporation of West Roxbury, which has expended con siderable money in improving the channel of the stream within its own limits.

I annex a table showing the daily rain-fall at the south yard, and also the customary schedule of property.

Respectfully, your obedient servant,

W. H. BRADLEY,

Superintendent of Sewers.

DAILY FALL OF RAIN AND SNOW, FOR 1870, AT SOUTH YARD, ALBANY STREET,

SCHEDULE OF PROPERTY
OF PROPERTY BELONGING

DEPARTMENT.