streets, by the first of March. This latter section may be temporarily graded so as to be passable, until such time as it may be decided whether Broadway is to be extended directly to Washington street, at its junction with Pleasant street, or via Way and Castle streets, to Washington street and thence to Tremont street.

FORT HILL.

After the grading of Oliver street, which was completed in August 1869, the work on the main body of the hill was commenced on the easterly side at the level of Purchase street, under a contract for filling Atlantic avenue, made with B. N. Farren, on the 27th of October, 1869. As before stated under the head of "Atlantic avenue filling," this work was completed October 12th, 1870.

March 1, 1870, Timothy Hannon began to remove earth from the hill excavating by hand labor, under a contract to fill the docks west of Atlantic avenue and between Central and Long wharves. This filling was completed May 10th, 1870. The final estimate as certified by the City Engineer amounted to 8,122 cubic yards at sixty cents, $4,873.20.

July 1, 1870, Mr. John Souther began to remove earth from the hill under a contract to fill the dock west of Alantic avenue and between India and Central wharves. He used a steam excavator and completed his work December 31st, 1870.

The final estimate, as certified by the City Engineer, amounted to 46,800 cubic yards at fifty-five cents, $25,740.00.

About the middle of October, B. N. Farren and Martin Hayes began to remove earth from the hill, each under an independent contract to fill the docks west of Atlantic avenue and between Long and Commercial wharves,—- Mr. Farren using a steam excavator, and Mr. Hayes working by hand. Monthly estimates are made by Mr. McConnell, assistant in charge, from measurement in the bank of all the material thus far removed, and said estimates. certified by the City Engineer.

Nov. 21, 1870, John Souther began to remove earth from the hill under a contract for filling in the Suffolk-street District.

This work was started by hand, but since the completion of Mr. Souther's contract for filling the dock, before referred to, the steam excavator used on that work has been transferred to this.

Under the several contracts above referred to, that portion of the hill east of Oliver street and above the level of Purchase has been entirely removed; the section bounded by Oliver street, Milk street, Broad street and Washington square has been cut down to the established grade. So also has the section west of Oliver street, between Milk street and Pearl place.

Mr. Farren is now working on the east side of Oliver street, and Mr. Souther on east side of Oliver street from it towards Broad street. Mr. Hayes is taking off the top of the hill on the west side of Oliver street. These three contracts are being vigorously prosecuted, and at the present time there is double the amount removed monthly that has been heretofore since the commencement of the work in 1866.

Messrs Farren's and Hayes's contracts are to be completed May 1, 1871. The time of completing Mr. Souther's contract depends upon the operations on the Suffolk-street district; but the amount he is to remove is not to exceed 80,000 cubic yards.

The amounts of earth removed under these three contracts to Dec. 20, 1870, the time of taking the measurements for monthly estimates, are as follows:

The contract price of Mr. Souther's work is $9.60 per square, or $1.20 per cubic yard.

A contract has been made with Albert Boschke to remove all the earth that will be left after the completion of existing contracts. He is to begin work Feb. 1, 1871, and to remove

1000 squares per month until finished, and to receive $2.50 per square. The material is to be used in filling flats on the northerly shore of South Boston, belonging to riparian owners.

BERKELEY AND PROVIDENCE STREET RETAINING WALLS.

Plans and specifications were prepared for this work early in the year; proposals were invited and the contract awarded to N. C. Munson, Esq. Mr. Munson sub-let the work to Messrs. Blake and Parker, who began the work June 1.

The wall is of granite, of the style of work known as "rubble masonry," "and laid in cement mortar. It is capped flush with the sidewalk with a 12′′ x 12′′ granite cap.

By the original plan and contract the entire wall — beginning at the northerly abutment of the Berkeley-street bridge, and extending along the easterly side of said street to Providence street, thence by the southerly side of Providence street about 685 feet was to rest upon piles; but upon further examination they were considered unnecessary for the lighter portion of the wall on Providence street. It was accordingly decided to leave them out of that part of the wall, and to put the bottom of the wall at grade 7.00 above mean low-water, or four feet below the B. & P. R. R. grounds. The piles under the Berkeley-street wall were cut off at grade 5.00.

The contract was amended July 6, 1870, to provide for this change, and, in consideration thereof, the city paid the contractor $450.00. This allowance was made because the contractor had made provision for doing all the work, and the abandonment of this portion of the contract would otherwise have been at a loss to him.

By request of the Boston & Providence Railroad Co. the Providence-street wall was terminated at a point one hundred and fifty feet west of the point fixed by the original plan and contract. The contract was again amended August 9th, 1870, and the contractor allowed for the change $250.00.

The entire wall was completed about the first of September, and the final estimate as certified by the City Engineer was as follows:

Consideration for amendment to contract July 6, 1870

Consideration for amendment to contract Aug. 9, 1870

450 00

250 00

$12,206 60

The grading of the streets behind the wall was done by Martin Hayes. The final estimate of same was made Sept. 20th, 1870. Assistant McConnell had charge of the field-work and estimates on this work.

SUFFOLK-STREET DISTRICT.

In January, test-pits were sunk to ascertain if the character of the soil would be suitable as a foundation for the abutments of the proposed bridge in extension of Shawmut avenue over the Boston and Albany Railroad. Additional pits were sunk in October on the site of the northerly abutment, and by the courtesy of Mr. Firth of the Boston and Albany Railroad, the use of the northerly track of said road was granted for that purpose.

Levels have been taken to determine the exact height of the Boston and Albany Railroad tracks and the clear headway at the several bridges.

In November and December a large gravel bank at Needham

was surveyed, the same to be used for filling the Suffolk-street District. The contractors for filling this district, Messrs. Manuel & Haynes, have not, as yet, begun operations at this bank; but are purchasing gravel of the Boston and Albany Railroad Co., from their bank at Newton.

Measurements and examinations of the cars used for hauling the gravel to the District, have been made for purposes of estimating the quantities delivered.

By direction of the Committee on the Suffolk-street District, plans were prepared early in the year for two abutments, a central pier, and an iron bridge for the extension of Shawmut avenue over Orange street, and the tracks of the Boston and Albany Railroad. The plan, as then contemplated, was to leave Orange street at its present grade, as an avenue of access to the grounds of the railroad company; to place the southerly abutment on the south side of Orange street, a central pier about on a line with the southerly abutment of the Washington-street bridge, and the northerly abutment on the site of the present retaining wall on Indiana place. These abutments and pier to rest on pile foundations.

Subsequent examinations, above referred to, proved that good foundation could be obtained by excavating to about the level of mean low-water; so the plans were modified to dis pense with piling. The plan first drawn for the superstructure contemplated a system of wrought-iron girders placed four feet apart under the roadway and five feet apart under the sidewalks, to be built continuous over the central pier and to have a depth of three feet at the centre of the spans and two feet six inches at the abutments. These girders were to be tied together at top and bottom, and X bridged at intervals with angle iron.

The whole distance from abutment to abutment is about 113 feet, and the width of the roadway 60 fect. By the plan proposed there are no main girders or trusses projecting above the level of the roadway as in most of the bridges, and the roadway is entirely clear of obstructions.