ning all the pumps, might occasion a feeling of insecurity and doubt, which should be avoided if possible. My reasons for a new main are these: that we may have an independent supply to the reservoir, and so arranged at the engine-house that the water could be transferred from one to the other with very little delay; and also so arranged at the reservoir, that we could pump directly on to the city, independently of the reservoir, which, with our present consumption, we do not possess. This, I think, is an important consideration, and one worthy the attention of the Board. RESERVOIR. The reservoir is in very good condition, and the grounds adjacent have been kept in good order throughout the year. The tall picket fence on the southerly side, built when the reservoir was completed, is in a somewhat dilapidated condition and needs to be repaired. A great change has taken place in the surroundings since that time, and the college grounds immediately connected with the reservoir have been so much improved that I recommend the removal of all the fences, and the placing of posts at suitable intervals to designate the boundary lines. The whole number of gallons of water drawn from the reservoir during the year was 2,838,824,783. On the 8th of November, at the request of the Cochituate Water Board, the water was let on the city proper, and remained on 30 days. The quantity delivered was 57,191,137 gallons. Deduct this from the total amount, and it will leave for our own use 2,781,633,646 gallons, or 49,318,692 gallons less than the previous year. The average daily consumption was 7,621,187 gallons, or 134,844 gallons less than the previous year. The difference between the total amount drawn from the reservoir for the past year (including the amount delivered to the city proper) and that for 1873, was only 7,873,445 gallons, or but a little over the average for one day. The largest daily consumption was on the 15th of December, the time of the large fire on Hittinger's Wharf, which was 12,893,304 gallons. The smallest daily consumption was on May 17th, which was 5,725,380 gallons. The average depth of water in the reservoir was 21% feet, or nearly 1 foot above the usual level. The relative monthly consumption was as follows: The supply mains are in good order. The 24-inch main has required no repairs, and there has been but one slight leak on the 30-inch, which was repaired with but very little trouble. The plans for the new park in Somerville contemplate the regrading of a considerable part of Broadway. The line of the grade, as I have been informed by the chairman of the Committee on Highways, will leave the 24-inch main for some distance partially or wholly exposed, which will necessitate the relaying of this portion of the main. The length or line of the new grade I have not ascertained. A new 12-inch pipe, to supply the extreme upper portion of Somerville, on the westerly side, has been laid the past season by the Water Board of that city. It runs from Broadway, to and through the new avenue recently laid out on the college grounds, and connects with No. 3 supply main, near the reservoir gate-house. This new pipe was intended to give a better head to that part of Somerville, and I understand meets their expectations in that respect. It also brings into general use the supply main above mentioned, which has only been used before to supply the small quantity of water used on the college grounds. DISTRIBUTION PIPES. There has been laid in this city during the year, 6,727 feet of distribution pipe, viz.: 217 feet of wrought-iron and cement pipe, and 6,510 feet of cast-iron pipe. Of this 755 feet was to replace pipe that had become unfit for further use; 4,810 feet was in extension of that already laid, and 1,700 feet was for private use, viz., 1,100 feet in the yard of the Fitchburg Railroad Company, paid for by the company, and 600 feet in the yard of the State Prison, paid by the State. The balance, 2,950 feet, was the new 16-inch main extending from Canal and Richmond streets to the City square, and connecting with the 20-inch main running to the city proper. On Second, Third, Union, Fifth, Sixth, Arrow and Walford streets, which are included in the territory taken by the Eastern Railroad Company for a new depot, about 1,400 feet of wrought-iron and cement distribution pipe has been discontinued, and in what was formerly Union and Arrow streets, 8-inch cast-iron pipes have been laid, connecting the pipe on Front street with the new 16-inch main on Washington street. These will give an ample supply of water in case of fire on Front street. In Austin street 550 feet of 8-inch cast-iron pipe has been laid, replacing the 6-inch cement pipe, which was found to be in very bad condition its entire length. An unusual number of breaks on the distribution pipes in this city have occurred the past year. These breaks seem to be increasing more and more every year, and are confined entirely to the pipe laid when the works were built. The total number of breaks was 45; and in every case, with but one or two exceptions, the pipes were found to be in a very bad condition. The frequency of these breaks has been the cause of a good deal of comment among the citizens as to the reliability of this kind of pipe; but the trouble, in my opinion, is due to poor materials, and carelessness in laying. The pipe in several of the streets will probably have to be relaid the coming season. In Chelsea there has been an extension of 6,618 feet of distribution pipe, making a total in that city of 143,226 feet, or 27 miles 666 feet. In Somerville the distribution pipes have been extended 17,137 feet, making a total in that city of 217,585 feet, or 41 miles 1,105 feet. In Everett the distribution pipe has been extended 1,805 feet, making a total of 70,442 feet, or 13 miles 1,802 feet. In East Boston the distribution pipes have been extended 2,054 feet, making a total of 122,376 feet, or 23 miles 936 feet. In this city 7 new hydrants have been located, and two have been discontinued, making the total number of hydrants in this city 201. 20 new gates have been set during the year. SERVICE PIPES. The whole number of new services entered the past year in this city was 103; in Chelsea, 233; in Somerville, 364; in East Boston, 135, and in Everett, 128; or a total, January 1st, 1875, of 963. 5 |