Commonwealth of Massachusetts. To the Honorable the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Board of Metropolitan Sewerage Commissioners, created by chapter 439, Acts of 1889, presents its annual report, which is the eighth since its organization, and covers the year ending Sept. 30, 1896. In our report for 1895 (Public Document No. 45, 1896), the practical completion and opening of the north metropolitan line to the towns and cities thereon, with the exception of about five hundred feet of Section 35 in the city of Somerville, was reported. The latter section was so far completed that on Dec. 28, 1895, notice was sent to the proper authorities of the cities of Medford and Somerville that on and after Jan. 5, 1896, the said section would be in operation, and connections could be permitted there with upon application to this Board. This and the Charles River system have been continually in operation during the year. The work of construction has progressed steadily upon the Neponset valley system since the Board voted at its meeting of June 5, 1895, to enter upon the construction thereof as authorized by chapter 406, Acts of 1895. Your attention is respectfully invited to the report of our chief engineer, and the tables following in connection with this report, for fuller details. NORTH METROPOLITAN SYSTEM. In our last report, speaking of this system, after stating that about five hundred feet of Section 35 in Somerville remained to be constructed, we say : When this is completed the total length of sewer upon this system will be about forty-one miles, varying in size from a brick sewer nine feet in diameter at Deer Island, Winthrop and East Boston, to a vitrified pipe sewer twelve, fifteen or eighteen inches in diameter at the opposite termini. This, with the eight and onequarter miles in the Charles River valley, makes about fifty miles of metropolitan sewers constructed and in operation at this date. The following settlements for land taken upon this system have been made during the year: On Oct. 5, 1895, Wm. B. Rice, by his attorney, A. D. McLellan, made a settlement with the Commonwealth for land in Winthrop, included within the taking of May 7, 1890, recorded in Suffolk Registry of Deeds, book 1934, page 487; and on the 31st of the same month the Boston Ice Company released to the Commonwealth "" rights, privileges and easements" in land in Winchester and Woburn, included within the taking made by this Board dated June 2, 1894, and recorded in Middlesex South District Registry, book 2282, page 388. The deed of the ice company is recorded in the aforesaid registry, book 2415, page 329. On Nov. 14, 1895, settlement was had with Gilbert Lincoln, owner of an estate in Canal Street, West Medford, including a claim for damages to a well on said premises as well as for damage to said Canal Street, a private way included within the taking made by this Board Dec. 23, 1891, and recorded with Middlesex South District Registry, book 2089, page 361. By deed dated Jan. 21, 1896, recorded Middlesex South District Registry, book 2437, page 570, Right Rev. John J. Williams, Archbishop of Boston, quitclaims to the Commonwealth "rights, privileges and easements" in land in Medford belonging to him and used for St. Joseph's Church, included within the taking made by this Board Nov. 25, 1891, and recorded in Middlesex South District Registry, book 2083, page 368. A deed from Nancy White and others, recorded in Middlesex South District Registry, book 2437, page 569, and dated Nov. 25, 1895, releases the Commonwealth, its officers, agents and servants, from all suits, claims and demands for damages and costs to lands in Woburn, included within a taking made by this Board April 15, 1893, recorded in Middlesex South District Registry, book 2186, page 585; and a deed dated Jan. 10, 1896, from John J. McCormack and others (recorded in Middlesex South District Registry, book 2437, page 571), conveys to the Commonwealth " rights, privileges and easements" in certain lands in Somerville, included within the taking dated May 20, 1893, recorded in Middlesex South District Registry, book 2197, page 139; also a certain parcel of land in fee, with all the rights, privileges and appurtenances thereto belonging, in said Somerville, included within the taking by this Board dated April 27, 1895, and recorded in Middlesex South District Registry, book 2361, page 45. Philip J. Blank of Winchester, by deed dated March 10, 1896, recorded in Middlesex South District Registry, book 2457, page 566, quit-claims to the Commonwealth "rights, privileges and easements" in two parcels of land in said Winchester, included within a taking made by this Board June 2, 1894, recorded in Middlesex South District Registry, book 2282, page 388. The President and Fellows of Harvard College, by deed dated April 28, 1896, recorded in Middlesex South District Registry, book 2511, page 330, released to the Commonwealth "rights, privileges and easements" in land in Cambridge, included within the taking made by this Board July 19, 1893, and recorded in Middlesex South District Registry, book 2210, page 481; and similar rights in land lying in the same neighborhood and taken at the same time, belonging to John Holmes and others, have been released by deed dated May 15, 1896, recorded in Middlesex South District Registry, book 2511, page 329. Damages sustained by sundry persons in their real estate included within takings made at various times by this Board were paid by the Commonwealth upon executions issued from the superior court, as follows: October, 1895, David Fisher, Woburn, included within the taking made April 15, 1893, and recorded in Middlesex South District Registry, book 2186, page 585; November, 1895, Orray A. Taft, Winthrop, partly in fee, by taking dated April 13, 1890, and recorded in Suffolk Registry, book 1932, page 583, and also by taking dated May 7, 1890, recorded in Suffolk Registry, book 1934, page 487; January, 1896, Martha McLean, Cambridge, included within a taking made July 19, 1893, and recorded in Middlesex South District Registry, book 2210, page 481; January, 1896, H. C. Greene, Everett, by taking dated Oct. 28, 1891, and recorded in Middlesex South District Registry, book 2076, page 262; January, 1896, Frederick M. Burrows, Somerville, included within a taking made May 20, 1895, and recorded in Middlesex South District Registry, book 2197, page 139; January, 1896, Peter C. Brooks, Medford, included within a taking made Dec. 23, 1891, recorded in Middlesex South District Registry, book 2089, page 361, and also by taking dated Jan. 2, 1892, and recorded in Middlesex South District Registry, book 2090, page 291; January, 1896, heirs of Gorham Brooks (Shepard Brooks), Medford and Winchester, included within a taking made July 14, 1893, and recorded in Middlesex South District Registry, book 2210, page 162; April, 1896, Mary Call, Woburn, by taking made April 15, 1893, and recorded in Middlesex South District Registry, book 2186, page 585; April, 1896, Mary Penney, Cambridge, by taking made Jan. 7, 1893, and recorded in Middlesex South District Registry, book 2169, page 457. The settlement with Mary Penney includes land taken from Fred. H. Rindge at the same time, damage to which was assigned to her by the said Rindge. LAND TAKINGS. No new takings have been made during the year. The additional takings at the East Boston and Charlestown pumping stations, reported in the last annual report (Public Document No. 45, 1896, pages 11 to 13 inclusive) as licensed by the Board of Harbor and Land Commissioners, were submitted to the Honorable Secretary of War, Washington, D. C., for approval early in October, 1895, and replies were received as follows: : WAR DEPARTMENT, WASHINGTON, D. C., Oct. 19, 1895. SIR: Replying to your application of 4th instant, inclosed please find for retention an instrument for granting permission to the Board of Metropolitan Sewerage Commissioners of Massachusetts to extend the structures at Charlestown pumping station, in Mystic River, at Charlestown, Mass. Very respectfully, (Signed) HOSEA KINGMAN, Esq., DANIEL S. LAMONT, Chairman Metropolitan Sewerage Commissioners, 110 Boylston Street, Boston, Mass. With the foregoing communication was inclosed the following instrument attached to the plan sent to the War Department: Whereas, By section 3 of an act of Congress, approved July 13, 1892, entitled "An act making appropriations for the construction, repair, and preservation of certain public works on rivers and harbors and for other purposes," it is provided that, without the permission of the Secretary of War, it shall not be lawful to build. any wharf, pier, dolphin, boom, dam, weir, breakwater, bulkhead, jetty, or structure of any kind outside established harbor lines, or where no harbor lines are or may be established, in any port, roadstead, haven, harbor, navigable river or other waters of the United States, in such manner as shall obstruct or impair navigation, commerce or anchorage of said waters; And whereas, The Board of Metropolitan Sewerage Commissioners of Massachusetts has applied to the Secretary of War for permission to extend the structures at Charlestown pumping station in the Mystic River at Charlestown, Mass., as shown on the attached drawing; Now, therefore, This is to certify that the Secretary of War hereby gives permission to the said Board of Metropolitan Sewerage Commissioners to extend the structures at Charlestown pumping station in Mystic River at Charlestown, Mass., as shown on said drawing, upon the following condition: That the work herein permitted to be done shall be subject to the supervision and approval of the engineer officer of the United. States Army in charge of the locality. Witness my hand this eighteenth day of October, 1895. [SEAL] (Signed) DANIEL S. LAMONT, Secretary of War. |