1 Millier or Tonneau, M. or T. (1,000 Kg). =1 Kl. or 1 Cu. m. =2204.6 pounds (av oirdupois). Q. . . Kg. 1 Hl. or 0.1 Cu. m. =1 Dl. or 10 Cu. dm. . 11 or 1 Cu. dm. Hg. Dg. (1,000 g.) . (10 g.) 1 Gram, g. (1 g.) .3.5274 ounces. =0.1 ml. or 0.1 Cu. cm. =1.5432 grains. One kilogram is equal to a weight represented by one liter of distilled water at 4° C. In the centigrade scale 0 (32°+F.) is the freezing point; 100°+ (212°+F.) is the boiling point. Five degrees C. corresponds to nine degrees F. All measures in the metric system are derived from the meter, and their names express their values. Some of the names in the French system (like our "dime") are not in practical use; e. g., hectometer, decagram, etc. One inch=2.5 centimeters nearly; one quart (wine measure)=0.946 liter; one pound Troy 0.373 kilogram; one acre 0.4046 hectare. WATER SUPPLY AND SEWERAGE. REPORT OF THE STATE BOARD OF HEALTH REQUIRED BY SECTION 1 OF CHAPTER 274 OF THE ACTS OF 1886. The work of the State Board of Health under the "Act to protect the purity of inland waters," and under the appropriation of $30,000 made by the last General Court, may be divided into three departments: I. That of advising cities, towns, corporations and individuals in regard to the most appropriate source of supply for their drinking waters and the best method of assuring the purity thereof and of disposing of their sewage. Obtaining information in regard to all of the existing sources of domestic water supplies in the State, and subjecting samples from each source to chemical analysis once a month, and to biological examination when necessary, and in making such chemical examinations of other inland waters as the general purposes of the Act require. III. Collecting information in regard to experiments that have hitherto been made upon the purification of sewage by applying it to land, and arranging for and conducting such additional experiments upon such purification as are necessary to obtain knowledge required for immediate use within the State. I. In the first department there have been twenty-five applications* from the following cities, towns and individuals for advice or official action by the Board. Of these, eleven were in regard to water supplies, as follows: Boston, Chelsea, Somerville and Everett; Bradford, Randolph and * Blank forms of application for advice under the provisions of chapter 274 of the Acts of 1886 have been prepared for the use of cities, towns and others, and may be procured at the office of the Board at 13 Beacon Street, Boston. Holbrook, Andover, Ayer, Belmont, North Easton, Maynard, Needham, Athol, Mansfield. There were also eleven applications in regard to sewerage: from Taunton, Milford, Ware, Westfield State Normal School, Westborough Lunatic Hospital, Clinton, Brockton, Southbridge, Athol, Reformatory Prison for Women, Waltham. Two applications in regard to pollutions of streams: Arlington, relating to pollution of Alewife Brook and Lower Mystic Pond, and Palmer, in regard to pollution of Graves Brook, and one application from W. H. Abbott, concerning the disposal of manufacturing refuse at Northampton. To satisfactorily answer the questions submitted to the Board, under the provisions of chapter 274 of the Acts of 1886, the Board has adopted the following practice: The plans and estimates presented by the parties in interest are at once referred to the engineer of the Board, in order that he may make a careful examination of the localities concerned and determine the value of the evidence already collected. Should this be sufficient to enable him to come to a conclusion satisfactory to himself, the result is reported to the Board. The appropriate committee, and in many instances the whole Board, then visits the locality. The advice of the consulting engineer* is also obtained in all important cases; and public hearings are held whenever it seems probable that useful information can be obtained in this way. The Board has not held it to be a part of its functions to prepare original plans, and has carefully avoided any interference with the work properly belonging to the engineers employed by the parties making application. The responsibilities in carrying out the provisions of this Act are, as will be seen by the above statement, no less than those of the parties directly interested, nor can they be properly performed except after mature consideration, with the advice of thoroughly educated experts. WATER SUPPLY. The application of the Boston Water Board in behalf of the cities of Boston, Chelsea and Somerville and the town of Everett, in regard to taking the Shawsheen River as a source of supply for these communities, was presented to the * Mr. Joseph P. Davis, C. E. |