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Somerville (search for this): chapter 13
k. They were constructed by the city of Cambridge (by an agreement with the town of Arlington) in 1875, and were in use up to the time of the completion of the Metropolitan sewer in 1897. The town of Medford never experienced any discomfort from the sewage from Alewife brook. All the insoluble portions were deposited in the tortuous channel of the brook and they created a nuisance therein. That, together with the unsanitary conditions prevailing in part of the cities of Cambridge and Somerville and the towns of Arlington and Belmont, was the principal cause of the erection of the Cradock dam in Medford center. In the year 1861 the city of Charlestown obtained an act of the General Court authorizing it to take the upper Mystic pond as a water supply, and when that city was annexed to the city of Boston, the pond became a part of Boston's water supply. For many years both before and after Boston assumed control of the pond, many complaints were made in regard to the impurity o
Everett (search for this): chapter 13
o call the attention of the town to the fact that the City of Cambridge is using the waters of Alewife brook, one of the tributaries of Mystic river, as a receptacle for a portion of its sewage, and that the Engineers appointed by the City of Boston to examine into the water supply of the city have suggested the drainage of the towns of Woburn and Winchester into the river, that a portion of the sewage of Charlestown now finds its way into the Mystic river, and that the towns of Malden and Everett may one day use the river for a similar purpose, and we therefore urge upon the town the importance of resisting by every means in its power any attempt on the part of the neighboring cities and towns to contaminate the water of the river by making it a receptacle for sewage matter. This was referred to the selectmen, with instructions as suggested by the report. These were acted upon none too soon; for the city of Cambridge had already petitioned the General Court for an act authorizi
Clemens Herschel (search for this): chapter 13
d to employ an experienced engineer to plan a thorough system of sewerage throughout the whole town, and to make a survey and outline map showing the principal drains and trunk conduits. In accordance with this vote the selectmen employed Mr. Clemens Herschel, who made a study of the problem, with plans and map as instructed. Mr. Herschel's report was submitted to the town at the November meeting in 1872, and in June, 1873, the selectmen were instructed to report a system for the apportionmentMr. Herschel's report was submitted to the town at the November meeting in 1872, and in June, 1873, the selectmen were instructed to report a system for the apportionment of cost upon abuttors and upon the town, action upon which was indefinitely postponed when report was submitted to the town. This latter action was taken because our citizens had become convinced that the enterprise was too costly for the town to undertake single-handed, inasmuch as it was strongly opposed to the discharge of sewage into the Mystic river. In February, 1874, the board of health reported to the town as follows, viz.: We desire to call the attention of the town to the fact t
Gott (search for this): chapter 13
nate (?), were able to crawl out of the water and thus escape the filth, only to fall into the baskets of some enterprising fishermen who were gathering them in. The houses along the bank of the river were discolored by the gases that arose from the filthy water. One house in particular was noted, that of one of our citizens of German birth. His account of the situation was quite amusing; he said, My little boy went out this morning and soon came running back into the house crying out, mein Gott, fader, just come out and look at our house. The house, of immaculate whiteness the night before, was now of a dirty, dingy color. After viewing the effect of the discharge of the filthy water into the river, they proceeded to investigate the cause of the sudden appearance of the nuisance. They found the pond covered by a thick coating of ice, which prevented the aeration of the water. This, accompanied by an extreme high course of the tide, which backed up the salt water into the pond, ca
Medford (search for this): chapter 13
rsuit and arrived at the station before the engine could be started up. After the arrival of the party, which had walked to the pumping station, the mayor was informed of the action of the employees. He was asked if it was his intent that all the sewage should be passed through the filter beds, and he answered yes. Then said one of the selectmen of Medford, Stop up the sewer so that no unpurified sewage will pass into the pond, and thus compel all the sewage to be pumped into the filter beds. Turning to the city engineer, the mayor said, How would that do, Mr.——? It would not do at all, was the answer. The mayor made no reply. The city of Boston never did, and never intended to purify all the sewage before discharging it into the pond. The condition of matters was never satisfactory to Medford people until the completion of the Metropolitan system of sewerage. After the Metropolitan Water Board was established, Mystic pond was abandoned as a water supply. John H. Hoo
Revere (search for this): chapter 13
for an act authorizing that city to construct a sewer to prevent such drainage from entering its water supply. In this petition the mayor was joined by the selectmen of Woburn and Medford. The selectmen of Winchester declined to take any action. The town of Medford voted to instruct the selectmen to employ counsel and oppose the turning of any sewage into Mystic river within the limits of the town and to favor a system of sewerage being laid through the town, to discharge at Chelsea (now Revere) beach. At the hearing it was found that neither the city of Boston nor the town of Woburn had any idea of joining in the construction of such a sewer. Boston presented a plan to discharge the sewage into Mystic river at or near Boston avenue bridge, and to erect a dam with tide-gates across the river just above Alewife brook, so as to form a reservoir for the scouring of the river at low water. This plan, so prejudicial to Medford's interests, was so strenuously opposed by the Medford
John H. Hooper (search for this): chapter 13
rsuit and arrived at the station before the engine could be started up. After the arrival of the party, which had walked to the pumping station, the mayor was informed of the action of the employees. He was asked if it was his intent that all the sewage should be passed through the filter beds, and he answered yes. Then said one of the selectmen of Medford, Stop up the sewer so that no unpurified sewage will pass into the pond, and thus compel all the sewage to be pumped into the filter beds. Turning to the city engineer, the mayor said, How would that do, Mr.——? It would not do at all, was the answer. The mayor made no reply. The city of Boston never did, and never intended to purify all the sewage before discharging it into the pond. The condition of matters was never satisfactory to Medford people until the completion of the Metropolitan system of sewerage. After the Metropolitan Water Board was established, Mystic pond was abandoned as a water supply. John H. Hooper
Pond (search for this): chapter 13
tend or divert into said sewer any streams or water-courses, whether natural or artificial, flowing directly or indirectly into Mystic Pond or its headwaters, or into any stream or pond connecting with or discharging into said Mystic Pond, which contains any source of pollution. The other sections of the act are of no interest to this paper, except Section 12, which is as follows, viz.: This Act shall not be construed to grant an interminable right to discharge sewage into Mystic lower Pond, but the Legislature may, from time to time, by law, regulate and determine the disposition to be made of such sewage for the purpose of protecting the public health, and especially that of the inhabitants of Arlington and Medford, and preventing the existence of a nuisance, anything to the contrary in this act notwithstanding. The sewer was constructed and was in use until the winter of 1880-81 before any particular discomfort from its use was sustained by the inhabitants of Medford; bu
1897 AD (search for this): chapter 13
committee, made investigation. It concluded that the subject demanded favorable action, but agreed to insert a section in the bill to safeguard the interests of the town of Medford, viz., Section 2 of Chapter 193 of the Acts of 1874. The Broadway tide-gates were erected near the Broadway bridge over Alewife brook. They were constructed by the city of Cambridge (by an agreement with the town of Arlington) in 1875, and were in use up to the time of the completion of the Metropolitan sewer in 1897. The town of Medford never experienced any discomfort from the sewage from Alewife brook. All the insoluble portions were deposited in the tortuous channel of the brook and they created a nuisance therein. That, together with the unsanitary conditions prevailing in part of the cities of Cambridge and Somerville and the towns of Arlington and Belmont, was the principal cause of the erection of the Cradock dam in Medford center. In the year 1861 the city of Charlestown obtained an act
1881 AD (search for this): chapter 13
public health, and especially that of the inhabitants of Arlington and Medford, and preventing the existence of a nuisance, anything to the contrary in this act notwithstanding. The sewer was constructed and was in use until the winter of 1880-81 before any particular discomfort from its use was sustained by the inhabitants of Medford; but one morning the whole town (especially the westerly part thereof) was aroused by a stench that almost took away one's breath. The officials of the town,ys, opposed all efforts to compel that city to abate the nuisance. The following bill was reported and was fought in both branches of the Legislature by Boston's representatives until its final passage: Section I of Chapter 303, of the Acts of 1881. The City of Boston is hereby directed to cease emptying sewage, or waters or substances containing polluting matter or properties, into Mystic Lower Pond, through its sewer constructed under Chapter 202 of the Acts of 1875, or otherwise; and
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