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Edward Lawrence (search for this): chapter 10
ly broken on Saturday, September 27, at the site of the reservoir. At 3 P. M. the members of the City Government and invited guests came upon the grounds. Mr. Edward Lawrence, chairman of the Water Commissioners, prefaced his remarks by asking a prayer of Rev. Mr. Miles and after a few words introduced the Mayor of the City, who after a short speech, received a spade and placed a sod in a wheelbarrow. Mr. Lawrence then made a speech and placed another sod in the wheelbarrow, after which Mr. James McDonald the contractor wheeled the sods away and placed them on the site of the embankment. The President of Aldermen, Chairman of Common Council, Chief engin Nothing is said in this record of Mr. Buchanan's about the wheeling away of these numerous sods, but in another column is the testimony of an eye-witness. Mr. Lawrence invited those present to his home, where a collation was served, thus ending the formal beginning of the work. Mr. McDonald sublet the construction of the e
Charles Linehan (search for this): chapter 10
ief engineer, six ex-Mayors, and others were introduced and spoke, each placing a sod in the wheelbarrow at conclusion of remarks. Nothing is said in this record of Mr. Buchanan's about the wheeling away of these numerous sods, but in another column is the testimony of an eye-witness. Mr. Lawrence invited those present to his home, where a collation was served, thus ending the formal beginning of the work. Mr. McDonald sublet the construction of the embankment and reservoir to Charles Linehan. Engineer Buchanan made an interesting record of the manner of its construction and of the difficulties encountered. Springs were encountered near the westerly corner and for many years fed a watering trough beside the road beyond the Somerville line. A record was made of this fact of their existence prior to the construction of the reservoir, but even this did not allay a feeling of insecurity, and for many years little building of houses was done on the nearer hill slope. The ap
Collins (search for this): chapter 10
nt preservation the embankments of the canal, and at their end, beneath the water, the lower courses of the aqueduct masonry, a reminder of the canal's prosperous days. These mark the channel of the Aberjona as it was prior to the raising of the lake, but elsewhere the course is now a matter of conjecture, unless, indeed, old maps or plans may be in evidence. More or less litigation resulted from the flowage, but this was nothing new, as witness case of Symmes vs. Dunster, Broughton and Collins in 1656 [Register, Vol. XIII, p. 12], when the Mystic was first dammed. While this work was in progress some information relative to the lower lake was obtained, which we quote:— An experiment was made by Engineer Buchanan to ascertain the depth at which the water in the lower pond becomes salt. A copper wire coated with silver was suspended from a float anchored in 54 feet of water. The wire was allowed to remain in the water 24 hours, and was found to be very slightly discolored
Grant (search for this): chapter 10
e of the distributing reservoir on the hill-top. In November, 1862, three hundred and fifty men were employed, many of them in excavating for this main. Just above North street a ledge of soft rock was struck. Meanwhile the work was progressing on the reservoir, which had been begun two months before, as appears by the following:— On September 25 the first ground was informally broken. About 2.30 P. M. a plough opened the first furrow on Walnut hill. This was purely informal, but Mr. Grant, the division engineer, by the desire of the few present, guided the plough. Afterwards the site of the reservoir was ploughed around three times that day. The ground for the water-works was formally broken on Saturday, September 27, at the site of the reservoir. At 3 P. M. the members of the City Government and invited guests came upon the grounds. Mr. Edward Lawrence, chairman of the Water Commissioners, prefaced his remarks by asking a prayer of Rev. Mr. Miles and after a few words i
Charles Brooks (search for this): chapter 10
er at West Medford, better known as Faithful Mike. (This digression may, as a matter of history, be added to page 395 of Brooks' History of Medford.) Today, extending from the parkway, there may be seen in excellent preservation the embankments ohe new lake thus created is kept at the normal height. Just here we digress a little from our subject, to quote from Mr. Brooks' History of 1855:— The lands on each side are slightly elevated, and in future times will doubtless be filled with d for residence, and Interlaken may become filled with country seats. Not such as had just been erected at the time of Mr. Brooks (where is the stone windmill tower) for during the years Arlington has slowly grown toward the lower lake, and even nowtainly not until the picric acid and other deleterious matter from the chemical works, miles up stream, is eliminated. Mr. Brooks wrote of Medford pond:— This beautiful sheet of water, though cousin-german to the sea, is as quiet and retired as
Hines (search for this): chapter 10
, and subsequently by a grand dinner at the City Hall. The writer well remembers his first visit to the pumping station in June, 1870, and the walk over the decaying aqueduct of the canal, that still spanned the river. It was the show place of the vicinity, and a record book was kept for the visitors to sign. The two duplex pumping engines, resplendent in their polished steel and brass, were encased in equally polished walnut, and one was steadily at work day and night. Mr. Born and Mr. Hines arrived from Brooklyn on July 18, 1864, to erect them, and the former remained as engineer during the entire use of the works. He showed us about the station and explained the working of the plant, which a few years later was enlarged to double its earlier capacity and size. Still later it was again enlarged by building an extension of the engine room and the installation of a rotary engine and pump, also an electric lighting plant. This latter was something unknown but a few years befo
Lincoln (search for this): chapter 10
ept in commission for emergency, but this was not for long. The engine last installed was taken to the works at Spot pond and the newer boilers removed. The others remained for some time, and within a few years have gone to the junk dealers, as also the three duplex pumps that used to have extra duty on Monday, when Charlestown, like other places, had that as washing day. At least thus we were told, and we recall that one shrewd observer said, Why did not Charlestown take Sandy pond up in Lincoln and get good water and enough of it by gravity, instead of this eternal pumping. But he did not forsee the end that came in time rather than in eternity. Not all the extensive construction is now useless, however. The reservoir on the hill is connected with Spot pond (which was raised several feet higher) and the water flows downward through the force main to the gate-house in West Medford, where an iron main (laid beside the brick conduit to Sherman street) conveys the water to Arling
Samuel Baldwin (search for this): chapter 10
we quote:— An experiment was made by Engineer Buchanan to ascertain the depth at which the water in the lower pond becomes salt. A copper wire coated with silver was suspended from a float anchored in 54 feet of water. The wire was allowed to remain in the water 24 hours, and was found to be very slightly discolored from 18 or 19 to 21.57 feet below. At 21.57 the corrosion increased for 4 feet, then very rapidly disappeared leaving it bright copper. This agrees with the report of Mr. Baldwin which was at 19.4 below the surface of the pond. By the recent building of the Cradock dam the level of the lower lake has been reduced (and consequently its area, slightly), and as the tides no longer come, the water is no longer salted. That the work of building this dam, with its waste weir, conduits and gate-house was substantially performed is evident even to the casual observer. Though disused since 1897 it is well cared for, and the new lake thus created is kept at the normal h
June 10th (search for this): chapter 10
vel, was used in this work. The granite for the overfall had been quarried at Chelmsford, as had been the stone for the canal's aqueducts. At this stage of the work labor troubles were evident, as one hundred and thirty men struck for twenty-five cents addition to the daily wage. On June 2, 1863, Albert Whiting took charge of the masonry construction. His experience on the dry docks at Norfolk and Charlestown, and at Fort Independence, qualified him for this important work. On the tenth of June the northeast corner-stone of the dam was laid, but we find no record of any formal ceremony, other than the placing of a small vial containing the names of Charlestown's mayor, water commission, engineers and contractor in the lewis hole of the lower stone. In sealing the vial, a new cent of that year's coinage was embedded in the wax; not a heavy investment, rather an expression of old-time sentiment that still obtains at corner-stone layings. We hardly think any vandals will underta
1871 AD (search for this): chapter 10
ntly been built above it, striking his pickaxe into this later main and of his surprise at the copious flow of water therefrom. The artificial banks of the reservoir were stepped into interval spaces of from twenty to fifty feet, to avoid seepage, and inner slopes faced with rock and surmounted with a granite coping. The reservoir was completed in early November, 1864. At that time the neighboring buildings of Tufts college numbered but three. Beginning with the erection of West hall in 1871 their number has increased with the expansion of the college work, and gradually the hill slopes have been built upon until the suburban cities of Somerville and Medford have crowded closely upon the once distrusted earthwork that for a half century has proved its stability and faithful construction. From the promenade of over a third of a mile around its top a magnificent view of the surrounding country may be had and is well worth the time and effort of any one. It lies entirely within th
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