Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1863-01-06

| PeAN W tAS SIllI que. Wlel
the work is completed, 5000 As our prede
cessors have provided the means to pay for, a
well as taken the responsibility of this impor
tant work, we have no occasion now to crit
| else, as it would do no good, the manner il
| which the contract was made or the work ha
| been done, or to doubt, as many do, the ne
cesSlty OF so expensive a bridge at this place
The causeway across Lake QuinsigamonC
which was commenced in 1861, mas been com
pleted during the last year. The original es
innate of the cost of this work was $l6, 500 OF
which something less than $4,000 was expcnd.
ed in 1861. This sum however was borrow
ed, and still remains part of the city debt
AT the end of that year, it was supposed that
third of the filling had been accomplished.
From want of experience in works of this
character neither the magnitude of the under
taking nor the nature of the obstacles to be
encountered in its prosecution were fully
realized, perhaps fortunately so, until it was
too late to think of abandoning it. Under the
faithful supervision of the commissioner of
highways, the filling made steady progress
until the 9th of June last when the two en-
bankments met at the surface, and Dr. John
Green, the founder of our public library, made
the first passage across. The amount ex-
peuded upon this work during the year, has
been about $4,000, which, an appropriation
OF that exact sum was made to cover. The
whole cost OF the causeway and of the i'm
provements in the road leading to it, has been
1925. 1907 40.
Thanks to the courage of our predecessors,
these very expensive works, so important, SO
long desired, and so often postponed, are now
done forever, and their payment mostly pro
vided for, and our people and future govern
ments are henceforth relieved of the heavy
annual burden of maintaining the old perish
able bridges.
By merely arbitrary and accidental line of
division, the whole of Lake Quinsigamond,
when it is crossed, lies within the territorial
limits of Worcester. In view of the enor-
nous cost of the causeway, its important
character as part of a county road connecting
the shire with several important towns, with
which there is no other convenient means of
communication, and the peculiar obstacle this
lake presented to easy intercourse between
them, my predecessor has filed petition with
the county commissioners, asking them to as
sumo, on behalf of the county, reasonable
share OF its cost. | shall, with your concur
renee, do whatever may be in my power, in
aid of this just and reasonable petition.
No unfinished work OF any Importance is
left for us to complete, and | am not aware
that any new enterprise of magnitude will be
urged upon you. If there shall not be, we
may hope to see the expenditures of this de-
partment reduced to the average of former
years.
Three hundred and forty-f four feet of curb
stones, and 81 yards of cobble paving, only,
have been laid during the year.
sewer sol feet in length has been con.
structed through West street at a cost of $409,
thus removing license for which the city had
Ind; -
this sum has been assessed upon the abutters
who used it, and whose estates are benefited
by the Improvement, and will undoubtedly be
collected.
Expensive alterations and repairs have been
made upon the City Hall, amounting to about
9 Sv,....~,ssgy..- J
tention to the necessity of something being
done to protect our citizens from the danger
Gus slides of snow and ice from the steep
slated roofs on Main street. Surely it is not
unreasonable to ask that those among us
whose property derives so much of its value
from the fostering care and protection of the
public should so use and guard it that it shall
not be a perpetual source of danger to the I'M
wary traveller and Of constant apprehensions
for the lives of our children.
In 1860 a company was chartered with
power to build horse railroad and run horse
CuTS llIOuRu tilcuolIcStS VI Illc city, uc lO-
cation of the road has been established, ex-
tending from point on Lincoln street, nearly
opposite Catherine street, through Main, to
Webster street in New Worcester, with
branches through Front street to the West
ern railroad depot, and through Pleasant to
Crown street, with convenient sidings and
turnouts. The capital stock has been sub
scribed and the work is understood to be I'M
der contract to be commenced early in the
spring. With proper restrictions against OBJ
structing the ordinary use of our streets dur
ing the deep SHOWS of winter, there is no
doubt that the horse cars, incommoding no
one, will be great public convenience.
SHADE TREES AND PUBLIC GROUNDS.
Upon the petition of the last city council,
the legislature passed an act authorizing the
election in January, of three commission
ers to have the sole care of the public
grounds and of the trees growing thereon,
and in the public streets of the city. AT the
state election, when more than three thousand
of our citizens attended the polls, such was
their Indifference to the subject, that the act
was accepted by majority of 81 only, out of
a total of 45l votes. 1t will be for you, if
you shall think it worth while, to organize
the board, by electing the commissioners.
During the last year, carrying out his pre-
viously declared intention, the Hon. Isaac
Davis rendered to the city a deed OF about
fourteen acres of land, bordering upon Lake
Quinsigamond, ''for the purpose Gas express
ed by him. as public park, where our pub
lie schools and Sunday schools may hold
their picnics, where individuals and clubs may
have their boat houses, where skating parties
may assemble, aud where all the citizens may
visit the lake and enjoy its beautiful scenery"
l am not aware that the gift was encountered
with any conditions save the right Of way
throughit, and the obligation to build and main
tain from one hundred to one hundred and
fifty rods of fence and wall, costing perhaps
about as many dollars. The gift was rejected
by the last city council This most beautiful
lake is now, as it were, closed sea to the in
habitants of our city. From the causeway
alone, and nowhere upon its banks, is there
spot where they can approach it without tress-
passing upon private property. If the gen
erous donor should be induced to renew the
offer, shonld recommend its acceptance.
The city has now but its two parks, the old
and new common. 1t is time that they had
some more appropriate names to design LLe
them. The smaller or central one no longer
answers the purpose OF 'training field" for
which such grounds were originally set aside,
and for which they are now more needed than
ever. The new common, Objectionable as it
is in some respects, is the only other park the
city has or is ever like to have. A very mod
crate expenditure in draining the lowest part
of it into an adjoining meadow, to which there
is six feet fall, would make it as fine parade
ground as the Agricultural park opposite. No
intelligent farmer owning the land, would hes
itate to make so obvious an improvement.