The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1867-03-12

| July, the city was unusually quiet and free
| from disorderly persons, but the tidings of our
| disaster brought in upon us from the larger
cities a multitude of rough and desperate
| characters who considered the CONFUSION which
existed favorable for their operations.
| The fear and anxiety of our people was for
| time painful. Many armed themselves and
Kept nightly watch to protect their property.
A A large force of special police was at this
| uhie added,and two companies, one, OF ma
rihes and one of regulars came, by order of the
| general government for our protection. Am
| pr neans OIL defense being thus provided, few
t se.s u violence of a serious character We're
Nc Ints es'i 1hose who had come to prey upon
| stored. i7e f-ii'''' y "NN''S' 90 'o''' -
:, Inc folee department. is under excellent
disclpline. The report of the City Marshal
goee .e "h1e number OF arrests fos the year
1 1906, Z5fz For drunkenness, 10gO: drunken-
ness and disturbance, III; search and seizures
/ OF liquors, 80; keeping drinking house and
| tipping shop, 6; single sales of liquor .: lar
ceny, 2o3; taken before municipal court, 826;
taken to work house, 81; whole amount OF
| property reported stolen, S6,2S670; amount of
| stolen property recovered, S7,920.50; searches
for liquor and none found, 90
| Owing to the condition OF things growing
ont OF the fire, notwithstanding the activity
OF the ponce IN making seizures OF liquor, in
temperance has prevailed TO an alarming ex-
tent: Rum shops still continue their nefari-
GUS business in our midst l, l Ht
| y Legislature
| increasing the penalty for violation of the law
aud establishing State COnstabulary will L
| trust, have a salutary effect; but while such
general apathy pervades the community with
reference to this matter, while many men
| OF high official and social standing, by the dali
| ly use of Intoxicating drinks, or by their in
difference, give aid and comfort to the rumsel-
ler, and set an evil example to the young the
traffic Will go on, our sons and brothers
will continue to fall its victims and the most
efforts af
disappoint our hope.
| STREETS. FIg
The appropriation for this department was
$45,OO0-amount expended, S1S,O04 So cents
There has been laid the past year 1000 yards Of
paving. large amount OF thorough work
has been done on Stroudwater and Vahshan's
bridges, especially the latter, and since the fire
great deal of labor has been expended on
Pearl and Newbury streets
The City Council very wisely decided to take
advantage of our misfortune by widening and
/ extending some of our streets. Changes have
been made in % streets. Whole amount of
damages awarded $2::}0 7j3. rt, .u.
The labors of the Committee on Laying out
streets have been very severe and perplexng.
Awarding damages was a duty exceedingly
difficult and delicate, and as a matter of course
caused much dissatisfaction. 9u
am informed by the street commissioners
that large portion of the sidewalks in the
burnt district will have to be reIad This to-
gether with work to be done on streets, widen
ed and extended, will require a large apprOpri-
alton for the current year.
a.t}a. DRAINS AND SEWERS.
The appropriation for Drains and Sewers
the past year was small, being but $15,OOO.-
Amount expended S21 ,4S4, 81. OFF, ..".
Work IN this department was commenced
early in the season on Middle and Free streets
at their junction, and afterwards on Spruce
street. In the meantime "a eesspool cuiverts
were constructed, at an average cost OF about
800 each with the connecting drains.
e. 1t was found necessary to construct a sewer
$40 feet in length in Maple street. After the
fire work was suspended until very late in
the season, when it was decided to build two
plank sewers across West Commercial street
and up to the present time 36 rods have been
completed. The last and most important
works in this department. are tho e COM |
menced on High street, and on India street |
near the q Il. r. Depot. These sewers were
undertaken with great reluctance on account |
of the expense involved, both running through |
stubborn ledge nearly their entire length. |
The Importance of good drainage as a sani-
tary measure all admit. Noappropriations are
made which if judiciously expended, Weld q
more satisfactory return, or in whose benefits
the community more equally share than those
for streets and drains and sewers am how
ever convinced that the danger of wasteful ex-
penditures through negligence and false no.
tons OF economy is greater in these depart
ments than in any other. Cheap, poorly con-
structed sewers are nuisanees, and necessary
repairs on streets and drains should never be
delayed. -
e We have now sewers in several of our prin-
oiIsie streets che essrfsee .I.s s,.1annd
that they are entirely useless to property ON
these streets, the cellars being lower than the
sewers Ihere is no economy in delaying that
which should be done at once or in half doing
that whichis undertaken. 81ti 7g4
ato3 F blos FIRE DEPARTMENT.. %
The appropriation for the Fire Department
lol
$17 ,S43.43. rsft 81.
The report of the Chief Engineer shows
that the houses and apparatus are generally in
good condition. Number of fires during the
gear, 2S. Since July a new Steam Fire En-
gine made by the Portland Company has been
purchased at cost of $4,000, to take the place
OF Engine No. D, destroyed. A new Hook and
Ladder Truck has also been bought for $3.50
which will soon be delivered. -.tt
Three thousand two hundred and tifty feet of
leather and 400 feet of rubber hose have been
bought during the year. 5f-q .,3
A contract was made in November last with
Gamewell, kennard & CO., for the putting up
of u Fire Alarm Telegraph at a cost of $500
1t is now nearly completed, and win no doubt
greatly facilitate the giving of alarms and in
dicating the localities of fires Some proyis-
ION Tor ITS protection and care may be prudent.
A handsome two story brick building is now
nearly completed on the corner of Congress
and Market streets in which accommodations
are provided for new Steam Fire Engine No
lDDaratuS
Nothing has been done for q year or two to
increase the supply of water for use in cases of
fire, and L would earnestly recommend the
building of a number of reservoirs of good
| size as soon as practicable, at points where
most needed. 1I .lf n lab = -tu H1F
The importance OF adding to tho Depart
| ment several hand engines is urged strongly by
many; this question l also present for your
| consideration. r.s ~ s..gI Hf b ii fiia 1850
1t would seem that with the sad experienee
q n we
be reminded of the Importance of leaving moth
ing undone that can add to the efficiency of
the Fire Department., and invite your
thought to any suggestions of improvement
that may be made.
The expense for the support of the poor will
probably be somewhat increased by the fire.
The generous succor extended by liberal me n
and women everywhere, kept many unfortu-
mates from temporary pauperism and saved the
city much. 1t must needs be that some will
become dependent the city who would
have continued self-supporting but for their
losses by the fire. You will gladly make suita-
BILE provision for their comfort i refer YOU to
the report of the Overseers of the Poor for the
details of this department., and of its present
and prospective wants.
Let us collectively not forget the rules that
we accept in our individual capacity, but afford
aid to the needy, to the extent and in the man
ner that shall seem wise and salutary
LINCOLN PARK.
BY order of the City Council, July 9th, a
committee was appointed to consider the expe-
diency of buying land somewhere within the
limits of the burnt district for public square
or park. te .U
The committee reported in favor of purcbas-
ing the tract, bounded by Congress, Franklin,
Federal and Pearl streets, and by order passed
Aug. 9th, the same with the exception of the
lot corner of Congress and Pearl streets was
secured at a cost of about 1888 900.
| g. A favorable contract has baeu made for en-
closing the lot with substantial iron fence,
and hope to see the work of grading com
menced as soon as the weather will admit. No
time should be lost in making the Park as
pleasant and attractive possible. Your at
tention is invited to this subject. "a
Perhaps no measure Of the City Council has
been more generally approved than the pur-
chase of the lot bounded by Market, Milk. Sill
yer and Fore streets, for the use Of the city as
market. This lot contains about g. 900 square
feet, and cost $4,000 or 81 81 per foot
would recommend the City Council to re-
peal the ordinance relating to Milk Street
Market, as it is imperative and to take meas
ures to have erected ON the lot early in the sea-
son cheap wooden stalls, which believe NAV
De rented Tor nearly enough to pay the interest
ON the cost of the land r.
CITY HALL.
The work of rebuilding the City Hall is pro-
crossing favorably. r7a..s
The first estimate of the cost was about
S2O0OOO, and / am still of the opinion that IL
will not much exceed that sum.