The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1877-07-24
CITY AFFAIRS.
special Meeting of the City Council.

business.
/ BOARD OF MAYOR AND ALDERMEN.
W. 81. 81. Loring was appointed special
policeman Without pay.
John True was appointed special policeman
without pay at the works of j. w. Stockwell.
Hoarce A. Halett was granted permission tt
erect wooden building on Melbourne street.
Francis A. Smith was granted permission to
erect wooden building on Pine street.
The committee on new wooden buildings re.
ported, suggesting that W. G. Brown have
leave to withdraw his petition for the raising of
the roof of his stable on Federal street.
A similar report was made on the petition of
A. N. Noyes & Son for the erection of stable
in the rear Of their store on Exchange. A re-
monstrance was presented against the granting
of the petition After long discussion in re.
gard to the rights of American citizens, etc.
etc., it was voted to allow the petitioners the
privilege of erecting the building, providing it
be but thirteen feethigh.
Alderman Walker asked to be excused from
further action on the committee on new wood
en- buildings as the members of the board did
not appear. to be willing to act upon his sug-
gestions The Mayor thought that the matter
had better be deferred, and the board adjourn
ed.
IN JOINT CONVENTION.
A convention of the two boards was held to
consider the matter Of the Back Bay nuisance.
A petition was received from several hundred
citizens, asking for some action to remedy the
nuisance. Mayor Butler presented the follow
ing message to the convention:
Gentlemen, have called this special meeting Of
the city council, although the regular monthly
meeting is near at hand, because regard the COM
plants Of our fellow citizens respecting the sanitary
condition Of the city, just and reasonable especial
respecting the Deering Bridge, Mill Pond and the
Back Bay fats. although the trouble is by means
exclusively confined to those localities With the heat
Of prompt action the part ct the city authorities
to remedy the evil as far as possible at this time.
Health, Under the statutes Of the State and ord-
nances of the have therefore to ask Of you
in its behafa moderate appropriation, not exceeding
tingent fund, which fortunately has not thus far
been heavily drawn upon, to be expended under the
direction of the Committee on Health as judciousiy
as may be, after due investigation and consideration,
in the eadeavor to mitigate they cannot be entire
ly suppressed, the aforementioned nuisances, and
In the protection and preservation OF the public
health of the city, In an economic point OF view, II
we look to no higher considerations, the appropra-
ton is called for, and is entirely justifabe, mas
Of the causes Of sickness with its attendant expenses
of great pecuniary benefit to the city.
At the beginning of the municipal year, took
occasion In my message to call your attention to the
sanitary condition Oh the city; and suggested the
reconstruction of the Board of Health so to make
It thoroughly practical and efficient, making it
health Of the city, and point out the means Of its
preservation to detect and remove the many causes
Of disease and death in midst which are wholly
or to great extent preventable collect and report
reliable vital statistics and instruct the people in the
laws of hygiene and in the knowledge Of sanitary
sufficient interest in the matter to carry out the
Recommendation, requiring as it did pretty extern
sive changes in the city ordinances. now recur
again to the suect hoping that the foul stenches and
noxious emanations that poison the air and
penetrate our dwellings will be more persuasive than
mere words, OF the necessity Of attention to the
Portland. as said, ought to be one of the most
saubrous cities in the world and, as it is, 1T will
cities but nevertheless it appears by the valuable
"Report on the Sanitary condition of Portland"
D sh SO tine Maine ha Of Tied
city esS'' during the last Municipal - year, ar.
been prevented BY proper public health measures
measures as much needed those for the control Of
criminals and the suppression of crime If railroad
was SO poorly managed that in consequence of want
of repafaton seventy lives needlessy lost
upon it annually, what an outcry there would be;
and # the city was obliged to pay damages for each
able as defects in neglected street. would not
citizens awake to the necessity of reform in this
gard?
The public good demands that measures be imme-
diately taken to cleanse the Mill Pond, and hope
thereby the mischief in Back Bay may be greatly
mitigated, and that it may be still farther remedied
by flushing the sewers at regular intervals, by carry
ing out from the shore the sewage to meet the tide
sooner; by the removal Of the deposits Of garbage
the receptacle for years; and perhaps by flooding
portions OF the fats if on investigation it shall seem
advisable.
Thorough inspection and cleaning out Of culyerts
all over the city is necessary.
And further advantage from these tentative
the experience gained, permanent remedy which
can be adopted when sufficiently matured, and the
means of the city will permit.
Since writing the above, have seen by the
newspapers that sporadic of cholera have ap-
peared in New York.. and that in consequence
Boston is already moving in the way Of sanitary
precautions. 1t will be wise in us to do the same
An ounce Of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
trust the accompanying order for the approp-
M. M. BUTLER, Mayor.
After some discussion both boards passed an
order appropriating the sum of $25OO to be ex-
pended under the direction of the committee on
health as recommended by the Mayor, to be
charged to the contingent fund.
COMMON COUNCIL.
The order for the acceptance of Charles
street was taken from the table and passed in
concurrence.
The report of the committee on petition for
the removal:of hydrants was passed iu concur
renee. The report was that the petitioners
have leave to withdraw.
The clerk reported that he had corresponded
with Mr.. Hayden of Ward A. and requested his
resignation if he considered himself no longer
a resident of this city, and had received no
answer. The report was accepted.
Mr. Muir, Superintendent of the Michigan
Southern Railroad, and Mr.. James S. Merrill,
Superintendent of the Pullman Car Company
at Baltimore, Nd, were in town yesterday
Mr.. Merrill was Portland boy.
Maj. Gen. Brinton, in command of the Penn.
sylvania volunteers, is the husband of a Port
land lady. formerly Miss Fosdick.
Congressman Powers of Houlton is at the
Preble House.
Mr. Henry G. Houston, Esq, Register of
Deeds. announces in letter to the Advertiser
that he will be candidate for denomination at
the Republican County Convention.
Rev. Mr.. Fem took occasion on Sunday in
his pulpit to animadvert in rather sharp tones
upou " P"A"SA0Pu oiiSthopCu Wy tu0 OurlSbldu
Mirror and copied into some other papers, stat
ing that he was to give reception at the High
street street chapel, to the ministers attendant
upon the Cumberland Conference. 1t seems
shat Mr.. Fem is to entertain his brethren of
the ministry at the islands, and not at his
chapel.
An Entertainment at the Ottawa II ouse
A very interesting entertainment was giver
at the Ottawa house, Cushing's Island Sat-
urday evening, as will be seen by the following
programme which we give below. The read.
ings, music and songs would have been credit
able to any assembly. The following is thu
programme.
Address, j. MacD Donald, M. P.
Duet. o, Vert Thou in the Cold Blast?
Miss Allan and Mr.. Stacy.
Reading The face Against the Pane.
Song Two Locks of Hair. Mrs, Macdonald
Reading. Burial March of Dundee.
Master Alex Macdonald.
j. b. Aldrich Mr.. Stacy
Music. Lost Hope: Miss Crosby
Charade. Mrs. Biscoe, Miss Allan, Mrs. Harvey
Mis- So Macdonald, Dr. Harvey, Miss Murdoch
Miss Hathorne, &C. &c.
Duet. Chilperic.
Miss Marion and MissLucy Macdonald.
Song. Comic. Miss Murdoch