Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1877-03-05
Zoral anu State Mems.
Doings of the City Council.

Petition OF w. NJ. Stratton for permission to cut
down tree in the street rear his house;
Petition Of w Toward and @ others for the
laying cut OF new street, from Laurel street
through Morton Place, to State street, and also
for the laying out OF other public ways in the vi
cinity;
The three foregoing petitions were referred to
the next City Council.
Petition Of Mrs Fred Brown, for compensation
for INJURY received on account of alleged defect in
sidewalk on State street, referred to the May
or and City Solicitor for investigation and settle
mcnt.
A communication from the Mayor was received
and read showing the condition of the several APP
preparations for the present year, at the da.e of
March ID. Total amount of appropriations and
credits xpended by Mayors warrants, $2i ,3O1.-
Il.
The City Solicitor made report on the claim Of
A. b. Bowler for injury to horse on account Of
alleged defect in the South Belfast road, reporting
that the petitioner have leave to withdraw.
The Mayor and City Solicitor who were direct
cd by order Of the City Council May 10, to in
vcstigate the claims of " d. Pnkham against
the city submitted report, recommending that
a reasonable sum be paid him for the expense of
bliding the drain over land of d. T. Pike, mas
much as the city has appropriated said drain to its
own use. On motion of Alderman Whitehouse,
it was ordered that no such compensation be al
lowed until permit be given the city to enter up
on the land and repair and maintain said drain.
The collector of taxes reported that Sl2,053.0l
remain uncollected.
On motion Of Councilman Baker, an order was
l. tlgr
ity under which he acted in settling the 5000
suit of Lucinda Scrbner against the city, for $780,
The City Treasurer made a lengthy report Of
the affairs Of his Office for the past year. Total
receipts Sli4, 092.42; total payments ll,091.i2.
The report gives partial statement OF the present
financial condition Of the city, but the expendi-
lures reported not having been fully audit
ed by the City Auditor, the report is necessarily
incomplete. and not Of sufficient accuracy and in
terest to publish in full in our columns.
Communications were received from s. S.
Brooks & Co., DIR. H. NJ. Harlow and b. F. Par
rott, offering TO sell to the city, ten feet of their
land for sidewalk. nearly opposite the post ofice'
OF the same price for which they bought the land,
were received, and Aldermen Lincoln and Curtis,
and Councilmen Baker, Turner and 5. G. Cum
nngs were appointed committee to negotiate
for the purchase OF said land.
On petition Of Arno Bittues and others, the
owners of Smith Block, on Water ST., opposite
Granite Hall Block, were authorized to replace
the scales formerly in front of said building, I'M
der certain conditions, a. their own expense.
1t was voted that the next meeting Of the City
Council be held at . IL O'clock, T. NJ, on Sltur-
day, March, 18th.
The following reports, giving the facts and fig
u.e: connected with the foundation and repair Of
the Bridge Street Engine House and the street
wall at the same place, were submitted, read and
accepted:
CITY OF AUGUSTA,
In Board of Alderman.
March 2, 1871 )
The Joint Special Comm ttee which was appoint
cd June I'd, 1876, to contract for permane mt
granite foundatio under the Bridge Street En-
gine House, having attended 10 the duty with
which they were charged, beg leave 10
REPORT:
That they contracted on the sixth day of June for
such a foundation the order contemplated, and
tn 1t the same has been constructed TO the satisac
Ii N of the committee. The north wall is ten feet
wide at the base, seven feet wide at the top, six
&c feet high and forty feet long. II rests
ola layer of hemlock logs Of fourteen inches
diameter and thirteen feet long. The logs rest
thick stratum Of solid gravel which could not
b., pierced with iron bar. The east wall is
nineteen and three-fourths feet long, sixteen
aud One-sixth feet high and of four feet average
thickness. The west wall IS OF the same length,
thirteen feet and ten inches high and Of four feet
average thickness. The bases OF these walls rise
by two successive steps each from the north wall
- the south wall These side walls serve the
double purpose of a foundation Tor the superstruc
ture and q support or brace for the south or street
wall. There are two interior walls piers extend
in southerv frnm thfenOrtb wall nj feet zach
OF them being Eve by feet in thickness and
the other five by six feet. These are for the sap
port of the centre of the supeistructure. The
street wall upon which the southery side of the
building rests ten feet wide at the base, twenty
eight feet and eleven inches high AID three feet
vide at the top. 1t is forty-seven feet long, and
rests like the rear wall on lay or Of logs thirteen
feet long. The side and street walls are pointed
with cement to keep out any water that may come
against them. A granite sewer laid IN cement be-
ginning ten feet below the north wall extends
through the site of the building and both wall,
and thence to the north line of the High School
lot, where a chimney takes into ii all the surface
water Of Bridge street at that point. Connecting
with the sewer is private drain from the plemis-
es of Hon. ARENAS Libhey on State Street, and
also the School House drain into which runs
private drain belonging to citizens on Pleasant
Street All of these drains used to empty upon
the lot, to the great injury of the former founda-
tons of the building. The contractor performed
his work with great care AMI iaithiulness, and 1t
as completed will withstand unmoved the forces
of nature long the city endures. Before
work was begun on the walls, the upper por-
ton of the Engine House was moved with difficult
ty and danger off its rotten and precarious foun-
daton, into the street, by Mr.. Charles Luce, who
was also employed TO move it back into its present
place when the new foundation and basement
were ready to receive it. The whole structure
stands twelve feet farther north than the old one.
The cost of the granite work, the moving of the
house into the street, the erecting OF a two-sory
basement, and the moving of the house back from
the street upon the same, was Sl673.i2. A de-
tailed schedule of the items composing this sum
and the names of the persons to whom the money
was paid is herewith accompanying.
Respectfully submitted
CHAs. f. NASH, | Joint Special
+. w. BRANN, Committee
JOHN O. CURTIS, on Engine
GUY TURNER. House.