The Portland daily press., 1878-03-12

oesiues tne ihterest, sufhclent sums 10 ac-
complish that object.
the amount of the funded debt of the city
falling due in the present financial wear of
1883, is $1l0,S00, which sum, it is expect.
ed, can be paid without issuing new bonds.
On the whole I think the foregoing exhibit
OF the results of last years work financially
ought to be satisfactory. 1t must be borne in
mind that on more than one-half of the city
expenditures put into the tax levy, such as
interest," payments to the sinking fund, State
and county taxes. and the like, no reduction
can be made. These must be paid in full.
1t was on only some 100000 to $350,OOO of
the tax levy of $760,564.22 that retrench-
ment could be made to operate. Upon this
balance there has been saving of between
$60,o0O and $4,000, or about 20 per cent.
Consistently with the true interests Of an en-
hghtened, progressive community like our
own,. whose aim is to keep abreast the times
in all that makes for the comfort, health and
well. being of the citizen, it cannot be ex.
pected that this course of retrenchment can
go on indefinitely, or indeed much further.
1t is not according to the spirit of our peo-
pie that economy should degenerate into par
simony and penuriousness. Our schools,
drains and sewers, police, the public health,
fire department, are matters of necessity, and
must be provided for. 1t would be but saw
ing at the spigot and wasting at the bung to
disregard these interests. The great Burke
says: "Parsimony is not economy.
Parsimony requires no providence, no sagaci-
ty, no power of combination, no compari-
son, no judgment; mere instinct, and that
not of the noblest kind, may produce this
false economy in perfection. The other
economy has large views. 1t demands dis
eliminating judgment and fair, sagacious
mind"
Also, by some unfortunate miscalculation
of ways and means during the last few years
at Augusta, the current expenses of the
State have outrun its resources; in other
words, as in the case of many individuals,
the State has been living beyond its income,
and it has been found necessary, notwith-
standing the burdens the people now stoop
under. to increase the State tax one third
beyond what it was last year, or in round
numbers. $224,000, of which this city will
be called to pay nearly one seventh, or about
$30,000. This is regrettable, but must be
borne with such equanimity as we can sum-
mon to our aid. 1t is doubtful, therefore,
whether, with this unforeseen addition. the
rate of taxation can be kept down to what it
was last year; but with your aid and CO.
operation l will use my best endeavors to
that end.
But if our expenditures cannot be hoped
to be reduced from the amount they were
last year, the same amount, in my judgment,
can be made to yield the city a greater re-
turn; in other words, by proper exertions
the city can come nearer to getting full
equivalent for the money she pays out; and
this, it seems to me, should be especially our
aim and endeavor this year in the conduct of
the city affairs. 1t is not the amount spent
that always should be looked at, but how it
is spent. In public, as well as in private
affairs, little, by good husbandry and man
agement, may be made to go long way
much further often than large means dis
pensed with unthrift, carelessness, and ex-
travagance.
STREETS.
Repairs on the streets the past year have
been more extensive and thorough, think,
than ordinary, on an appropriation of $22,5
less than that of the previous year, and this
appropriation will not be exceeded. The pub
lished report of the street commissioner will
inform you of the details of the work done.
Still. with all that has been accomplished,
and without imputing blame to the street
commissioner, but to the system, or rather
want of system, on which it has been run,
there has been no other department in whose
workings have been more dissatisfied on
the whole than this, both as respects the
management of the streets, and in the con-
duct of its financial affairs.
ously spent, and have not been made to yield
what they ought in the shape of work done.
The city pays its cash once month prompt-
ly, and is a constant employer and whole
sale purchaser. 1t ought to obtain workmen
and purchase supplies at prices correspond
ing to those paid by individuals or private
corporations. Its teams ought to be kept its
horse-shoeing done, its carts, carriages, and
harnesses repaired, as cheaply as by any
livery stable keeper in town. Its laborers on
the streets should be employed as many
hours at least as the Taxpayers who foot the
bills. think hazard nothing in saying that
in city covering an area of only 1886
acres, and with only fifty miles of streets,-a
number not exceeding the length of roads In
many country towns,-private individuals
could be found to take the entire charge of
the repairs (not construction), of those
streets for the next ten years, and keep them
in as good condition as they have been kept
for the last ten years, at one-half the expense
it has cost the city during that time.
And as to the methods of management of
the streets it is to be observed that both the
science and art of road making are hundreds
of years old. The principles lying at their
foundation are well understood. In treatises
on the subject are gathered and recorded the
experiences of communities and nations.
Specimens of solid, durable and smooth high
ways and streets may be seen by few hours
ride. Yet with all these means of knowl-
edge. some of our streets, especially in wet
weather, are almost impossible. Material is
dumped directly upon the ground without
proper foundation prepared for it, by the
street commissioner, one year, only to be
carted off by his successor the next. Gravel
in large quantities is spread upon streets of
steep grade, washed by the next rain into the
sewers, and carried by them into the docks,
to be removed at great expense to the city.
I am therefore satisfied that the street COM
mitree of this year should make q thorough
examination into the state and condition of
this department. and inquire whether better
methods of constructing and maintaining
not be devised and put into operation; in
vestigate the manner in which appropriations
have been spent, the purchases made, the
prices paid, the efficiency of the men en-
ployed, the hours of labor, the number of
bosses, the number of hangers on, if any, who
do not render adequate returns for their
wages, the expense of keeping horses, of re-
pairs to carts and harnesses, and compensa-
ton of employees and if they find and
evils to be corrected, any leaks to be stopped,
or any dry and useless branches to be Topped
off, to see that it is done before the COM
mepcement of the years work.
thluh tuiS departments ouSut W BSt aiOh6S
with an appropriation of $50.000 in all, in
cluding the sum allowed for drawing the fire
engines. Above all, let US have whatever
work is done, if but little, done well and
durably.
SEWERAGE AND DRAINAGE.
This subject of late has attracted much at
tention in our community. The function of
a sewerage system is two-fold, public and
private; to drain the streets of surface water
by cutters and culverts, connecting with the
sewers, and, what is q still more important
Office, to remove from our houses fecal and
other refuse matter in the shortest possible
time. In many cities like Paris the night
soil is excluded from the sewers, but in most
American cities having supply of water, th~
water-closet system prevails, and is consid-
cred more desirable by sanitary engineers,
provided the connections of the water closet,
by the drain, with the public sewer are made
with care and faithfulness, the drain well
trapped, and both the drain and sewer well
ventilated. The subject of the ventilation of
sewers and drains is very important, and any
system of sewerage without it is exceedingly