The Portland daily press., 1883-03-13
15s,5oo 90

Loans authorized on demand during
the year for payment of bonds not
| provided for by sinking fund or
otherWlse. ..,...a.,.' ..,,.,s'.. 4oo'ooV w
$3.50, 10000
| Outstanding building loan bonds,
secured by mortgage of real estate. 800 10000
| Bonds issued in aid of Portland and
Rochester Railroad. .............. l,O43,OOO.O %
| Bonds issued in aid of Portland and
Ogdensburg Railroad. .-..... ..--.- l,z0O,uOoOo
Gross debt, March 8, 1888. .".... S4, 549, 10000
AVAILABLE ASSETS.
| Gas stock Q700
shares), notes receiva-
bic, and trust funds,
on which the city pays
interest only ........., S1O3 S93.7O
| Sinking funds, say 49,. 100000
| Building loan bonds &C.
| cured by mortgages,
Bonds secured by mort
gage and sinking fund
Lawrence Railroad. 100000 1927 ,s9s.7o
| Net debt March s, 1883, without de-
| duction of value of Portland and
| Ogdensburg Railroad stock and
bonds held by the city, ...S3, 81 ,loo.So
The gross debt has been reduced the past
year $71 800; additional bonds to the amount of
| $4,000 have matured but not been presented
for payment the same will be paid however
from the sinking fund when presented.
The sinking fund will probably be increased
$4,000 by transfer of nnexpended balances
and surplus income at the close of the
financial year, March 81, 1883-the exact
amount of which cannot be given until gthe
| books are made up
The city has obtained Judgment against the
Atlantic and st. Lawrence Railroad Company,
for arrears of interest sued for. The total
| amount due from said company, with interest
| and costs, will amount to about 100000
which, when received, will be applicable to
| payment OF so much of the city debt.
| FIRE AND STREET DEPARTMENTS
For statistics of these departments, I refer
| you to the Chief Engineers and Street Com
| mlssloners reports but desire to call your at
| tentlon to the necessity of divorcing the I'M
natural marriage of the FIRE and street depart
ments. Sooner or later this must be done, and
| 1t might as we'll be accomplished now. OF real,
| practical, economical work the street depart
ment receives but little aid from the horses and
drivers of our fire engines and hook and ladder
trucks. The present arrangement is source
| OF continued warfare between the two depart
ments, tending to destroy the usefulness of
| both.
am convinced the enginemen and drivers
should be required to wear plain, suitable
uniform, such as shall be adopted by the COM
mittee on fire department. We shall then
know who they are and that they are attend
ing to their duties.
A new fire engine should be placed in No
Us house; the old No. 2 make a spare engine,
and one OF the other fire engines (not in COM
mission) placed on Peaks Island, where it can
be OF service if required, and also to give them
| their benefit of any reduction they may there
| by obtain in their rates of fire insurance.
SEWERS
/ am informed by Engineer Goodwin,
contract was made February 10Th, between j.
| s. Libby, Esq, and the committee on sewers,
to complete the extension of Long wharf, and
| to build 81 rods of 5x6 plank sewer. The
| wharf contract is for 1888 square feet at Sc
| cents per foot, amounting to $2205 2S. The
sewer is for "a rods at $90a rod-$4860, or SIS
per running foot, which, without investiga-
ton, appears TO be an extravaganza price for
such work. Your committee on sewers, when
appointed, should carefully ascertain if such
contract is binding upon the city, and also if
il is in reality AN extravagant price for such
work, for if 1t should prove so to be, upon them
| (if continued), will rest the responsibility of
fulfilling contract on the part of the city,
which the new committee had no voice in
making.
The engineers estimate for the Commercial
street sewer, from Centre to Silver street, and
completing wharf and sewer from outfall at
Long wharf, is S21 ,242.1 IA. In my Judgment
this sewer should be commenced and finished
during the long days of May and June, and
work continued by night with aid of the
electric light, thereby not oSstructing (more
than possible) the business of Commercial
street am not informed of any other sewer
OF Importance to be constructed this year.
DEERING's OAKS AND OUR PUBLIC GROUNDS
The mnnificent bequest of Deering Oaks
was made to our city few years since. The
donors undoubtedly gave these beautiful
grounds for the enjoyment of the people, and
especially for the enjoyment of those without
means to allow them TO visit the country. In
my Judgment the City Council cannot afford
to allow these historic grounds to rest unim-
proved and uncared for. The rich owe it to
the poor that this already beautiful resort,
shall each year be made more attractive, and
soon become the pride of our city. ] recon-
mend an appropriation be made for the Oaks
in particular, end that band stand may be
erected, and band concerts be given frequent
y during the season, when our city is usually
full OF visitors; thus inaugurating policy
tending toward making at no distant day,
these grounds popular place ct resort and
recreation Tor our people. have no anxiety
that our Lincoln Park, the Promenades and
otheI public grounds will remain uncared for
at your hands.
This department. for long time has been
the subject of general criticism. There is 10
doubt of it's demoralized condition. L shall
avail myself after careful investigation, of my
privilege of recommending to the board of
aldermen such measures as shall deem the
interests of the city require, and which may
find necessary for the good of the force.
THE NATIONAL ANNIVERSARY.
Before another Fourth of July shall ap-
proach, tina city government, combined with
the patriotic people of our city, through their
own and citizens committee should consider
if they cannot contrive some means of making
our national anniversary the popular holiday
| it used to be. Certainly no one can look for
| ward to another Fourth like the last with feel
| ings other than of disgust. Our citizens, who
| were able, left the city; our streets were de-
serted and silence reigned supreme. The
| children, for whose benefit especially the day
| should always be observed, found it the most
| gloomy day of the year, while it should have
been the brightest and most happy one in their
| memories. This is all wrong; we cannot af-
| ford to give up or abridge the proper celebra-
| ton of the Fourth of July, and especially its
| enjoyment by those who are inst arriving at an
understanding of its significance. To do this,
| we must make and enforce such reasonable
| regulations as will ensure the safety OF our
| city and still let the boys have good time.
You may rely, if the boys lose their interest in
the Fourth Of July, the fathers will also lose
their interest in that spirit of patriotism the
| Fourth of July commentaries. l recommend
| special appropriation for the proper OBJ
servance OF the day.
CONCLUSION.
The dismal repetition, the city is poor! has
| almost become chronic, and many of our most
| segacious people believe such is the case.
While we cannot boast Except in natural re
sources) Portland is rich, the actual fact exists
| by the assessors valuation of 1881 we had
nearly $32 600 to pay little over So ,000,-
| 600 Indebtedness, without including the bonds
and shares the city own in the Portland & Og-
densburg Railroad. Competent judges express
their belief we have nearer S50,00O,0 600 to pay
this comparatively small debt with. 1 do not
believe there is in New England any city Of
our population where the taxes are paid more
promptly orswillingly, and attribute it to the
fact that all who come among us, who are
workers, find little difficulty in earning money
to pay with; and while recognizing the neces-
sity of the utmost discrimination in disbursing
the public money, we should pursue liberal,
broad-minded, progressive policy: inviting to
our city all good people; inviting among us all
kinds of business, assuring them it is great
mistake that aur taxes ara hnldensoma.