Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-03-16

land have adopted civil service rules !,
this branch of their affairs That il. to Oct IN,
best men regardless of their political affilis
tons. and then retain them so long =. the,
do their full duty aud fully believe that nm
I'll this department is relieved of all political
pressure it will not accomplish its full posi-
oIiitles. You will soon have the report OF
the marshal showing the work of him and
his officers in detail. From it YOU will
doubtless notice that most of the crimes com.
United are by persons under the influence of
strong drink, and the same cause can be seen
In large majority of cases of those who
apply to the poor department for aid.
SO long a. those two controlling influences
In the human race, appetite and love of gain,
exist so long, doubtless, will Intoxicating
liquors be sold and drank, but certainly no
friend OF humanity can observe the rapid in
crease OF intemperance among our Young
men without the gravest apprehension for the
future. 1t would seem "a though there WAS
law enough upon the statute books if il could
De enforced, to check this great evil As |
understand it an officer has no more di,cre-
ton about enforcing this law than anv other.
and can not imagine what excuse one could
give for failing to do so. This matter is
largely in your hands. as you alone have the
power to select the officers and to remove
them for failure to carry out your wishes.
10 be successful in doing what the people ex
pect at your hands in this matter you will
need the earnest and continued support of tho
moral, religious and law abiding forces of
the community which invoke in behalf of
good government. With their aid believe
something can be accomplished in checking
this great tide ofintemperance which is swe ep-
ing over this city and in restoring some who
are now spending their lives in misery and
degradation to ones of sobriety and virtue
Since the 25th of last March the city marshal
and municipal judge have received salary
for their services instead OF fees As formerly,
and eli fees have been returned to the city
treasury Up to January lst there had been
received from this source Sll27 40 and there
is remaining due since that date about $500,
so that these two offices will cost the CITY
less than 5000, and by the change the
county has been saved $500.
Poor Department.
The number of families helped bv this de.
partment outside the aims houss has been S.,
while At the aims house so persons have been
inmates, with daily average of 30. At the
Insane Asylum, Industrial School and State
Reform School, some II persons have been
cared for at the expense of the city Every
impulse of humanity impels us to render to
| eAoSC pCIsouo duOuS Us WHO W misfortune
or otherwise have become unable to support
themselves, such aid as may be necessary to
keep them comfortably still in this depart
ment our overseers are liable to be imposed
upon by persons who would rather live upon
the city's charity than to exert themselves
sufficiently to earn an honest livelihood and
for the small pay received by the overseers it
| 10 question whether they can afford to de-
vote time enough to the city's business to al
ways be sure they are not imposed upon. The
recent change in our ordinances, electing
these officers for term Of three years, is a
step in the right direction, for it is largely
the same persons year after year who are the
recipients of the citys help. Hence a knowl-
edge gained by few years experience in the
board Of overseers, is of great benefit in de-
termining many questions constantly arising
as to the citys liability in certain classes of
paupers as we'll as the good faith of persons
applying for assistance. l would suggest
whether or not the placing of all bills of
this department on our monthly roll of &C.
counts might not tend to give a wider knowl-
edge of the needs of this branch of our
work to the different members of these two
boards, and 80. in measure to restrain those
who might otherwise make unnecessary calls
for aid A hurried visit to the aims house
convinces me that Mr.. Waldron and his wife
are the right persons to have charge of that
institution, and that they should be retained
in the city's service.
Fire Department
While Augusta has, since the great fire of
1865, enjoyed unusual exemption from serious
CONGREGATIONS, yet it has always been con-
sidered bv our predecessors a wise public
policy to maintain our fire department up to
its fullest efficiency, and while it is of course,
impossible to say how much of our good tor
tune as to small fire loss may be due to the
efforts of the "boys who run with the ma
chine" yet it is nevertheless true that in no
city of our size can be found department
more ably managed, or more successful in
handling fires, than ours, and we should see
to it that by no act of ours is its efficiency in
any sense impaired. One o: the pressing
needs of the department is hook and ladder
truck, as at present we have nothing that
answers this purpose, and it has happened
several times in the past few years to my
knowledge that fires starting in the top of
buildings have nearly or quite consumed the
whole structure because of lack of means
of reaching the fire; and in the Darby Block
FIRE of one year ago truck costing
$500 would have been the means of saving
several times it's cost in this one instance.
The department has been called out ten times
the past year, three times on false alarms. and
the total damage done has been about $4,000,
which WAS mostly covered by insurance.
Board of Health.
This department has been in existence
nearly year, and am glad to be able to say
that much good has been accomplished. 1t
has been the custom of the board when COM
plants have been received to visit the local
ity complained of, and if reasonable ground
has been found,to see the persons controlling
the nuisance and reason the question with
them rather than resorting to any legal means
to enforce compliance with our health ordi-
nsnces. l am assured by the secretary of the
board, who is expected to be the active men,
Der that his efforts have been met in the right
spirit by our citizens whom he has had occa-
sion to visit and much information bearing
on sanitary measures has been disseminated.
believe this department is one that will
steadily grow in favor the more its purposes
are known and understood. You will have
their full report before you at a later day.
In Conclusion.
Upon you rests the responsibility of select
| ing the subordinate officers of the various
departments, as well as making the appro-
priations for running these departments for
the ensuing year, and while we should exer-
else everv economy consistent with the proper
performance of the duties required of US, we
should make these appropriations large
enough to cover the necessities of the city
work, but when once made shall insist that
all our officers keep strictly within the sum