Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1888-03-20

Il
| think We should avail ourselves of this very
| generous offer. / would suggest
| whether one of the two wheel hose
carriages at present run by one of the old
Engine Co.'S might not be located at the low
er end of Arsenal street, and SO not only pro-
tect the large amount of infamable property
| in that quarter but also respond to alarms in
all parts of the city, the engine company to
run with the four wheel carriage to be drawn
by one of the city teams. When the water
works were proposed it was asserted by those
competent to judge that the expenses of the
fire department could be materially reduced
when this system was completed. We should
keep faith with the people in this respect,
and every expenditure not absolutely neces-
sary should be cut off.
| STREET LIGHTING.
| Many of our street lamps and posts need
| repairing and repainting but this work has
been postponed for the reason that by June
LIST the new system of electric lighting viii.
be in operation and it may be thought wise
to substitute for the gas lamps on some of the
| principle streets the are system of electric
| lighting now in such common use in all the
| larger cities. Augusta certainly would not
want to be behind the other cities of the State
| in this respect provided the cost was reason
able
HIGHwAYs.
We have not yet reached perfection either
! in the condition of our streets or in the meth
DDS in vague in building and repairing them.
| While it is an easy thing to find fault with a
washed out or rocky road bed or side walk
muddy or thrown out of shape by the frost,
| hope our fellow citizens will bear in mind it
is not always in our power to have these
things in just the shape we would like, that
we are often hampered for means, and SO
Obliged TO do a little in great many places
TO keep the streets safe and comparatively
comfortable for public travel, where as
larger expenditures would in the long run be
| the better economy. If every member of
this city government would constitute him
self committee to see that the roads and
walks in his ward were kept in proper shape
| both winter and summer, and promptly re-
port anything necessary to be done, to the
Street Commissioners or my self. 1t will be a
great help to us and one for which We shall
be thankful. No new concrete side walk
was built last year and as brick can be laid
as cheap as concrete | believe the day has
gone by when we should waste any more
inv..ov on concrete walks to be thrown all to
pieces ever" winter by the frost. Our soil is
of such a nature that concrete will not stand
any great length OF time upon 1t.
PAVING.
| hesita.e about bringing this matter again
to your attention. 1t is subject that is near
ly or quite threadbare. | don't know but it
has been talked and recommended to death,
and yet upon no subject is there such a
unanimity of feeling among the tax payers and
upon no question is the public demand upon
this city government so imperative as the re-
grading and paving of some portion of Water
street this year. Let US cut down and cut off
elsewhere as much as you will but this
matter which is so essential to the comfort of
every person who lives here whether he rides
or goes on foot as well as every person from
abroad who visits the place for any purpose,
should not longer be deferred. | had in
tended to have an estimate of the probable
cost of such work to lay before you but sew
eral obstacles have prevented but shall
endeavor to present it at an early day.
Pooh DEPARTMENT.
| am quite well satisfied after quite care
gul examination into the details of this de-
partment that the annual appropriation of
$4,000 is not enough to properly care for the
large number of worthy poor who from mis-
fortune or otherwise are the necessary re-
cpients of the cty's charity. This amount
no account has been made of an increase of
population and the consequent increase of
pauper bills. neither has allowance been
made for the large increase of expenses for
supporting the insane poor at the hospital,
which think will amount to from 81 800 to
$1,000 the past year. | shall deem it wise for
the Finance Committee to look the matter up
with some care before making the appro-
priatlon. Some repairs and changes of a
permanent character have been made at the
Aims House the past year, including a bath
room which was very much needed, and eight
or ten comfortable sleeping rooms which
have been finished off in the third story,
and ample room is thus furnished for present
demands ! am satisfied that in the great ma
jority of cases better care can be afforded
aud at less cost by providing for these I'M
fortunate people at the Aims House than by
general system of distributing supplies all
over the city. | would recommend that the
members of the city government visit the
city farm as often as is convenient and so
familiarize themselves with what is
being done there as well as the great amount
of work that is annually done by the Over
seers We should feel less free to crticise
this department if we understood better the
difficulties encountered in administering its
affairs Mr. and Mrs. Waldron have had
charge of the Aims House and City Farm
and have discharged their often-times UNI
pleasant duties very creditably.
L1r1cArIoS.
Two law suits of which the city was
party, have been settled during the year.
''"e wa. P"u ~, ,I;"
vs. 'ne 'D" Ilp ~ u nj. 40 PIP Pap app rn,
i"i"tS. II. 'o'" ~ -
nersu III 'S sm u Wv 10y anu 80,
up 70 t.'e ,ui. .oui' o , -; p.'o1o go
'ne u II, 'o"l' VIZ 700 .
anu MERCER mas SUI pau nv o,H ~:
Tue amount oi manages eia'i"e'' ou. ''',
sum :, "'ei.'' comma nv s -.
la,,;,o. II,l,,s n,r,or so,tiemart definitely
determined Mr. Goddard, the City Solicitor,
is entitled to much credit for his able conduct
of the case The other case was suit brought
BY Mrs. Brann for alleged injuries sus-
tanned BY falling from stone wall on North