Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1888-02-23
a Chapter on City 1mprovsments.

The future prosperity al growth of the
city of Augusta seem at this this time 10 be
unquestioued, thanks to the quiet but persist
ent efforts of our Board of Trade, and TO the
generous and substantial inducements sane
toned by its members. and unanimously ap-
proved of by vote OF all citizens-2 -
brief summary of probable building oper-
atoms the coming season NAV be of inferes,
TO some of our citizens The Edwards Man
ufacturing Co. now at work will forward with
all possible despatch the great work begun
by them last September az the East end OF
the Augusta dam; they will erect large
| three story mill there which will be equipped
with seven of Holmes POO horse power water
wheels, with all modern and approved APP
| pliances for distributing that vast power
| throughout the building, the priciple user OF
| this power will be the Glen Pulp aud Paper
Go. of Hartford, CT, they having leased room
and power of the Edwards Co. They will
| give constant employment to % men, with the
| probability of doubling the capacity after the
first year. Existing local industries will oe.
cupy nearly all the remaining floor space in
| this building, which will be ready for bust
ness about the first of July.
The kennebec Light and heat Co. have also
leased power and ground here, and Holmes
large wheels of immense power for running
| their dynamos. They will erect their own
building distant fifty feet from the large
mill. The building materials for this
purposd are already On the spot, and
the veteran builder and contractor Mr.. John
p. Wyman, is only waiting for the weather
to moderate To begin work on it; it will be
finished by May LIST.
The most important enterprise of the year
will be the new cotton MILL TO be begun by
the Edwards Company; that one thing settles
beyond doubt the permanent and healthy
growth of this city, and its importance can
hardly be over-estimated.
The elegant and substantial United States
building will be pushed ahead as fast as
profitable and consistent with the dignity of
great republic, especially considering this
to be Leap Year
That great and beneficial institution, the
Insane Hospital, so conscientiously and care
fully managed, both as regards the welfare of
the sad mental wrecks here cared for, and
for the interest of the State of Maine, owing
to insufficient accommodations for the con-
stantly increasing demands made upon it will
commence another building; it is really need
ed at the present time, but il is doubtful if it
can be finished this year.
There will also be built this year church
the location of which is not yet decided upon,
to be used by our French Catholic popula-
ton.
There will also be built at least forty
dwelling houses, tenements for factory oper-
atiyes, and homes for our increasing popula-
ton. 1t is safe to say that in no city in New
England is there such scarcity of moderate
priced houses for rent; the building of this
class of houses does not keep pace with the
demand for them.
All of the foregoing statements are facts,
that if in possession of some of the doomed
cities of the West would be heralded through
out the length and breadth of this country.
Great investments and speculations in real
estate would be made on the strength of wild
winter statements, never TO be communicated
in the summer; what an entirely different
condition of things exist here, there is no
great buncombe or noise, no one seems to
care whether the prosperity of our city is
known or not, and feel safe in saying that
not one half of the tax payers in radius of
ten miles from the post office, know any
thing about these probable Improvements.
Now in justice TO ourselves as a progress
sive CITY, there should be made by the city
several important Improvements. and this
year is the time to do it. One of the most i'm
perative importance is a fire alarm telegraph
system, with say twenty alarm stations and
the necessary central station; then the fire
department. when an alarm was sounded,
would instantly know what section of the
CITY to run to. The only guiding knowledge
they now have is somebody's wild guesses, or
the smoke of the burning building it and fire.
quently happens that the fire has not attained
sufficient headway to serve the purpose OF an
aerial telegraph; notwithstanding the absence
of this modern appliance the boys get there
all the same :" but with our present admirable
water works system, and such well organ
lied fire department, there never again need
be fire of any magnitude. if directed by
such system; the fact Is, the city can not
afford to be without it.
Another improvement that might as well
be started this year as any year aud give this
generation the benefit of it, is the Water st.
improvement, TO consist of good sewer from
the foot of Rines hill to Bond brook bridge
and then either to pave with granite blocks
or macadamize the street for the same dis
lance 1t can be done for less cost than any
other city in New England, the stone for
either manner of work being within fifteen
minutes haul from the quarry to the street,
1t costs the interest on quite an investment
there are times in the year when it is a posi-
tive disgrace to the city The Street Com
missioner is not to blame. He does all he
can under existing conditions no one is to
blame except the citizens who do business on
the street and the matter is neglected be-
cause what is everybodys business is no.
bodv's business The subject should be
agitated this year, and some form of legisla
tive enactment should be procured next
winter, giving the city the necessary authority
to do the work, and assess the abutters for
betterments for a portion of the cost, the
balance to be borne by the city.
The city should also own and run all sum-
mer stone crusher and masadamize State
and thereby save the expense ever afterwards
of carting in rotten stone and in about SIX
months hauling it out in the form of mud, it
having become pulverized IN this brief time
and ready to accept any offer from the ele-
ments. either to run away as fast as possible
into Shiny unsightly and unhealthy pools, or
to be blown away by the wind in the finest of
dust disfiguring the outside and damaging
the furniture and decorations inside, of all
the residences on the street or near there. 1t
seems as though the tax payers would save
money in the long run by this method of fix
ing State and Grove streets and Western
Avenue, to say nothing about the increased
satisfaction of residing and driving on those
thoroughfares and of the removal of positive
element of danger TO the health of the resi-
dents: if it was question of large expendi-
ture with nothing in return except n feeling
of local pride, it would meet with merited
opposition, but if any man had a contract for
% years to keep those streets in safe and
healthy and presentable condition. it would
pay him to fix them herein suggested, as
Stunning he was TO receive each year what it
now costs. and when the year is gone there
is nothing to show for the money expended.
have no personal interests whatever in
these matters, further than being resident
and tax payer of this city, with desire
that we make a judicious use of money
collected by taxation.
IRA II. RANDALL.
Helping the Right Side.
To help the right side i, not only eomnendabl, IN