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


Our financial standing is as follows:
LIABILITIES.
per cent bonds of 1864, q, 200 90
Refunded sprague loan, 10000 %
q per cent bonds of 1870, s5,UD ~
Temporary loans, lo,1" w
Bonds and coupons. due Feb'y l5 lss7,
not presented for payment 800 80
st Marks Home trust funds, 700 oD
Lithgow Library, Hpooo w
Total liabilities, 1898 ,6o7 so
RESOURCES.
uucoected taxes. s2os6o W
C.sb an hand ZIG -
Tax deeds l,Gi2 "
Incolected taxes ts7G 2i5 III
pup from state for armory, % NJ
Real estate gravel bank, LOW w
Due from county about <oo w
To,,l resources $2l gl5 93
Net amount OF city debt sD',69l %
Debt REDUCED the past year, S5'oto x
There will be 50 900 in bonds mature dur
ing the present municipal year which must
be provided for in the annual appropriations
In this connection | would call your atten-
ton to the very insecure condition as regards
fire of the books aud records in the city
treasury. The records of the city since its
incorporation are stored there IN vault
which no one believes would stand for a
moment should the building burn, and |
would recommend that some provision be
made outside this building for the storage OF
such documents as are not needed Tor every
dav use. and that fire and burglar proof safe
be purchased, of sufficient size to hold the
hooks and papers in actual use by the Treas
urer. The same insecure condition of the
records in the City Clerks and Overseers
office is true to some extent. The small sal
aries received by these officials makes it
hardly lust to expect them to furnish safe
accommodations for the city records. hope
the day is not distant when the city will build
such a building as would accommodate all Its
officers, and believe that if the money now
paid as rents could be applied to pay the IN
tercst on a loan for this purpose, that such a
building could be built so that the city would
be nothing out of pocket, and have vastly
superior accommodations.
SCHOOLS.
During the year just closed new expert
ment has been tried in relation to the schools
in the suburban districts All the districts
exeept the village and Williams have been
abolished, and the whole system has been IN
charge of the City Supervisor. While IN one
or two districts there has been some little
friction caused by an honest difference OF
opiuion on some minor details between the
Supervisor and some of the voters, yet
ON the whole | think the new system
must be considered success, ana
will result in giving the small schoois
longer terms and better Accommodations.
Whatever NAV be the final result OF TINS eN-
periment il is quite evident that us success vi
failure can not be demonstrated IN one year
or two and presume you will deem it for the
public welfare to leave the matter as at pres
ent for the coming year. 1t is a question IN
"
her of schools TO be visited and looked after
i, would not be better TO have school COM
mittee of three members with their terms ex-
hiring one annually as the Assessors anu
bvarseers now do and so always have two
members who are conversant with the meth
dds of teaching in vogue. and the needs anu
reouirements of the different schools make
the suggestion and you can give 1t such con
siderat,ou as you deem wise. No Words OF
mine can add anything to the well earned
repntaton of our high school or the graded
schools in the Village and Williams district
WATER WoRKsANp FIRE DEPARTMENT.
orr water works are finished and in full
,ner.tion and we are enjoying such protee-
for from destructive fires as we have never
hsf,r, and such as but few cities are favored
it'll This introduction of water has enabled
ms to reorganize the fire department on
d;,ferent basis by describing one OF the
steamers altogether which should recon-
mend selling and turning the proceeds 'n't
the purchase of additional hose when arr
mnch needed. In the place of two engine 20
we now have four hose companies SO loca'ee
as to be easily accessible to fires in any par
- The c;ty and these companies are all pro-
.;dad with good houses. We have also pur
ahas.d a first class hook and ladder truck ans
: val ~olnnteer company of thirty men has beer
organized to run it and the few tunes 'ne,
have been called out demonstrates that UNI
branch of the department is in the rign
bsnds Our fire department comprises aoou
a;nh,v men and have no hesitation IN asser.
inc that it has never been in better eoha', ~
- cone with FIRE of any magnitude. NO