Waterbury evening Democrat., 1888-09-24

ten rect deep in places across our hfyh- way, and 275 feet in length. For some time we followed the same course as pur- sued by former boards of selectmen in try ing to fill, viz: with stone. This plan, however, we abandoned later, and finally completed the work by filling with wood and very heavy corduroy, of sufficient length to cover the entire space, and high enough to allow for settling. Our only fears are that more of the road may go in the slnle manner The work cost us com plete $2, 752.4 40 for labor, stock, &c. Could we have been spared this nnfortu- nate section it would have pleased us quite as much as the people at large. By de- ducting the above amount from the net cost of our Roads not U. c. you can readily discover what our expenses would have been under ordinary circumstances. The former custom has been to hire the use of tools for this work; we have, however, purchased the necessary outfit this year, and charged the expense to this account, and report an inventory of the same.
 ROADS UNDER CONTRACT. -January l, , 1884, the town contracted the highways out by sections to the lowest bidder, for a term of five years, making the first select man superintendent of highways, and yet appointing an inspector over the contrac- tors from an adjoining town. These con bTdCtS dIlOuuU, \iu IOuhu AuAnbCio,i eo 900 per year. The term expires January l. 1889. Many of these sections ar every poorly looked after and cause no end of trouble and time for the selectmen. The inspector is not convenient to the trouble and can not always be reached when he should be to pass upon such complaints. On the other hand some of the contractors spend probably all the money by them received and in few cases we believe more, and keep their section in good condition. How ever, as this number Is so vastly in the minority we have very grave doubts as to the practicability of thus caring for the poor policy and one that should be cor rected immediately. Our principal ave nues leading to and from the city in every direction are much travelled, the people justly feel that they on the outside Of the city limits are entitled to something better than the ordinary country roads, conse- Guently the amount expended by contract is practically thrown away and all perma- nent improvements are done outside. In most cases after the selectmen have put the road in the best condition the contractor immediately allows it to run down, only patching enough to have it pass the in spector, and last until he gets his pay. It looks to us as if many of the contractors found it almost impossible to work roads, for the reason they have no part of the neces- sary tools or teams to work with and dc not get them. The result is some of the sections are worked with small tools when | it should be with an OK team. Soon com plaints come in usually in the form of ! petitions to make improvements of more permanent nature. Taking into considera- tion ali these facts, would it not be quite proper that he system of contracting here l k-NE> 1N future the board of selectmen have this jurisdiction? All complaints are made to them. they must look the matters over, and in a large measure are held responsible to the citizen and taxpayer. We think this amount of B, 900 could be more ! judiciously expended, and the class of poor laborers which we are almost compelled to furnish work for during the summer months would reap the benefits, as probably almost every section could be worked by the day. We therefore recommend to the taxpayers that the highways on and afte, January 1, 1889, be left under control of 1 the board of selectmen.
 INDEBTEDNESS Ger 1, 1887, AND Ger | 1SSS.-Indebtednes as per report last October as follows: Outstanding loan or ders, $69, ,000. Floating bills that were due at the same time and presented and paid this year, $10,044.3S. Therefore al the time above mentioned the actual in debtedness was $79, ,044. 3S. During the year we have borrowed to pay running expenses until the taxes were due, S32 00O.00. This amount has been paid il full, as also we have paid s, 10000 of the old loan order and all of the $10, ,000 % ot floating bills, making the sum of $32 ,000. 0( Gin round numbers) that we have paid from the old indebtedness. September 3G | nf tbiS will EnI +ha ohp,,t in hr l following condition financially, viz |: Old outstanding loan orders, $47, 900 O0, and a 1 floating debt which may possibly reach $2, % more, and which we report be- low. All interest being paid on loans ir full to September 30. Total indebtedness October 1, 1SSS not more than $49, 100. %
 as against S79, 100000 one year ago. The estimated outstanding bills are made up as follows: Hospital bills, quarter ending October 1, 1888, $1,O00 CO., Roads moi under contract, about $S00.O0 Aims
 house about $2OO.0O, and outside poo about $100.00.
 ASSESSORS The bills rendered by the assessors for making the list of 1887 amounted to $95000. This amount vt deemed excessive and declined to pay more than $500 (same as paid in 1SS6) and which we deemed ample compensation for services rendered, and, indeed, much more pro | portionately than any other of the town officers received We are frequently i'm portuned for payments op account but re- fused, and finally made such divisional settlement of the amount offered as in oul judgment was equitable, viz: To F. B. Rice $350, to c. B. Webster s225, to G. B. Lawrence $225. And in connection with these remarks we can only add, we believe there is a receipted voucher on file in this office for every dollar expended during the year, excepting the amount paid to, Mr Webster for services as assessor, he refusing to give us more than a receipt on account, and which we refuse to accept, our judgment being that the amount already paid is abundant remunerationfor labor performed In conclusion the selectmen recommend the laying of a tax of mills on the dollar The report of Collector Louis NJ. Meyer shows the amount of the taxes of 1887 to be S64, 718,17. Of this amount $55, ,357 94 has been collected, leaving a balance due of 50, ,36O. .23.
 October l, 1887, there was balance of 1 $3,o7S.67 in the hands of Maier Kaiser, town fYao T L |. T