The Portland daily press., 1888-03-13

i
amount for ordinary expenditures, and. still
farther, requiring definite amount 70 be re-
served for use during the winter. BY so
| doing, certain limitations will be placed upon
| the action Of the street committee, cOrres-
ponding to the wishes Of the council, as to
modes Of expenditure.
| / am glad to say there is an encouraging
prospect of large street improvements the
coming season. With the exercise of moderate
| patience will soon be realized a condition Of
Streets in our city far surprising any period in
her history, and unexeelled by those Of any
| other city Of equal size in our country.
10 this end the efforts of our street depart
ment are constantly directed, and each year
witnesses substantial progress.
DRAINS AND SEWERS.
II is gratifying evidence Of an awakened
| public interest in matters Of sanitation that
| there is such general demand for increased
| facilities for sewerage. The demand the past
| year has been so extensive as to require the
most assiduous labors upon the part Of our
| engineers and contractors TO meet it. In an
swer to this demand, it may not be amiss to
say that the length of new sewerage construct
ed has exceeded that of any other season for
decade, aggregating more than two and one
half miles; and yet for lack Of time, some
most important sewers could not be undertaken,
whose construction had been recommended by
the engineer after due petition by responsible
| citizens.
Without going much into details l will
briefly say that the complicated system OF
sewerage at the West End was built under
| great difficulties owing to the nature of the
| ground through which il passed and the ex-
| treme depth at which II was required 70 be
| laid.
Local improvements occasoned an immedi-
| ate necessity for the commencement and par
| tial construction of this system, which, it is
| to be hoped, can be fully completed the COM
| ing season, as well as the building Of another
| link in the Commercial street sewer between
Maple and Cross streets.
In the department of sewers are embraced
also culverts, of which, the past year, several
new ones have been built, and
many old ones, considered detrimental
to health, have been reconstructed.
Ii is desirable to rebuild old style eul-
verts as rapidly as possible, Transforming them
into modern construction with all the safe
guards Of approved traps and ventilating
appliances.
In accordance with a recommendation in
my previous message, the council amended the
ordinance so that sewer assessments, above the
amount estimated for income, become imme-
diately available for sewer purposes. This
method is calculated to work well in proyid-
ing means for unexpected demands, after the
annual appropriation is exhausted; and 1t will
prove judicious change, unless sometimes
furnishing pretext for more liberal expendi-
lures than the anticipated income from sewer
assessments would naturally justify.
Sound considerations Of public health and
prudence constitute the department OF sewers
a most important charge, and, from those to
whom it is entrusted, faithful service may
reasonably be expected.
FIRE DEPARTMENT.
Fortunately another year has passed without
any serious conhagration. About the usual
number of alarms have been sounded, but
most of the fires have been extinguished with
out difficulty and with scanty losses.
As conhagrations can never be foreseen and
generally occur when least expected, it is the
true policy TO keep the fire department in
high state of efficiency. This condition has
been successfully maintained through the
efforts of Chief Engineer Cloyes and his able
assistants. The fire alarm system has been re-
organized by newly numbering the boxes and
rearranging them in regular districts, so that
the department may catch the direction OF a
fire and start for it, Immediately after the hrst
sound of the alarm, without waiting for It's
complete striking. Under this arrangement
some seconds can DC SdNtu III kctlALS W q AASf
besides it will ultimately prove a convenience
TO our citizens in enabling them, after once
becoming familiar with the divisions, to tell
instantly in what section of the city fire IS
raging, without reference TO fire alarm cards.
From the last appropriation, the council au-
thorized the purchase Of a Hayes extension
ladder. The necessity for, and advantage OF,
such ladder are most obvious. II has al
ready served useful purpose in one iire, and,
| under certain circumstances, would be most
invaluable in saving life as well as
checking conhagration. 1t is not anticipated
| that any special outlays will be required IN
this department the coming year. Whatever
sum is needed to maintain the organization
and apparatus in prime order will be cheer
fully voted, and wisely expended against the
day of calamity.
Some public criticism is INDUCED against
the police force, for inefficiency and neglect OF
duty; vet careful examination of the facts will
convince any candid person that our police
men, with possibly some exceptions, are good
officers, and discharge the exacting duties OF
their position with commendable fidelity. IL
cannot reasonably be expected that they will
successfully prevent all violations OF law. con-
sidering the smallness OF their number, the ex-
tent of territory to be covered, and the multi
plicity of demands made upon their service.
1t may be regarded necessary to increase the
number of the force; but it was, primarily, TO
obviate such necessity that the police signal
system was adopted. After fair trial Of this
system, it has proved to be of great value both
in facilitating arrests and promoting the eth-
cheney of officers. As it has never been pur-
chased, only rented by the city, 1t now re-
mains, after satisfactory trial, 10 buy the
same whenever deemed expedient.
Before leaving the subject Of police, allow
me to make one practical suggestion which, l
think. IL acted on, would result in benehting
the department As the law now stands, each
policeman, unless summarily removed for cause
by the board of mayor and aldermen, holds his
place until sixty years OF age. TO compass an
officers removal, requires some violation OF the
! police regulations which can be distinctly FORM
ulated and sustained. Thus officers may re-
main on the force against whom there are well
defined suspicious Of wrong doing, and yet no
actual proof obtainable which may warrant
| dismissal Also, other officers may be retained
| under the law, against whom nothing can be
| said except that they have srusted out or be-
come physically debilitated in the service. To
dismiss such officers is quite impossible, and,
even if accomplished, might impose stigma
which previous good service would not justify.
For these reasons, and others which 1 might
specify, l would recommend change IN the
police law whereby new appointees should be
appointed for the term of five years and
made eligible for re- appointment. Under such
a provision desirable officers could be reap
pointed, while unworthy or inefficient ones
would be dropped at the expiration of their
terms without special disgrace to themselves or
difficulty to their superiors; and. at frequent
intervals, certain amount OF fresh material
would be taken into the force. If you should
deem this suggestion worthy to be acted upon,
the proper steps can be readily taken TO amend
the law at the next session of the legislature.
BOARD OF ovERsEERs.
1t would be neglectful to pass over without
mention so important a branch OF our city
government as that which administers to the
necessities of the poor. The board of over
seers is so well organized, and runs with so
little friction, that its existence is hardly real
lied, and vet the work which it accomplishes
is large in amount. full of difficulty, and,
much of it, unpleasant in character. The
funds appropriated for its use are carefully ex-
| pended. and. under the direction Of It's thor
| ouehly informed and indefatigable secretary,
| much money is saved the city which would
otherwise be improperly diverted.
All accounts agree that the aims house is
~ 1917 for Nv the nresent keeper. and the