Waterbury evening Democrat., 1889-01-08
POLICE.

It is safe to say the police department Of service ranks among the foremost of New England cities. Nothing more can be added in it's praise if we count the comparison to the departments in New Haven, Hartford Bridgeport, Springfield and similar cities Its efficiency is best illustrated by the record During the past year the substantial i'm munity from crimes. and felonies of an aggravated nature may be attributed to the vigilance of the force.
 an satisfied the system of constituting the tenure of office during good behavior has proved beneficial. Tho force has ac- quired the benefit of experience in police duty-has become familiar with the ordin- ances, rules and regulations governing the department. Better discipline prevails. The officers and men are better equipped, and their usefulness is not jeopardized by the possibility that without cause their official life may be ended It the close of every year or two years service.
 There has been due regard for economy in this department. l. is gratifying to be able to say that in this respect it is the most carefully managed department in the city. X new police station in the central portion of ths city has been provided for by sufficient appropriation at your hands. recommend that sub-station be located at Brookly lyn district and that city police wagon be provided for the department as among it's first requirements.
 HEALTH.
 Our health department organized, under statutory provisions and most complete code of ordinance, Is new departure as one of the arms of our municipal govern ment. 1 think the experiment has proved wise one. It appears to have been satis- factory and met with public appreciation. The city is more cleanly and citizens now regard this department necessity. At least the records exhibit the sanitary con dition much better than formerly. The health board and the officers attached thereto have insisted on rigid execution of the ordinances.
 If the department of fire deserved criti- cism it should not be withheld. The stau- dard of excellence of this department in the past has been fully maintained during the past year. The common council and board of commissioners have been dispos- ed a: all times to advance the department in modern fire apparatus and service as rapidly as the public demand and their judg- ment would justify.
 The report of the chief engineer now be- fore you of 1888 furnishes not only de- tailed statement of the department, but re- cords the gratifying fact that the loss by ille uulihS tAe Hseat year uas peeu lcSS than $500 and that this amount was fully covered by insurances. The record of the three previous years is almost as good. Provision for a new hook and ladder truck suitable for use with horses, and modern in its construetion, has been made. I recom- mend that the next purchase of . new ap- paratus be a horse hose wagon similar to the one now in use. This is claimed by of ficers and experts to be of very efficient service in the department.
 1 recommend that branch of this de- partment be located in the nertherly DOT tion of the city.
 In regard to our public highways it must be evident to every thinking man that ev- cry dollar laid out on these streets in the future should be laid out in permanent form if possible. Let us make every cross walk, about the center at least, a perma- nent, solid piece of work, wide, and deep laid. Let us pave our streets with these Belgian stone blocks as fast as we can af- ford to; when We reach the hillsides it will be we'll to consider whether cobble stones will not prove better investment. The question as to whom we can assess the cost of these permanent improvements will re. solve itself into very simple one after 8 little experience. It comes a little difficult at first, as all new experiments grate lit tie harshly at the outset. But this matter will resolve itself into very simple affair at no distant period of time.
 To speak more in detail, the work on our streets for the past year has been one of la Dor lost. speak of it in this way because, aside from the pavement which has been laid, very little that was done can be placed in the list of permanent improvements There has been continual struggle to keep a decent surface for wheels, and fair cross ing for pedestrians on the long line of streets made of gravel and dirt. No sooner has one street been top-dressed and left in shape to use with comfort than the wash of rain, laying of water, gas and sewer pipes has destroyed the surface and the work has all been to do over. In some of the in stances where the street has been torn up. immediately after repairs, no one perhaps could have fore.een that such would be the case, but many times this doing over of work could have been avoided if there had been some understanding between the different departments of the city or companies using the streets as to what their plans and intentions were for work in particular localities. And again, this confusion and loss of labor might have been prevented if there had been some one department which had the several lines of work under it's control and
 
 time and order. A good step in the direc- tion of paved streets was made by the law ing of some $500 square yards of granite pavement. This, with the amount laid on Bank street in 1886, gives us in all about l3,O0O square yards of pavement. Not much to be sure. but just as much less to be laid in the next few years. It must be apparent to every one that the policy of the city for the year to come is to put as much labor as possible into the perma nent improvement of our streets by paving them, and as little as possible to unsatis- factory scrapings and sprinklings of gravel That old chronic atyle of street repairing, which has cost the city in the past twenty years nearly $4OO, ,OOO, is obsolete.
 SEWERS.
 The very much needed interceptiny sew CT for the removal of sewerage from Mad river has been completed during the past year, and several other sewers have been built, for the year about 9,35O feet. Aside from the ordinary run of lateral sewers there will probably be nothing of special importance in the line of sewers for the coming year. The present outlet of the Benedict street sewer should be extended to point about 100 feet below Burnham street bridge as recommended by the engi- neer. in order to have the sewerage dis charge into deep water. And the Bank | AI~A