The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1890-03-11

Measures should be taken to nut in more
MIGRANTS along the water front, particularly on
the farther side of Commercial street, as with
the continued heavy pressure of water there
much effective work can be done with the
hydrant service.
The efficiency of our fire department has
been abundantly demonstrated by the able
manner in which it has handled the recent
hres, and our people can feel confident that
the matter of protecting their property from
the dangers of fire rests in the hands of men
perfectly competent and willing to do all in
their power in the discharge of their duty,
with the means at their disposal. There are
powers OF the elements beyond the control of
man.
FIRE ALARM TELEGRAPH.
Our fire alarm system was introduced in
1866, and though not equal to the more mod
ern non interfering sy stems now to be OBJ
tained yet 1t is working as well as it ever has.
10 improve our system a contract has been
made for nom interfering outfit for the CEN
tral office, to be put in as soon as it can be
prepared at the mandatory, and this will
largely obviate the confusion in the striking of
the alarms when more than one box is pulled
at the same time.
New and improved boxes should replace the
old ones as fast as the means availa BILE for this
purpose will admit.
POLICE DEPARTMENT..
The increase in the population of our city
and the surrounding villages, and the large
number OF excursions entering here during
the summer, have greatly increased the work
| IN this department.
The marshal in his report asks for an in
crease in his force to enable him the more
| efficiently and satisfactorily to discharge the
multitudinous duties of that office. 1t is for
| you to decide whether this demand shall be
granted or not after you have given the matter
careful consideration.
SCHOOLS
| During the past year an additional story has
been added to the Peaks island school house,
and complete system of steam heating put
into that building.
| The North school building has also received
thorough system of ventilation and steam
| heating, and system of steam heating put
into the Park street school house.
The roofs of Centre and Casco street school
buildings have been reslated, and repairs made
on most of the other school houses. Four
rooms have been refurnished in the North, one
in Park street, one in the Butler grammar and
two in the Vaughan street schools. One new
room has been finished and furnished in the
Cumberland street grammar school.
Flag stats have been placed before or on all
the school buildings except those on Long and
| Crotch islands.
In addition to the necessary appropriation of
some $4,000 for the providing of free text
books this year, there will come request to
build two new school houses on Long island,
at an expense of some $500 each, to provide a
sanitary for the North school, and also for a
new school building to accommodate the Cum
berland street grammar school, which is now
uncomfortably crowded into the upper story
| of the High school building
While all these calls deserve your careful
attention, the latter is especially important,
both on account of the condition Of the gram
mar school, and also for opening the way for
the Encouragement of the High school building
in order to make it what it should be but is
not nova building suitable for the accom-
mediation of the High school of Portland.
For the location of the new Grammar school
building the Hay Scales lot on Green strest
appears very desirable, and should this site be
selected, the hay scales can be removed to the
lot near the foot of Hanover street.
PUBLIC LIBRARY.
The Public Library will need your aid to
enable it to continue its educational and help
full work. The experience of the first year of
its being opened as free public library has
demonstrated its great value to our citizens,
and no one can witness the constantly in
creasing use of its privileges, without being
satisfied that the money appropriated in its
behalf is judiciously and wisely used.
1t must always depend upon the fostering
care OF the city for its ordinary expenses of
maintenance, and commend it as an institu-
ton to be literally helped by the appropriation
necessary for that object.
The Library must largely depend for growth
upon the personal gifts of our citizens but its
ordinary expenses should be borne by the
city, open as it is freely to the use of all resi-
dents of suitable age.
PUBLIC BUILDINGS.
Much attention has been given to improve
ments and repairs on public buildings the past
year. The central fire station building has
been finished, giving two rooms for drivers as
well as pleasant and commodious quarters for
the board of engineers. The building has also
been reslated and reprinted.
No. Two and No. Four's houses have re-
ceived quite extensive repairs, and more or less
repairs have also been made on all the engine
houses. Considerable amounts have been ex-
pended in Improvements on the city building
both on the city and county wings. !,
Such appropriations should be made as will
be necessary to keep the public and city build
ings in proper condition and good repair.
renew the recommendation made one year
ago. for the fitting up of the rooms formerly
the city treasurer. The present quarters are
too small and inadequate for the business of
that Office.
As soon as these rooms can be vacated by
the treasury department they can be used to
advantage for committees of the city council,
and the vault in this room is needed for storing
the valuable papers and books of record Of
the city clerks Office, which is already I'M
comfortably crowded, and the valuable re-
cords unprotected from fire where they
now are.
Your attention is called to the property
owned by the city on School street. formerly
used for school purposes but left vacant and
unused since the completion of the Mcclellan
school house. The building is going rapidly
to decay and there appears to be no advan-
tageous use the city can make of this property
at present or in the future, and 1 recommend |
that it be sold if fair price can be obtained |
for it.
PUBLIC GROUNDS. |
The work of improving the public grounds |
of the city has been carried forward with |
skill the past year, and good taste and judy |
ment displayed by the commissioners in the |
expenditure OF the money appropriated for their |
use. The improvements on the Eastern Prom |
enade are particularly admired, and the sub |
stantial work in the Oaks and the identifying |
L
approved by all our citizens.
You will be called upon for larger appro-
priation this year, that more work may be /
done and several needed improvements made,
to which response will be cheerfully made as |
far as the condition of our finances will permit. |
In this connection desire to call your at
tention to the Importance of providing a play
ground for the boys of our city, where |
they may indulge in athletic sports and games
so conducive to physical development and |
good health, and I suggest that the commits
sioners on public grounds be requested to pre-
pare and assign for such use that portion of
the Oaks included in the angle of Portland
and Grove streets.
OLD FORT ALLEN LOT.
petition deserving attention has been re-
ferred by your predecessors for attention from
you at an early date, asking you to secure the
old Fort Allen site on the Eastern Promenade,
as an outlook to the harbor. 1t is to be hoped i
. hak. Al - l. - II