The Portland daily press., 1891-03-24

Bonded debt. 93,5O0.00
School bills estimated. ................ 10000
Roads and Dridges... 0UO.OO
Pay OF town onicers. = :.;;.........'. i,u00.oo
Bills unpaid on new schoolhouse...... 1,S7O.6b
Making total lof..................sl14,57o65 Off,.
AvAILABILITIEs.
We find on pages So and Sc as follows;
Balance In treasury Feb. IA, 1s9l....si 4,232.1l
Due from collectors. ors.....-............. 36,656.97
Other Items amounting to............ S,32O.29
Making total sum Of ............s 49,2o9.s7
Leaving balance against the town oL 1850, ,361.2S
With town property 10 the value off,. 92,96o.S6
Made up with town farm. crusher and engine
fire department., school property. etc.
invite your attention particularly to the
reported availabilities to the end that IL any
item is included therein. which Is not justly
forced. It should not te further counted on
as an availability.
SCHOOLS.
1t Is thought, perhaps, by our citizens gem
orally that our schools have already reached
quite high standard Of excellence, and yet
| think there Is still room roc for great improve
for schools be liberal, all that their advance
ment can require. There seems to be an i'm
preston that 1t will not be necessary to add
TO their length to make them more efficient.
IL IL should be thought otherwise by the
adequate to meet the demand, whatever the
amount of money required for that purpose
when judiciously expended, beyond that Will
be a a'waste. After doing all the good the
schools can demand Of you, If there are
scholars who will not avail themselves Of
the privileges Of an education L trust their
attendance, so far as permitted under the
law. will be made compulsory.
SEWERS.
The sewerage Of our city, with due regard
to the health Of our citizens, cannot be neg
| lected. 1t Is subject of regret that for the
want Of a good system Of Sewerage In the
past so much monty has been expended
| where so little benefit was received for the
| outlay, with an appropriation which would
| not be felt to be burden to the city, acting
under section Is Of our charter In assessing d
reasonable amount on the owners of the
abutting lots. good sewerage can be main
| tained without excessive taxation for the
purpose.
POOR DEPARTMENT.
doubt not II consulted. every tax payer
in the city would say, have care Oh our
| poor. and would willingly pay all taxes as
sessed for the purpose Of making them as
i comfortable as they can be made. IneIe Is
a feeling of humiliation with those VINO aie
i so unfortunate as TO require assistance,
wish that feeling could be forever s. ,Sat Il
was their due. rather than matter Oh SnaIaa III
| ty, That you may better understanq tne e
needs and wants OF this department. 1 viii
refer Won 10 the reports Of the selectmen CIV
ins the nnmber of inmates at the almshouSe
and such other information as may oe re-
quired. ,,,r,,rNr
Everv taxpayer and every other person
roajdent in the city is interested In the pro-
tection of property from fire. Last year the
Town authorized the erection and equip
ment OF two hose houses; under the provis-
ion then made the city has two efficient hose
companies, one at Cumberland Mills and one
at Saccarappa. trust the council will give
the subject OF protection from FIRE their at.
tentIon, to ascertain whether 1t would not pe
wise to establish by ordinance a FIRE depart
ment, with such officers as Is provided fol
under the charter. With this suggestion,
i ON