Waterbury evening Democrat., 1894-06-21
STREETS AND SEWERS.
Residents of Washington Avenue Bloc
Public Improvements by Placing


Mayor Kilduff presided at the meeting
of the board of road and sewer commits
sioners last night.
Property owners on South street were
heard in relation to sewers. The street
has been accepted to distance of All
feet from Washington street and is severed
for distance of 800 feet. Above this
nuisance has existed for the past few
months which has caused no end of disl
turbance in this hitherto peaceful neigh
borhood. Very few of the property owners
favored the construction of sewers at pres
emit.
Mr. Henderson argued in favor of the
sewers if Lucy Shea should be obliged To
discontinue the use of water closets in her
house until the city got ready to run the
sewer as far as her house.
The mayor said she could ask for per-
mission to make n temporary connection
with the sewer which could be done ut q
nominal expense and would remove all the
cause of complaint.
Mr. Henderson argued that public neces-
sity might compel the city to build a sewer
there before the summer is over and he
thought it would be well to do it,
even if it should be necessary to lay
special tax in order to do it.
The mention of a special tax almost
made the mayor grow weak. He said that
he would oppose with all his strength an
attempt to levy special tax for any pur-
pose. The epidemic must be pretty
strong, something in the nature of a
cyclone, he said, before you will see a
special tax. The people are already taxed
high enough. They are satisfied to meet
their regular taxes. but special is some
thing which they do not understand.
It was afterwards shown that connection
could be made with the sewers from the
house where the nuisance, has been COM
planned of for very little expense, and Mr.
Henderson said it was just as well to leave
the matter in the hands of the board of
health.
Engineer Cairns said that after finishing
up what sewer work there is now under
way there may be about $500 left over.
The matter was tabled.
w. 0. Guilford was given permission to
make temporary connection with the sewer
on Bishop street from his house on Eliza
beth street.
The board voted to rescind its former
action in relation to the citing in of prop
erty owners on Charles and Fourth streets
concerning sewers.
The bond of Edward McManus for the
construction of sewers in Simon, Porter,
South Leonard, Summit and Ward streets
was approved.
At the road board meeting hearings were
given to property owners in Williams
street to Laurel street in relation to
sewers. The board voted to recommend
that the work be ordered done.
The matter of sidewalks on Round Hill
street brought considerable discussion.
F. A. Spencer strenuously opposed the
scheme. No action was taken.
Property owners in Canal and Livery
streets were heard in relation to the pro-
posed change of grade and establishing of
building lines. 'N
Hearing on the matter of sidewalks on
Fairview street was continued till July IL.
1t was amusing to watch the actions of
residents of Washington avenue and adj
joining streets as each one told the sup
posed amount of his damages. For max
ing a little change, such as conforming to a
few inches in a proposed change of grade,
some of them asked more than their prop
erty would bring in the real estate market
to-day. John Byron submitted an esti-
mated expense of S490 for building n re-
tanning wall and other expenses, and had
no idea whatever as to what it would cost
him to lower his house and barns. lone
thousand dollars. Mr. Mayor" he said,
would not buy three lovely trees l have
over there. 1t would do you good to sit
under one of them these days Mr. Byron
argued that Washington avenue would
never become a good business thoroughfare
and said that as long as the street has
been opened there are only two stores on
it and these are not rented half the time.
The mayor thought this was all due to
the poor streets and said that after the pro-
posed changes were complied with the
place would be filled with stores.
Other property owners sent in state
ments of damages as follows: Thomas
Shannahan, $780, not including sidewalk;
Mary DAILY, $500; John Dodds, So, 1000;
John Dryer. So. 500; Eli Ray, 81 500,
Mr. Ray would be satisfied to leave the
matter of putting things in shape around
his place in the hands of the city; John
Clohessy, 81 600; Daniel Flah erty. 81 200;
Daniel Sullivan, 50 500, and Daniel Gas.
sidy, 81. 900
S. w. kellogg appeared before the
meeting on behalf of the Holmes, Booth &
Haydens' Co. He said the company would
this point. Mr. kellogg started in to show
the fallacy of talking about changing the
grade of Washington avenue until the site
of the union station had been determined.
Until this has been settled, he said, no
one can tell whether the Naugatuck track
will go over or under the road. Mr. Kel-
logg was somewhat confused when City
Engineer Cairns informed him that the
proposed changes on Washington avenue
could not be effected by the Naugatuck
railroad whether the track went over or
under the road, the points to be operated
upon being several hundred feet removed
from the track. Mr. kellogg thought it
foolish expenditure of money. The place,
\ Ill l..
lance to warrant such an outlay, not dur
ing the lifetime of anyone living to-day or
that of their children.
Hearings were given in relation to a
change of grade on North Main street
from the corner of East Main street to
Abbott avenue. Talk about the residents
of Washington avenue opposing public
improvements, but was not this combatted!
The burden of the arguments was that
the city might make oil the improvements
it pleased provided it paid for them. F.
A. Spencer spoke for the Dime savings
bank and for George Somers of Bridge
port. Samuel Root wanted to know if the
city engineer was making all the changes
to accommodate one man. Mr. Cairns
said he knew nothing about who 1t was to
He had been ordered to
run line along there and he did it. The
matter was tabled.
The matter of opening Jefferson street
to South Elm street was then introduced
and the board listened to some good sound
logic with no small share of oratory. W.
E. Quigley made an eloquent plea for the
opening of the street. He set man to
count how many teams went in there in
one day and he counted 1875 teams that
had occasion to cali in there and then turn |
around and often stand for FIVE or ten
minutes before they could work their way |
through the maze of wagons.
d. ]. Rafferty, owned property there |
since 1864. He wanted to see the street |
put through and while he is the poorest man |
in the street he will be prepared to abide |
by the decision of the board OF compen-
sation.
F. N. Perry spoke of the demand of
people all over the town for the opening /