The Portland daily press., 1895-03-12

which required immediate attention
water was finding its way through the
walls and threatening serious damage to
the building 1t was therefore neees-
sary to remove the old cement and to
carefully fill the spaces with new. The
roof, which had for years received only
temporary repairs, had become unsafe,
and renewal Of many of it's parts was 4
necessity. Additions of oa:ces to the
Mcclellan and Butler school buildings
have been made, and the drainage in
the latter building improved. The en-
CINE houses have also received considera-
BILE improvements, and should require
but small outlay of money for necessary
repairs during the present year.
UNIMPROVED AND UNUSED
PROPERTY.
What have formerly said respecting
the unimproved and unused property Of
the city should be repeated. All such
property should be sold and thereby
gotten upon the tax list. The city was
fortunate in disposing some months ago
of the Adams House on ETemple street,
which came into its possession through a
breach of mortgage. 1t still holds the
market house property, which should be
sold or leased on Ii LIBERAL terms whenever
responsible persons can be found to i'm
prove it. The new streets opened on the
Poor Farm have been the means of at
tracing builders to that locality, and
we now have there thriving settle
ment, where two years ago was but a
bare waste. By the opening of these
%lnr ~,
$50, 900 has been added to the tax list,
and with the opening of streets now con-
templated this amount will be largely
increased before the close Of the year.
CEMETERIES AND PUBLIC PARKS.
1t seems to be generally admitted that
no city with any claim to enterprise il
worthy of existence which does not pro-
vide it's inha bitants with generous mark
privileges. Someone has well said that
A man may as veil do without lungs, as
city without parks; nor are parks
now built for the rich alone as in by
gone times, but for the poor, who are
confined large portion Of their lives
within narrow limits, and to whom an
opportunity, however brief, to breathe
pure air and to enjoy the beauty of green
lawns and UNI outrageous walks is a boon
D6yOHQ Gue EGdlIZSblU VI tRGN rich. Our
city is unsurpassed Tor beauty of situa-
ton, and our aim should be to make it
as attractive as possible. By doing 80
we shall increase our wealth and divide
the burden of taxation. This is a nrac-
tical way of solving the tax problem.
Much may be done toward lowering the
rate of taxation by economy, but more
by increasing taxable property. A spen-
did opportunity to extend our park sys-
tenn lies within easy reach We have at
each end of the city our two proplenades
affording some of the most beaut1ful ont
looks to be- found in the world. Between
these outposts rise the Breezy domes of
behring's woods" which, with no great
outlay of money can be connected with
these promenades by drives bordered
with trees and shrub berry, like the arboT
ways about Rosotn. To the north OF
behring's woods lies the Back Bay now
Shiny ard i'll odored waste. NOT only
offensive i9nqstril and eye, but menace
to the htIGh of the city. What can he
done wit AIS sink of corruption. which
if left IT, usef, will grow worse and
worse rs ;inie goes on? We NAV sec
when we look upon what Boston has
done IN transforming similar vile nlaces
into beauty spots, conducive alike to the