The Portland daily press., 1895-03-12


practicable, carry out, such minor i'm
provements as may appear to them de-
sirable. Owing to the careless way in
which the work was performed the SER
vices of city forester were dispensed
with last year, and with the amount of
money which he rec eived, I bekeve that
much more and better work can he done
by the commissioners, or by committee
of the city government.
ARMOR1ES.
I also wish to cell your attention to
the condition of our armories. At pres
emit they are located ia the upper stories
Of out of the way buildings, and cost the
city for rental over two thousand dollars.
The rooms occupied are wholly made
quate to the requirements of the four com
panies, for which the city is obliged to
surnish quarters. AS stated last year
plans for an inexpensive building have
, stsssn made, and there is no good reason
way scch building, to cost not exceed
na s,:.Assao, shoul. not be erected. At the
rate -rsta by s!i sstslFaoE its last perma-
nent iasn. tbs <,ss7sst on tLis sum
would be anop> ssS,z, Resides, as have
already saio, AAs - .eion Of suitable
quarters in a pss-.,--s .,s.>-s place, where the
men would alWaf-- sae Under the public
eye, would be ts$ tveans OF improving
the morale of the .orce. Much criticism
has been made of the manner in which
our public buildings are managed, and
the work npon them done. Janitors of
the school buildings are not always Sc
lected for fitness, and work done upon
the various city buildings is not looked
after with that care which private own
ers exercise in like instances. What
belisve we need is a superintendent of
public buildings, whose uuty it shall be
their duties, and to exercise constant
oversight of the repairs made on all
buildings owned by the city. Such
an officer should keep daily record of
all jobs being done, with the names and
number of men employees and cost of
the same. He should attend all meetings
of the committee on public buildings,
and make special reports of what is going
on. We already have a superintendent OF
school buildings, whose duties can be
enlarged to EN- brace those which I have
suggested, with great advantage to the
public in terest. [ also have suggestion
to make with respect to school janitors.
AS I have remarked, they are not al
ways selected because of fitness, since
serious damage sometimes occurs to
heating apparatus; the safety of build
and in some cases the morals of the
pupils in the schools impaired. Common
sense would seem to dictate that appli-
cants for such responsible positins. should
pass some slight examination before be-
Ing intrusted with the responsibility of
taking charge of buildings heated by
steam and filled with children. Creden-
tials Of good character. of knowledge of
boilers, and general efficiency should be
required. Could not the duties OF the
Board which examines applicants for the
police force be enlarged so as to include
applicants for this services l recommend
that this be doue.
Application has been made to the city
and will soon be renewed, to place the
electric wires now SUI ported by trouble
some and unsight,y poles under TIE
ground. There can I've no doubt that
such o contamination is devoutly to he
desired, but before it is done careful it,
vettigatinn should be made of methods
adopted in other cities, and the opinions
of experts obtained. Our streets are al
ready at the mercy Of enterprising cor
porations, who cannot he exnected to
assume the duty of caring for their Inter
ests, considering their own to he para-
mount, and if they are to be continually