The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-03-10


been Kept IN good repair at as small an
expense as in any previous year.
The recent heavy rains and conseouent
flood upon our rivers have entailad
matter OF quite heavy expense upon the
city by the destruction of one Iron bridge
upon Cumberland street and the injury
of the bridges upon Saco and Spring
streets. Numerous wRshouts in the streets
have also been reported from various sec
lions. This unusual condition of things
will call for an increased approximation
In the street department.. This increase
need not necessarily be large and can be
met by direct taxation without burden
ing the tax payers by an advance In the
tax rate.
That section Of Main street east of the
Maine Central railroad and extending to
and beyond the P. & r. railorad at the
East end with portion OF Warren ave-
nue. should be ma0adamized this year.
Brown street should also be graded as the
material for the purpose will be easily
obtainable when the Maine Central Rail
road Co. begins It's work of excayatlng
for the street bridge,
The large number of feet of brick and
concrete sidewalks that were constructed
during the past year will probably make
the demand less for such walks the com
ing year. No special appropriation for
crushed stone will be needed this year. as
the stone crushing plaut should be con-
sidered one of the permanent features In
our street building work. and the ap-
preparation for roads and bridges should
be- sufficient to cover the necessary ex-
pense of crushed stone.
SEWERS.
1t will not be necessary to make large
appropriation for the construction of
drains and sewers this year, as the
money, some $1,000 now due from for1ner
sewer assessments can be used for this
purpose.
= The first work to be considered in this
department is the completion of the sewer
begun last year ON Saoo street, and the
building of one on Main street west from
the Warren school house to the brick
sewer, with branch sewer on Day street
to take the sewerage that now flows into
the open brook in that vicinity
In the construction of sewers in any
portion of the city the needs of the To-
cality should be the only thing con-
sdeTed. / would recommend to your
committee on drains and sewers O care
full study of the recent comprehensive
and valuable report of acting city civil
engineer Foster.
FIRE DEPARTMENT.
The efficiency of our fire department. is
acknowledged by all our citizens That
it should not be permitted to deteriorate
in any way is evident to everyone. The
cost of it's support has been willingly and
cheerfully borne by every tax payer in
the city. There is however limit to the
amount that should be expended upon it
each year, and beyond this we should not
go. Our city with population of some
1000 people and a taxable valuation of
about 8 2 million dollars cannot afford
to support such a fire department as
cities OF three times it's population and
wealth.
The chief engineer recon- mends the
purchase of 500 feet Of new hose and the
introduction of fire alarm system
These matters should have your most
careful attention when the subject of tho
appropriation for this department comes
before you for consideration.
THE SCHOOLS.
Perhaps it is unnecessary for me to
make any extended reference to our
within the province of another body of
men. 1t is for you however to SET that
an adequate sum Of money is appropriat-
ed for school purposes.
Our city has always pursued very
generous policy with its schools. If it
ever has erred in regard to them it is GER
talnly upon the side Of generosity.
Our commodious and we'll equipped
school buildings would be credit to any
city of twice the size of Westbruok. Our
| citizens realize that our efficient corps of
teachers and officers have brought our
n I, ff icrh Stu md ND Of
ence.
Our school system has been much i'm
proved by the employment of teachers in
special branches of study. This is an
unusual privilege for the young people
in city as small as Westbrook. 1t is
also an evidence of the liberality of the
city in direction which certainly re-
bounds to it's credit. No one item of the
city expense is larger than the school APP
preparations. last year the amount was
about one sixth the entire sum raised by
taxation. This with the money received
from the state for school purposes, gave
US as the total expense for our educational
system something more than $50, coo.
The Experimenting School Committee
will probably give you an estimate of the
sum required for the support of schools
for the coming year. The high.charaouer
of the men in charge of our schools is
sufficient guarantee for the judicious
expenditure OI any amount GnaG you may
see fit to appropriate.
The question as to who shall have
charge of the repairs upon our school
buildings should be satisfactorily settled
this year. This work has been assumed
by the school committee for few years
past, but some people have thought that
the couuoil committee on public grounds
and buildings should have it in charge.
The repairs on the school houses last
year were largely in excess Of tho esti-
mates and consequently these buildings
must be now IT an excellent condition
Hence small appropriation for repairs
will be sufficient.
MEMORIAL LIBRARY.
The Memorial Library has already be-
come powerful auxiliary to our public
schools. The value of the work it is
doing among our young people is meal
oulable. 1t deserves and undoubtedly re-
oeives the favor of ali the citizens of
Westbrook. Everyone. recognizes he fact
that the money appropriated for It's sup
port clearly carries with it as great an
influence for good as any of the city ap-