The Press. (Stafford Springs, Conn.) 1883-1935, 1898-12-22
THE BOROUGH IS YEARS OLD.

THE BOROUGH IS YEARS OLD.
The report of the warden and burgesses,
presented to the people last week, calls
attention to the fact that the borough has
passed its first quarter century of exist
ence, and entered upon its progress to-
ward the half century mark. The report
reviews the conditions existing in the
borough 25 years ago, and, while little
sharp set, is too near graphic picturing
of the place as it once was to be called
in question. We quote from the report
in part:
Twenty five years ago Main street,
the business street and trade center of the
town, had but one short piece of sidewalk
strip in front OF the Brown block Di-
rectly opposite the old passenger depot of
the railroad was large pool of green and
Shiny liquid oozing out from beneath the
old barn located on the street. Pedestri-
ans wended their way as best they could
through the mud, debris and line of teams
hitched to sides of stores, piazza posts
and barn doors. Storm water ran where
it willed and came pouring down the side
finding exit to the river as it could. Such
thing as a public sewer or drain was un-
thought of by the average resident. When
the stores were lighted one might succeed
in getting along fairly we'll, and fortunate
If without misphap, but when the store
lights went out lantern was indispen-
sable. What was true of Main street was
in large measure true of all the other
streets in the Springs village
Any kind of fire-trap could be built
in the heart of the business center and no
one could prevent however great the peril
to adjoining property, and had fire start
ed the facilities for extinguishing it were
crude and umbersome.
1t is not necessary to refer to the hills
and valleys in the highway nor the rapid
changes in grade one had to contend with,
whether with a team or on foot. A few
private residences had walks in front, but
one ran much risk in approaching or
leaving such walks, especially unless their
mind was directed towards their foot
steps. Street lines were matters of tradi-
tions and spirit of greed to get near the
wheel rut with building seemed to possess
many citizens: we regret to say that our
experience tells US that same Esprit" has
not all departed from our midst.
Contrast the foregoing with the present
conditions; the graded streets, spacious
walks, paved cutters, numerous cross
walks, public sewers, superior system of
water works, excellent fire departmeI5
building restrictions in fire district, es-
tablished street lines, macadamized road
beds, incidentally. through the influence
of the borough's progress, superior
schools, school buildings and grounds, a
fine library building and growing library
1t is believed by many, familiar with
Lu utrous manufacturing villages through
out New England, that there are few
places of the size of this borough so well
ordered, well kept and progressive In
public improvements. 1t has cost mind,
muscle and money all progress costs,
and ever will, and it is the universal YER
dict that it pays. 1t is hoped and believed
by those having the best interests of the
place at heart, that the next quarter
century will show, proportionally, as
grt at advancement as has the one just
past.
The work performed during the past
year on the streets of the borough has
been of more scattered character than
for some years. Work on the Westford
avenue improvements was brought to a
speedy close by freezing weather the fall
800 to leave in safe condition. Your
board not deeming it advisable or necessa-
ry, at present, to open the street further
along the lines adopted by the people,
simply terminated the improvement as
indicated. The action of the town meet
Ing in the matter of extending the maca-
dam road along East Main street, made it
necessary for your board 10 arrange for a
proper approach to said East Main street
For a distance of eight rods or more the
public had rights to road bed only about
one rod wide, the regular highway term
mating its full width near the barns of
Messrs. Heald and Smith. A roadway
forty feet in width was secured by agree
ment with the abutting owners and with
out the outlay of money other than cost
of curb and partial grading of borders cut
the whole being much less than the actual
value of the land taken. The town ap-
propriated $ 500, towards the expense of
grading and macadamizng this road, the
total cost of the work performed, in
Guiding the expense for land acquired,
was VI ,9O1 26 or $401. .36 more than the
town appropriated. A part of the extra
expense should be credited with the
grading of about 200 feet of East Main
street with the surplus material removed
from East street.
At public meeting it was voted to
locate and grade West Main street Owing
to the extra work on East Main street
the work on West Main street has not
been completed, s ,019 SO has been ex-
pended on this street and it will require
about $500 more to complete the grading
and pave the cutters to the west end of
Prospect street.
The regular repairs on the highways
have used about 81, IT'S of the sum ap-
portioned from the town, leaving about
1925 OF the road funds proper with which
to meet the repairs needed from now un-
til the apportiOnment in May 1899
The severe storm of Nov. 26th and 9Th
entalled an expense of over 800. for open
ing the streets.
Upon the petition of residents on Crown
street and Westf, I'd avenue sewers we're
laid at cost of 81 800. SO. ninety per
cent. OF the cost will be paid by the ahut-
ters and 81, 1887 will be paid into the
borough treasury from that source, re-
ducing the apparent deficit of the year by
that amount. During the year 500 feet
OF hose have been added to the fire depart
ment supplies at a cost of $248 81 and
the department has been maintained in
efficient condition
1t Is not vain repetition to state that
1.-The material with which to maintain the
dirt roads is getting scarce, and becoming
each year more costly to obtain and
transport" The last of the material from
the school house lot has been removed
and we can no longer count on that source.
With the exception of one or two possible
cuts in the highway which will yield a
quantity of mate rial there is positively
nothing to be obtained without direct
purchase of the same In view of this