The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-08-19
BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS
Such an Institution Is Greatly
Needed in the City.
THE VIEWS OF THE MAYOR
He Recommended Such a System Last
Spring. but the Council Took No Ac-
tion-A Vast Amount of Work
That Requires Inspection.

There are some members of the city
council who are beginning to think
they would have done well to have taken
up the suggestion made by the mayor
last spring for the appointment OF a
board of public works. The city surely
needs something of the kin now. 1t
will be remembered hat several months
ago the mayor recommended that such
a board be appointed to superintend the
public work. of which a very large
amount was mapped out for the sum-
mer. The council placed the recommen-
dation on file, but never took any fur
Their action in the matter, and that OF
course was all the mayor could do.
With the vast amount of public work
now going on il is evident that such a
board is needed. The engineers office
yesterday had to call for a new assist
ant, who was put on yesterday, IT being
impossible for the present engineering
force to keep anything like proper track
of all the work going on. But even with
this additional help there is still need of
the board of public works.
II am sorry that the council did not
see fit to go into this matter said the
mayor. There are so man. things to
be watched and a great part of II has 10
go unmatched. The aldermen have their
own business to attend to any cannot
be expected to spend a great deal OF
time in watching public work or Civ
ing proposed improvements the consid-
Grafton they deserve. When an improve
ment Is petitioned for, like street grad
ing or sewer or change of grade or side
walks or an electric street light or an
extension of water mains. the aldermen
ought to be able to go right TO the
ground and look IL over and talk with
the people of the vicinity and in that
way come to an intelligent conclusion
in regard to the proposed improvement
But II is seldom that the aldermen can
spare time to do this. Now If there
were a board of public works all these
matters could be thoroughly locke in
to. The board could determine by per
sonal investigation whether an Improve
ment is desirable. They could give a re
port of their findings to the council
which could act on the report without
spending time themselves to investi'
gate. Their the public work, as i
progressed, could be watched mucf
more closely than it is now Every stage
of the paving could be watched and TN
PAYERS. the CURRIERS' n the GRADER
could be required TO clean up their rub
bish n debris as soon as they finish
patch or work. IN seVeIdl cdses the!
have left big heaps of dirt and ston'
which became a nuisance to business
men and had TO be cleaned up by som
one. The sidewalks could be laid NOR
carefully. | noticed that In many part
Of the city sidewalks which were lai'
on grade a year ago do not correspon'
with sidewalks which are laid on grad
this summer. j do not see why ther
should be a difference, but there is Il
-. ,l,nog nntiap that the stree
car track turning from Main into Gran
tie street is higher h the pavemen
on either side Of it. All these thing
could be watched by the members of
board Of public works and l think tn
results would be OF public benefit"