The Portland daily press., 1899-06-03
W. c. I. U.
Miss souis's interesting Talk ON our
Streets and sewers.

80 80 = AA%@ - " 49,
The series OF civic talks which have
been held at the rooms Of the W. O. I.
u, on Free street. closed Friday after
noon ~ an interesting paper prepared
by Miss Julia Webster Soule, on "our
Streets and Sewers"
She said we seldom thiuk Of our streets
unless we stumble or of our sewsrs save
when 1--WE have strong suggestions from
Back Bay, and yet we must acknowledge
that streets are very useful and sewers
q necessity. We now number 400 streets,
making LOG miles and when one has
travelled over all II is equal to journe.
to Boston. Congress. our longest street,
Is three miles long, and probably Quin-
| cy Is our shortest street. The streets
generally run at right angles and few
others are at obtuss angles. but there
are few people obtuse enough to lose
their way. Eight streets have granite
foundations, eight are macadamized
while many others are dirt.
Our streets are lined, not ornamsnted
with electric poles. We love light rather
than darkness and If our city fathers had
the wisdom of city mothers they would
have invented some way of carrying the
electricity under ground, thus avoiding
unsightly poles and the resulting injury
to our trees. The speaker thought the
time would come when the poles must
come down and beauty be once more re-
stored.
She gave some interesting information
touching the names of our streets. Origi-
nally there were three main streets, Back,
Middle and Front What is now Congress
street was at first named Queen, the
name being changed soon after the Revo-
lutionary war. Fore street was laid out
| In 1724.
I What was Fish street.in now Exchange;
Fiddle street has become Federal, Low
er's Lane Is now Centre street, and
Moose alley and Turkey lane have become
dignified with the name Of Newbury.
She thought all our streets are well
cared for, the yearly expense with the
sewers averaging $4,000. On Free street
alone in 1928, &, $50. % were expended,
ana the benefits reach both those who
A kkOShn WEI tAA0 bnACS d10 bttOs0 VIM
groan because thsy have not property
enough to be taxed; $50, 900 are expended
in lighting our streets.
| Thu speaker next invited attention to
what is beneath the streets and referred
to the Gas company which runs 81 miles
of gas pipes; to the water company which
sends through their different pipes 10000.
600 gallons of pure water daily in dis
tanoe measuring 40 miles or with Deer
ing, 81 miles of water pipes. Besides this
at recent fire 1t was learned that there
were gasoline tanks beneath our feet and
1t seems that the call, christian walk
carefully" must be sung louder than
ever If we avoid the pitfalls Of great
city.
There are 81 miles of sewers in brick,
stone, vitrified and cement. There is now
la plan of constructing an intersection
sewer which will do away with COM
plants Of Back Bay forever. the expense
of which is estimated AZ about Sl36, 600.
| Forty three new catch basins were built
last year at an expense of So. 526.23. In
1897, $50 basins were cleaned at an ex-
pense of So, 441. 40, and 2,9s7 cubic yards Of
material removed, twice as much as was
removed in 1898.
| The speaker felicitously closed her
address by remarking that she feared af-
ter what she had said on the subject that
her brain and the patience Of her hearers
ware pretty well drained.
A short discussion followed in which
the beauties of the city were dweIt upon.
after which the nesting adjourned.