The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1900-03-22

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| per cent bonds due in 1S99......... $500 90
19o51 ........... ...'.... 10000 90
per cent bonds due in 191S........ AT, 900 90
Outstanding oroers.... 105 S5
Roll of accounts No 10, allowed tlis
| day, and teachers pay roll.......... 4435 15
s595 ,o41 90
aSn Dne ON irsas0ef aees. of 1893 taxes, C H
Sargent. Coll. ...... ............ 1880 Sc
Due on Sewer assessments of 1899
and previous years........... ..... 997 81
500 shares b. & NJ. l.. r. r. stock,
par value. Sinking fund.-. .......... SOC, 900 90
Sheriff's deeds for taxes ......... -. 1,O2O %
Crosby Inn lot.......... ...... 5000 90
s531 1928 90
Balance of ascertained liabilities. 63,412 O8
In addition to cash in treasury as above
stated, S12,719 81, we bought few weeks
ago, five hundred dollar bond, issue of
1868, and now hold it for exchange, for which
we paid five hundred dollars which sum,
| added to cash in treasury, makes total cash
assets, March 5, 1900 of 1929 81, which
showing must be a qualification to our citi-
Zens.
You have guarded we'll the expenditures,
and no appropriation has been overdrawn.
AS many of your number were members
of the City Council the past year. l trust
that few comparisons will not be objection
able, as they are made simply to show the
result of your faithful labors. Each de-
partment has been literally provided for,
and the rate of taxation is only IL mills.
Ascertained liabilities in 1898 were. S92,24O 90
Ditto March 8, 1900 ....-.....- 63,4l2 oS
Bonded Indebtedness in 1898 was .S6l 700 90
Ditto March o. 800. ............ $50, 1000 90
reduction of S21 POO 90
All of which is refunded at four per cent.
interest.
THE POOR.
The present contract for taking care of
the poor will expire on May TO- 1900, and it
will be necessary to provide for them in tGe
future. While this should be done at a
reasonable price, your first consideration
should be ior the kind usage and comfort of
these unfortunateS.
These should always be kept in good re-
pair; but the amount of money that can be
expended upon them ia almost unlimited.
They are nrver quite right, but, to me, it
seems to be the duty of every citizen to be
satisfied with such an outlay of money as is
conformable with our financial ability.
One great need OF our roads is a larger
amount of permanent wearing material,
broken stone or gravel, instead of coating
of light loan, which blows and washes
| away with every wind and storm. l would
renew my request Of last year for this inn
provement. Let US make an earnest effort
the coming year in this direction. Have a
| liberal appropriation; begin early in the
season, while the roads are in soft condi-
ton, and baild some highways that will be a
| credit to the city.
Would advise the rebuilding of the concrete
walk and the repaving of the gutter on the
South side of Main ST. from High St. to the
Read store.
NEW BRIDGE
One of the greatest menaces to our welfare
is the bridge across our harbor, and l con-
slider it useless to eXpend any more money
upon the old structure. 1t should not be
trusted another year. Should an accident
occur from any defect in it, we might be
blamed for gross neglect. If you decide to
| few suggestions for your consideration. If
| you accept the present location, I'LL in on
east side with a rip-rap foundation, three
hundred feet, or as much as is practicable.
| After you have determined upon the sort of
structure, whether of wood or of more last
ing material, it should be several feet higher
and have permanent roadway paved with
| brick or upright cedar block paving, which
| is very largely used in our " estern cities !;
| at any rate, with some durable material,
thus saving hundreds of dollars every two or
three years, in recovering with wood. 1t
egraph, telephone and electric wires from
| the structure, as such heavy top hamper
| subject it to severe strain in high wind and
| storms.
| Another improvement would be to change
| the direction of the road at the eastern ter
| minus, swinging to the south and entering
| the SearspOrt road on an easier grade, thus
avoiding the steep hill now in use.
| Have specifications drawn early in the
season by some competent engineer, adver.
tise for proposals, make your appropriation
| in May, commence the work at once, remem-
| bering, in this contract, as in all others, the
employment of our own citizens in prefer
/ ence to strangers. The bridge should be
| constructed under the supervision OF COM
! mittee specially appointed for that purpose,
| who would attend to all details connected
with it.
You are aware of the fact that with your
present Indebtedness, the laws of the State
will not permit you to incur any liability,
unless it is discharged during the year in
which it is made. In payment for the
| bridge, you can bear in mind the amount of
i cash in the treasury at the close of the year,
and can safely carry to the bridge account
| five of six thousand dollars of this accumu-
lation, which fact will prove great help in
| lowering your tax rate.
| SEWERS
In case you decide to build new bridge,
the outlay would necessarily be large, and
to make rates easier for the tax payers, l
would recommend that no appropriation
for sewers be made this year.
If, however, you conclude not to build a
bridge, the work on sewers should, of course,
| be continued as usual.
SCHOOLS.
1t has been source of great pleasure to
me to feel the pleasant relations that have
existed this past year between yourselves
and the school committee. You have been
in touch with them, and have cordially
assisted them whenever called upon in theiI
noble work.
You will notice by the superintendent g
report that a better showing even than
usual has been made, and that the high
rank Of our schools has been fully up to the
former standard of excellence.
| AUDITOR.
/ think all who have served in the city
council this year will acknowledge that the
flee of auditor has proved to be of great