Daily Kennebec journal., 1900-04-30
WANT CHANGE MADE.
Present Condition OF Commercial Stree! De.
cIared Unhealthy and DisgracefuI.

The unsanitary condition Of CONNER
cial street ana the discomfort to which
the people who have stores with back
doors on that street are subjected. was
fully brought out, Saturday afternoon
at the hearing given by the committee
on streets and sewers. During the
hearing it was shown what an adVan-
taSe it would be to the city to have
this street paved and d companion To
Water street as a place for relief Of
the business traffic. There was rather
a small attendance present, but those
there were representative men who
We're most interested in having some
change made in the coalitions.
Before the meeting was over Mayor
Lane stated that this was one Of the
places in the city that must be fixed.
The only question was what is best to
be done. The hearing was adjourned
without any action being taken.
Clerk Purinton Of the committee
read the petition of the people who
wished some alterations made and
then representative men We're called on
to speak.
Charles +. Nash, who signed the pc
tition, said the city. he understood, had
a 50-foot road way. Gradually en-
croachments had been made until only
a carriage way is left. ana that is in
decent. Water street is the only com
mercial artery. Therefore Commercial
street is needed and he. for one, would
like to see the city government restore
it TO the city. He would like to see
Il n. u, al vi ~, h,. ~
scales is in Market square. At present
they are an encroachment on the
rights of the city.
$. &. Whitehouse said: II don't want
anything not in the interests Of the
city. The street was formerly called
Wizards grove. In 90. we had the fire
The next year work was commenced
to build the blocks. Later, unknown to
me they began to fill in the street and
put stones next to the back of my
store. All l ask is that it be graded
down. | want the stones taken away,
the cutters put in and undertaking
built. Then the street Will not fill in
with water in the winter. During his
talk Mr.. Whitehouse, by reference to
old city reports. showed that the only
was because it had been a convenience
to the city in dumping refuse taken
from the streets.
Treby johnson thought it an impo-
sition on the public To have the street
in its present condition, and spoke
strongly against allowing the street 70
remain in its present condition.
Mayor Lane said the only reason
why the stone wall was built was be
cause the railroad wanted ID. Later il
was developed that an order had been
passed through tn" city government
and no time limit placed as tu the time
the wall should remain. as was at
first thought.
Nathan Weston thought the street
needs TO be thoroughly drained first Of
all. In the spring the snow melts ana
thaws and runs into the stores. lie
suffered Il loss "a his goods this spring
from the water forcing itself into the
store. The sanitary condition, he SAID.
is very bad. Frequently they find ut
impossible to have the doors open on
account of the stencil. Nothing VIII
encourage country people 70 come INTO
the city more than to have an outlet
for the traffic on Commercial street.
Replying to Committeeman fletch-
er's question. he said that il would be
~ excellent idea to have the street
lowered 80 that the boxes might be
taken from the back instead of the
front of the store. In speaking ot the
condition of the street he said: FROM
the American Express office TO the
Cony house there is a stagnant place.
The water collects so rapidly there
that during a heavy rain fall the only