Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-03-16

ness with which the business has bee
conducted deserve more than pass
ing word of praise.
The committee on fire department
and committee on police have had oc
casion to decide many questions, AM
in such decision have always shown
Watchful care for the interests of tn
city, and in this connection it is du
to the aldermen and councilmen alik
to bear witness to the interest the.
have shown and the labor that the.
have given to the city's work TIL,
attendance in both branches has beer
unusual, and those who lived remote
have been as punctual in their attend
ance as those close at hand, ever
though bad weather and roads ma.
have made the trip to the City hall {
most inconvenient one.
There is now pending in the courts
no suit to which the city of Augusta
is a party, either as plaintiff or as de-
PENDANT, nor is there to my knowledge
any claim outstanding from which any
action is liable or can be brought
against the city, nor do l know of any
liability against the city which could
by any possibility call for an adjust
ment by suit-at-law. The court dock
cts, as far as Augusta is concerned
are clear and there are no annoying
sawsuits to make for the incoming adj
ministration either trouble or expense
The liabilities of the city have been
met as they accrued and the report of
the city auditor shows that on the 2Sth
day of February, 1903, after all charges
for the year had been made that there
remains in the treasury an unexpended
balance of your appropriations
amounting to $1059.99. 1t was a mat
ter of congratulation year ago. that
the unexpended balance of the appro-
priation was '$1035.60. You may safely
point to this result of your years ad-
ministration as proof of your wisdom,
your watchfulness and your Iabors in
behalf of the city. 1t is to you that
the credit of such a showing is due.
Your administration has been a wise
one and l am glad to have been asso-
ciated with you and to have had some
small share in so successful a manage
ment of the city's business affairs.
For myself, | can only say | should
be Indifferent indeed if I did not feel
grateful to you for your kindnesses and
for the unbroken courtesy which 1 have
received from every member of this
city government throughout the year.
I can only repeat what l have said
many times before, that suggestions
from the mayor have been uniformly
treated with a respect and considera-
ton beyond their deserts. 1t would be
mere affection to deny a feeling of
gratefulness for such proof of conf
ience.
The public looks to you with conf
dence and they feel that their conf
dence was not misplaced. The year
closes and the years work is done, and
you have, today, as a city government,
the friendliness and good will of all
our people.
At several places in the reading of his
the mayor was interrupted by APP
plause and prolonged cheering evidenced
the good will of his associates in the city
government as he brought his remarks to
a close He called upon Alderman HIGH
born to speak next and gave him the worl,
Of the committee on highways and sewers
as his subject. Mr.. Hichborn voiced the
soo''i
mayor. and he knew him for a good citi-
zen. He spoke of the general work of his
committee and with especial pride of the
new trunk sewers along Western avcnue
and down the ravine off Bangor street.
The largest sewers that the city had ever
put in and the most needed; the soil was
fairly rocking with poison, and longer de
ay would have endangered the health of
he whole city.
President Harrington of the council, was
he wit of the evening, and hardly feat
ire of the years work escaped touch of
numor that brought the heartiest laugh
,er
Alderman Marley of the committee on
ire department, spoke at considerable
ength, giving the following figures of ex-
)enditures for two years, the year ending
Feb. %, 1902, in first column, and the year
previous ending Feb. %, 1902, in second col
INN:
chief engineers salary....s 10000 $ 10000