Waterbury evening Democrat., 1903-08-08
WATERBURY IS POOR
Work on City Streets Stopped for the
 Lack of Funds.

LaSh OL uuuS.
 Something dropped in the street de. partment to-day and it made d noise that was felt all over town. It was an order to discontinue operations on all new work in the street department for the reason that the appropriation for that class of work is exhausted and no matter what inconvenience such action may cause there was nothing else to do. and as a conse- quence several gangs were laid of last night and the rest will stop this afternoon. Among the work that will nave to stand is the grading of Louns- bury street, curbing and guttering of several streets in different parts of the city, grading Fourth and Fifth streets. grading Edward street grad ing Drayer avenue. and half a dozen other pieces Of new work that need attention. It also means a hold-up or, .fhe change of grade on Prospect street st West Main street. This is no sur. prise to the board of public works. The department was crippled at the scNtset when the aldermen whittled dSwn the amounts recommended for diTerent kinds of work to point that left the department where it was out of fNe question to make much heads way. At the opening of the present year unfinished work ordered by the aldermen, the estimated cost of which amounted to $20,0O0. was on the wait. ing list. The street department wal,ted S25,000 or $3o0O0, but the al- derlnen stayed the department of with $16.0Oo, S4.000 less than the es- timated cost of doing what was hang ing hack, to say nothing about what they lad reason to believe would be ordered done during the season, so 7 that nobody need be surprised at hear ing that the department has to stop short and leave a lot of work that needed attention. over until next year.
 What4does all this mean, anyway It means that Waterbury rate payers Will have to pay more taxes or stop looking for Improvements. At the present tme it would take $50,Q00 to clean upsall the new work ordered by the aldermen. and the new layouts authorizet and now in the hands of the engineering department will cost. another $O,000. This will make $100,000 worth of new work the city will have aa its hands by the first of next. 5anuasy. At the rate the alder. men have hen making appropriations for this class of work the whole of if could not be completed inside of the next ten yetrs. Some people will say that this, growing expense of the city. is the work of men in public. places, but thtse who think so are de. ! ceiving themsslves As a matter of fact the city government is getting knocked on aASsides because it Is not spending more money. There is not district in Waterbury to-day that is not making demands for something,
 and unfortunately many very good
 people think thatIthe city boards have nothing to do 'bu; take hold of these projects and pusn them through if
 they want to- Fourth and tifrn streets have beer ordered done for over fifteen yea1s Edward street, West Main street, Rose street, Sylvan avenue. Walnut avenue, Ashley street and Lounsblry street all need attention and the psople interested in them are Up in arms against the city officials because they cannot get what they want. and to offset this the board of finance and the. Aldermen are in constant dread of beng assaulted On l account of the high mte of, taxation.
 Readers should bear l, mind that tha
 expenses connected with the work
 this article is dealing with makes nd
 provision for anything put new work. < Besides this. the strest department flas the general care If the streets
 and the man has not set been born
 who can tell at the opening of the sea- l son what will be needed oa the streets l of Waterbury for the ensuing twelve 3months. The question sinners down
 to this: Waterbury will have to pay
 more taxes or stop growing Which
 shall 1t be?