Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-03-16
MAYOR TITCOMB
Entertained Members of City
Government and Friends
In Delightful Manner, Saturday Night,
at City Hall.
An Evening Thoroughly Enjoyed BY
Every One Present.

city government, Saturday evening. a
the rooms of the common council in tn,
City building. Seated at the head O
the table was Lendall Titcomb, mayor
with President Charles S. Hichborn o
the board of aldermen at his right, anC
President Enoch Harrington of tn,
common council, at his left. The othel
guests were Charles w. Fletcher, Geo
y. Cloutier, Samuel c. Manley, Smitl
S. Randall, George F. Dudley. alder.
men; James S. Nichols George c. Shel.
don, Hiram Clark, Charles r. Hall
freu U. hlnsman, John Cormier, Jr.
Roland A. Scribner, Frank w. Chad.
WICK, Edward Il. Savage, Manson w
Dennis, Eugene L. Merrill, Daniel E
Foster, councilmen; Abel D. Russell
Melvin 5. HolWay, school committee,
Lewis A. Burleigh, city clerk; Henri,
NJ. Breen, city marshall; Charles w
Jones, Clarence 3. Burleigh, Frank I,
harrington, assessors; Charles w
Kicker, chief engineer of the fire de-
partment; Isaac Clark, janitor CITY
building; Charles Sylvester, street
commissioner on East Side of river;
William B. Getchell, city engineer:
George E. Washburn, city physician
Elmer E. Parkman, auditor; James r
Townsend, treasurer; George A. Col
burn, oVerseer of poor; Edwin M
Thompson, city solicitor, and a repre-
sentative of the Kennebec Journal.
An elaborate banquet was served
and as all leaned back to enjoy the
fragrance of cigars, Mayor Titcomb
arose and gave the following closing
n a tnt h
Gentlemen: At the close of this mu-
nicipal year l wish to review with
you, in a few words the work done
by the city government during the
year.
1t would be vain to claim that we
have made no errors, but whatever
criticism may follow the mistakes of
the administration, l know that you
are willing to cheerfully meet it with
the consciousness that the good works
of the administration will far over
balance the errors.
1t is permitted for me whose share
in the work of the city has been small
in comparison to congratulate you
whose portion has been so great on the
success of the management of the city's
affairs.
OF course, it was expected that the
municipal affairs of the city should be
well administered. 1t is no new thing
that the city government of Augusta
should wisely and honestly care for
the interests intrusted to it, but it is
pleasant to recall the fact that during
the year there have been no. charge OF
malfeasance nor has there been any
scandal connected with the admins
tration OF any of the departments of
the city during the year. With so
many charged with the expenditures
of the citys money, so many to whom
the city is called upon to make pay
ment for services and material, it
would be easy for abuses to creep in,
and the fact that no charge of such
abuses has been made, is proof of the
painstaking care which the board of
aldermen, the common council, and the
city officials have given to the interests
Of the city.
OF the bonded Indebtedness of the
city, $4,000 matured during the present
year and has been paid, which will
make a reduction of the amount here
after annually to be paid for interest
past two years there has been paid of
the bonded debt in 1902, SIG 10000, and
in 1903 100000 making q total Of
$24 800, and the net balance of city debt
as shown by the auditors statement
of resources and liabilities on the 25th
day of February, 1908, was 1921, 007.6T.
The committee on highways and
sewers has given to the city during the
past year most painStaking and valu-
able services. The amount of repairs
by reason of unusual storms has been
large, and the number of permanent
improvements are before every ones
eve. Last year, the sewers built under
the direction of the committee on high
ways and sewers, We're built at Il less
expense than the same work had ever
been done before, and the sewers built
the present year have been built at a
slightly less expense even, than those
of last year. Among the permanent
improvements which have been made
during the past year. is the substitution
of many catch basins in place of the
old traps, many new catch basins have
been built, a new trunk sewer has been
built on Western avenue and impor-
tbtlU SeNtiS nave bcciI DuIll VII AAiItli
street, Winthrop street, the Bangor
ravine, Patterson street. Gannett street,
Stone street, Washington street, and
Commercial street. While the amount
of sewers measured in feet has not
been greater, this year, than the year
before, if the measure be by the ca
pacity, the city has built more sewers
than ever before in q single year. The
floods of the last spring We're very de-
structive and compelled the rebuilding
of many culverts. as well as a stone
bridge on Church hill. Many streets
have been graded and macadamized in
very thorough manner, including
Hospital street. lower Chapel street
Stone street, State street and Win
throp street. A greater distance of
macadamized road has been built the
past year than ever has been done in
one year in the history of the city.
do not cite the great amount of side
walks built and rebuilt, as every year
work of this kind has to be done anG
should not properly be claimed as I'M
usual work.
The administration of the poor de-
partment has run with great smooth
ness during the present year. While
there has not been much unusual worl
under the direction of the city on poo