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

| niSh wood to families which otherwise
never would have called for it, and of
course the fuel so furnished was pur-
| chased at Il much higher price. The
epidemic of typhoid has cost us about
$4,000, and if these two items had
been eliminated, and, as YOU know,
they are unusual and not to be eX-
pected, the expense of the outside poor
would be proof of the care and watch
fulness of both the committee and the
overseer. There has been committed
to the Insane Hospital, during the
year, one of the inmates of the aims
house, and OverSeer G.. A. Colburn af-
ter considerable labor, was able to show
that he had no residence in this State,
and his care and expense has just been
assumed by the State, and the city will
hereafter be relieved from that liabil-
ity. The number of persons aided has
been less than last year, and while the
number is less, this is not by any
means due to the fact that the worthy
poor have been neglected, but the
closer inquiry has been made into the
needs of applicants and the proprety
of giving to them the city's bounty.
Through the efforts of Mr.. Colburn
a number of paupers have been assign
ed to other towns, as it was demon
strated that they belonged elsewhere
than in Augusta. For his conscien-
tiouS and faithful labors as overseer
of the poor, l would recognize the in
debtedness of the city to Mr.. Colburn.
The committee on City buildings
have installed during the year, COM
NIL AIlr fnp ha itXr
hall at an expense of something over
$500. The cold weather of the winter
has tested the apparatus thoroughly
and it has met every requirement of
the committee on City buildings.
The fire department has continued to
maintain it's high standard, and there
could be nothing but words of praise
for the department as q whole, and for
the high character of it's members. The
number of fire alarms the past year
has been more than usual, and conse-
quently the labor of the department
has been greater. At a fire on Water
street, two brave and faithful mem
bers, George L. Kicker and Everett A.
Shaw, were very seriously injured while
in the performance of their duties as
members of the department. 1t is a
matter of general conGratulation that
their injuries very serious though they
were, did not result fatally. In their
long period of suffering they had the
heartfelt sympathy of all the com
munity.
The fire alarm installed a year ago
has continued to prove the wisdom of
the committee on fire departments, by
whose recommendation it was installed
The decreased expense Of running the
fire alarm will in a short time more
than pay for the entire expense of it's
installation.
The force of police under City Mar
shall Henry M. Breen has been increas-
ed during the year by one regular po-
liceman, which was made necessary by
the increase of population and growth
Of the city.
I would again call your attention to
the fact that during the year there has
not been running in our city a single
slot machine, and several other cities
have followed the example of Augusta
in this respect by abolishing this petty
gambling device.
There has been during the year no
riotous outbreak and the continued or
1ef and safety of our streets has come
to be expected by the public as a mat
ter of course.
During the year there has been in
stalled by the order of the city council
a gymnasium in connection with the
Cony High school. You will be glad to
know that great use is made of the
gymnasium by girls as well as boys
and the expenditure for this purpose for
the benefit of our youth is generally
accepted as n wise one. Our schools
have continued on the high plan of
previous years, and the same careful
scrutiny of expenditures and the same
careful planning to accomplish the
| greatest result with the least money,
| has been continued and the reputation
Of the schools of our city is such that
| residents are attracted to our city for
| the purpose of giving to their children
| the advantages which our schools af-
| ford.
| The amount of work given to the
| citys business by the different stand
ing committees has been very great.
| The exactions upon the members OF
the committee on highways and sewers
| in the way both of time and of labor
| =