Waterbury evening Democrat., 1905-08-04
SHAKY SIDEWALKS.
b tho Cause of Csnsidsrabls Talk
 Among Tax paysrs..

l - VI " -
 | Mutterings of discontent are heard
 here and there regarding the condition
 or the sidewalks. There Is nothing
 wonderful about this, for 1t Is a well
 Known fact that the sidewalks have al
 ways been a prolific source of trouble. | Nobody has fault to find with the
 character of the work that is being
 done, but many claim that 1t is not
 Delng carried on to the best advan-
 tage and that winter will come upon
 us and find lot of walks in wretch
 ca condition. Why this should be so
 does not appear. The cost at the
 present Is not much more than half
 what 1t used to be when property own
 CTS aDutting on sidewalks were
 obllged to keep them in repair. and wlth this reduction in the price there IS no reason why there should be a
 poor walk in the city The sum of S6,OOO was appropriated for that class
 Of work and if that is not large enough probably there is nothing that could be mentioned which 1t would be easier to get an additional approprfa-
 tion for, provided 1t could be shown mat what had been appropriated was expended Judiclously This is no grind on anybody. The idea is to see if the system in vogue cannot be made the most Of. People claim that there is 100 much running here and there to do small jobs with the result that some places are neglected. A man who has some knowledge of that kind of work says the proper way to proceed would pc 10 begin in Exchange place and go out along the main streets as far as sidewalks are laid, fixing every bad spot, large and small. Then begin at the first street running off these and keep on that way until the approprla- uon became exhausted. In that way most of the sidewalks would be put in snip shape in one year and the rest could be taken up the following sea son. All 1t needs is the undivided at tention of one competent man with a force of half dozen assistants. and until something like this has been done the best results will not be attained. UT course very bad spots would have 10 De attended to, but this would not interfere with the plan suggested. No man can do this and act as superin- tendent of streets. He can't give both the attention they require, and that is where Superintendent Hotchkiss comes m for some criticism which he is not wholly responsible for.
 The city has good deal of chores on hand now. The work of paving Meadow street is going on, and the material for paving nj North Main and Cooke streets, and Scovill street, from South Main to Spring street, is being hauled to these places. The big sewage disposal job is under way. Some water mains are being laid and sewers constructed and soon the bitulithic fellows will com mence operations on Grand and West Main streets.
 The recommendation of the board Of finance that $5,000 be appropriated to be devoted to finishing up work on proposed layouts of streets already in the works. is all right in one sense and in another it is hardly fair. Prac- dcally all the streets in question are outside the second taxation district and yet the resolution recommends that the money be raised in the second district There is something wrong in this and other things of the kind | that are going on in Waterbury, but so long as the injured parties don't | think so it would be folly to talk of a | remedy. When street Is laid out in the outside district the inside district | foots good share of the cost; when q street Is laid out in the second dis. trict the first district doesn't pay a copper towards 1t. This works well enough with people who own property in both districts, but it is quite differ ent with those who have no ratable property in the outside territory.