Waterbury evening Democrat., 1907-06-12
PUBLIC WORKS BOARD
South Main Street Property
 Owners Present Last Night.

me Doaru or puDllc works met last
 night. Commissioner Walker presided. Property owners on South Main street, between the angle below the Buckle shop and City Corners were
 called and heard regarding the pro-
 posed widening of that street from forty-nne and half feet to sixty feet A. NJ. Dickinson, representing the Benedict X Burnham Mfg Co said
 he was in fear of the project, but all the others either opposed it or said they were indifferent provided they
 didn't have to pay. It takes ten feet
 from Benedict & Burnhain's and cuts
 into yards here and there and also
 raises the grade six or eight inches
 at different points.
 "Who petitioned for thls?" inquired
 Peter F. Coughlan, ''the people or
 some corporation It is, no benefit to
 me and 1 fail to see what good 1t
 can do anybody. There is nice
 wide street there now and think 1t
 would be wise plan to let 1t alone"
 Chairman Walker Ut is a public
 necessity"
 Mir Coughlan :"Well. then, if that
 be so let the public pay for it."
 Charles Mitchell :'"rhe street is
 wide enough for me now, and don't want to be assessed for something I don't need"
 George Boughton: South Main street between these points is wide enough now.'
 Chairman Walker: Wouldn't 1t im- prove things down that way to make it little wider?"
 \ Mir Boughton :"No."
 Chairman Walker ."Then you are not in favor of it?'
 Mir Boughton :'No, sir, I am not"
 Thomas Ellnor, Dennis Shannahan. Maurice O'Connor, Mrs Margaret Dawson, D. J. Griffin and all the others who appeared put in claim for damages.
 After the property owners had had their say Commissioner Finn remark ed that this was likely to De very ex- pensive work and that so long as there was such opposition to 1t he was of the opinion 1t wouldn't pay to \ push 1t, adding that forty nine and a half feet is a pretty wide thorough fare. To this Mir Walker replied that he didn't think the property owners were very much opposed to it and that as 1t is one of the main thorough fares of the city it ought to be wider and this is the time to do it. The matter was passed along to the en- gineer for an estimate of expense.
 An opinion was received from the city attorney stating that the board has all the rights and powers hereto fore vested in selectmen regarding the erection of divisional fences. Then the application of Thomas Bahan for divisional fence was taken up and hearing set for June 9. On the same evening property owners on Howard and Walnut stree,s will be heard regarding the construction of sewers.
 For some time past the board has been considering what kind of curbing 1t had better use when the new law goes into effect. Commissioner Finn said that he had looked the matter up and was satisfied that when prop erly laid, cement makes an excellent curblng It costs great deal less than Limestone, and he believed the board owed 1t to the city and the taxpayers to decide on cement. Mir Walker agreed with Mir Finn and replied that the kind of material put down in front of the new Buckingham ought to be all right in any place. Mir Nell also said word In favor of cement It was voted to use cement curblng. but the material for side walks was left an open question, the being of the opinion that it might be found advisable to put concrete in some streets and cement in others.
 The property owners on James street having failed to comply with the order to remove their houses, chicken coops, fences and so forth inside the new street lines by June 1, 1t was voted that the superintendent of streets proceed at once with the work of clearing the street and working 1t to the established width. Superintendent Kilduff was requested to bring an es- timate of the cost of building a shit able retaining wall on Baldwin street, east side. between the engine house and Liberty street. He said the wall nll along the line Is bulging out and Is bad shape, but he wasn't instruct ed to make an estimate for any greater distance than the strip abut- ting on what is commonly called the Donahue property.
 D. F. McNamara of Luke street sub- nitted claim for damages amount ng to S30 for stone taken from his ot by the city when the old house which runs from Southview street to South Main street was being fixed. The matter was referred to the enein- ,sr. The condition of the telegraph ,oles on Hamilton avenue was re- erred to the superintendent of streets. Similar action was taken regarding he grading of South Wilson street md the Watertown road and the lay ng of sidewalks and cobble gutters ,n Oak and Farm streets. It was -oted to recommend to the aldermen hat the grading of Walnut street rom Division 10 Farm streets be taken ID. Frank Flammier was granted permission to remove n house from Dorfer street to Cof1fh laonari xfraof