Waterbury evening Democrat., 1908-07-22
PUBLIC WORKS BOARD
Warm Discussion Over Grade
 of Louusbury Street.

] The board of public works met las
 night, Mayor Thoms presiding, ant
 all the members being present. I A communication was received
 from Engineer Cairns recommending
 that the board ask authority from th'
 aldermen to hold hearings regarding | a change of grade for Lounsbury
 street, from South Main street east.
 erly.
 When the clerk had finished read.
 ing the communication, Commission
 CT Scully said that his attention
 was called to that matter last week
 by somebody who wanted to know il
 the aldermen had authorized such
 work. T looked 1t up, the commis.
 sioner continued, and found city
 men operating there, the stakes
 showing a drop in the curb at some points of two feet and half. If this
 can be done without an order from
 any board what is the use making
 fools of property owners by inviting them in here to talk about something that has been done?"
 Mayor Thoms: Well, you were running the ship last week, why didn't you hold the work up and find
 out who was doing it?"
 | MT Scully: T have, pretty strong l feelings on this sort of thing. It seems to me that steps should be talk en to emphasize the fact that no man or set of men has right to lay out a street or change the grade of street without a proper order from the all dermen. It is nothing new at all, but the practice is vicious and should be stopped. I know 1t is a hard thing to remedy because people are slow to believe that anybody would have the courage to assume such re- sponsibility"
 The matter was referred to the committee on streets.
 Commissioner Lawlor brought up the matter of trolley fare to Quassa- paug and asked if the company has a right to collect two fares in Water bury. Nobody, not even the mayor, cared to pass upon the question and 1t was finally decided to ask the city attorney to enlighten the board on the subject. Similar action was talk en with reference to the city's au- thority to have large bodies of wa ter protected by fence or watchman with a view to lessening the number of drowning accidents, and regarding the power of the aldermen to use some of the bond issue for lights.
 The board indulged in a long chat on the proposed extension of Clark street. The only boulder ahead is John Henderson's house and this ap- pears something like one of those great floating buoys you read of in sea stories, apparently easy to shift, but when you try to dislodge 1t you can't do it. The only course open to the city is to ask the courts to order MT Henderson to move it, but this step cannot be taken until September. Meanwhile the work will be pushed on the other side of the house and on West Sixth street.
 The United Gas Improvement Co was authorized to lay gas mains in Ludlow, Weyman, Locust and Luke streets, and in Sylvan avenue, from Luke street about seventy-five feet southerly. Martin Keefe was granted permission to connect two houses on Ridge street with the same service. The superintendent of streets was in- structed to repair Long Hill road and other streets. The engineer was in- structed to report 10 the board the number of porperty owners who have neglected to make water and sewer connections on East and West Main streets, where permanent pavement is to be laid.
 Mayor Thoms suggested that the street committee be requested to re- port a plan for improvements at Franklin street and Union square park, and that the park committee re- port a draft of an ordinance putting all city trees in charge of the super intendent of parks. It was voted to ask permission to hold hearings on the condemnation for park purposes of land near the new railroad station.
 A communication was read from owners on South Main street StdNAhS budt tut BIdue LO WHICH the street Is being worked in front of their property is not in agreement with representations made to them when they were headd befo rtehe bu- reau of assessment relative to bene- fits and damages. This brought a | long talk during which things were | said about public officials exceeding | their. authority that wouldn't look | good In cold type The principal speakers were Charles Schoenmsal and Peter F. Coughlan. Mayor Thoms discussed the question with them and in summing up remarked that his advice to every property owner directly concerned In layouts and changes of grades would be to employ an engineer or attorney and have him verify the. records and then they will not be taking any officials word for such things The engineer was requested 10 submit his maps showing the grade adopted for South Main street between the points men, .ioned.
 A. I. Chatfield was heard regarding he need of sidewalks on Gloves ter ace and Hewlett street. The matter vas referred Similar action on several other matters of a routine character, including retaining walls