Waterbury evening Democrat., 1908-03-18
PUBLIC WORKS BOARD
Opened Bids for Big City Under.
 taking Last Night.

ulSnt, Mdyor IuomS pfeSluinS anu aA the members being present.
 The first matter taken up was the opening of bids for the big Water vile public Improvement, the largest project of the kind ever undertaken by the city. Proposals were received as follows:
 Fred T. Ley x Co.,, Inc. - $41 ,267 50 Pasquale Contaldi .-..... 31,S63.00 Edward McManus ........ 29,162.50 O'Brien Construction Co. .. 25,470.O0 c. w .Blakeslee .......... 2l,362.S0
 Mayor Thoms said that owing to the fact that an unusually large unm- Der of people are now idle and likely to be for some time he thought 1t might be we'll to find out whether this job could not be handled by the city. In this way the unemployed would find something to do and all the money would remain in Waterbury. The city engineer had no hesitation in stating that the direct digging could be handled all right by the city, | put hS Wuo iloI oo SulC dDOuL tuC rock. The commissioners agreed with the mayor that it was worth looking into and the matter was fin- ally referred to Commissioners Scully and Walker, of the street committee, Engineer Cairns and Superintendent Kilduff of the street department for investigation and report.
 Property owners on Baldwin street from Stone street to Pleasant street were called and heard regarding the proposed change of grade between the points mentioned. The intention is to get an even grade there, put up a suitable retaining wall, push back houses that are too near the street, bring buildings that are buried two or three feet below the street to the new grade and make such other alterations as are necessary to repair the dam- age done there on and off by agents of the city for the past forty or fifty years. The street was filled with out notice or hearing and the trolley company laid rails to suit it's own purpose, in some places changing the grade so that the manholes had to be changed to a depth of two bricks. Everybody who appeared opposed do- ing anything on the street with the exception of Thomas H. Hayes and James J. Cassin. MT Cassin said that the street is in a deplorable condition and should not be allowed to remain as 1t Is any longer. He didn't like to favor anything which all his neigh bors opposed, but he thought the plan | should be given fair trial before the bureau of assessment and then if they don't like conditions 1t will be time enough to object.
 Mayor Thoms said that where there was such determined opposition to doing anything it would not pay to carry it any farther, but if the re- | presentatives of the district wanted to send ti to the bureau of nssess- ment he had no particular objection. MT Scully said that the property own CTS are in no way responsible for the condition of the street. 1t was changed without warrant of law, not for the benefit of the property own CTS, but to accommodate others. and now that it demands attention he believed the city should meet all the expenses. In case the aldermen should look at it from this stand point he felt that the people would change their minds. 1t was passed along to the aldermen.
 The following matters were fa- vorably reported to the aldermen: Three catch basins on Washington avenue, s750; 325 feet of water main in Simons avenue, $450; l. 100 feet in Chipman street, $1,700; 500 feet in Highland avenue, S1,- 800; 400 feet in Poplar street, S525; 300 feet in Ridgewood street, S4S0; $50 feet in Wyman street, ' $605; 325 feet in Ludlow street, $675; GOO feet in Platt street, $950; GOO feet in Easton avenue, s900; 750 feet in East Main street, s1,900; 1,200 feet in Cooke street, s3.10O; sewer in West Main street, $745.
 Hearings were heard regarding the laying of sidewalks on Rye and South streets. The projects were favorably reported to the aldermen. All the new petitions were referred to the different committees. The mayor was authorized to enter into an agreement with the American Car Co for street sprinkling. Two cars will be used this year for sI5O a week. The city had but one car last year and paid s100 a week for such service as it rendered. A big delegation was present from HI! street, but after they heard that the street committee has not for gotten that street they went home in a happy frame of mind.