The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-01-27
THE FARMER: JANUARY 27, 1909.

stances in each case seem to demand I therefore recommend an apprOpria-
 tton of $28,000.O0. for such permanent
 pavement. to be expended as the prop
 CT authorities deem best. The asphalt
 pavement. especially on Main street
 from East Washington avenue to State
 street has. in my Judgment, outlived
 it's usefulness. requiring as it does con- | siderable outlay each year for repairs | which. when made. are a mere make
 shift. unsightly in appearance and dis
 creditable to the citys main business street. Our principal streets at least ought to be well paved and slightly in | appearance.
 | Golden Hill street when widened, should also be paved. from Main street | to Water street.
 l Other streets asked for are Main
 street. from Atlantic street to the sea- wall. Park avenue. under railroad viaduct. and Fairfield avenue at it's iri- tersection with State street.
 If work is commenced as soon as
 weather conditions will permit in the
 spring, the benefits could be assessed
 and collected and again used for fur
 ther work during the same season. As soon as the amount available for
 paving streets is ascertained on the l last Monday in February, I can see nothing in the way of deciding what streets are to be done and getting the preliminary work under way, so that
 actual paving work could begin not
 later than May 1.
 | Sewers.
 The city has expended a consider prepared, under direction of the sew l CT commission, comprehensive plan, map and report, by Engineers Herring & Fuller, for 8 system of sewerage, designed to be adequate for the pres ent and future requirements of the city for period of at least fifty years, and the matter is now before the com mon council for action. While the
 undertaking is so vast and expansive that we cannot hope for speedy ac- ton on it's acceptance, we know enough about it now to realize that it is comprehensive and valuable. Pending it's acceptance we ought not to spend any money for sewer age, except in conformity with its plan and scope. Whether we adopt it or not it will, in the future, be a valuable guide for us and we will do well to heed it's requirements. Our city cannot hope to plan and carry to completion an elaborate and costly system of sewerage, from the avails of current taxes without mak- ing the tax rate oppressive, and the only alternative is a bond issue. It is needless to state that we ought to be extremely careful in creating a large bonded debt for this or any oth- CT purpose. I also realize that when trunk sewers are required they cannot be constructed according to our pres ent methods, within any reasonable time. It took many years to con struct the Noble avenue trunk sewe., SO called, without it's laterals. and even then, when completed in piece meal fashion, the Board of Appraisal could only see the way clear to assess property benefited, setting off the re- rnainder along the line of laterals, to be thereafter constructed. and the city will be obligd to wait for many years before 1t can realize from property benef1tted. it's proportionate share of cost of such sewer.
 Take another illustration: that of the Wilrnot avenue trunk sewer, so called. Property owners have been for years waiting and asking for the completion of this sewer so as to de- velop their unproductive property. Several short extensions have been
 made, at considerable expense, but the appraisers have, reported that it is not practicable, in their judgment, to assess the cost, until the sever is prac- ticaI1y completed; and thus the city is obliged to spend considerable sums of money, without any immediate re- turns, and the property owners, who want the sewer, are obliged to wait, with hope deferred, for the sewer to reach them and develop their proper ty.
 I favor planning out the entire sys- tenn of tn Wilmot avenue sewer and it's laterals and estimate the cost of the work: then bond for the required amount, complete the sewer and it's laterals: assess benefits for same as speedily as possible, and let the avails be applied in the work of other sewer construction. Thus the money can be used over and over again.
 This course would, in my Judgment, be much preferable to our present fashion of constructing trunk sewers piecemea1, at irregular intervals, and tying up the city's money indefinitely and delaying reasonable property de- velopment. I believe this course to be the only practicable one for attain ing the much-desired results.
 Health.
 The board of Health asks for a special requisition ofs$2, GOO for medical of schools and pupils, and $1 500 for services of a bacteriologist
 I am of the opinion that prevention is better than cure, and that much of the illness of children from diseases SuCn aS Q1pCn0T1a, SCdrieL IcV0r, meas les. etc.. could be prevented if proper sanitary measures were taken in see- ing that the school houses in the first place are kept clean, and that children school. showing any symp- toms of infectious or contagious dis | eases. are properly isolated, until the facts are ascertained and so guard the | health of others.
 I also believe that the promiscuous of school books and school | supplies is responsible to some extent, | for the prevalence of diseases among | children and that the sum of $14,000 the taxpayers spend in this manner, for 1 free text books and supplies, is pro- \ pagator of disease. Better, in my | Judgment. give outright to those who cannot afford to buy them, the neces- sarv books and supplies and let the | majority, who can afford to buy such, | 10 so and own them.
 At any rate, it should be the duty of l the medical examiners to see to it, while free text books are in use, that | tke danger of infection is reduced to | the minimum. allow the sums asked | by the board for medical and bac- inspection. If the results are not as good as we anticipate, there | will be no obligation to scontinue the | beyond this year.
 Water Contract.
 I again recommend to you, for ap- | the same sum as last year, for water supply for fire hydrants. to | wit: $120OO0