Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-03-12

condition and with nothing left which
had not been mailed down." TO Illus
trate this he referred to the bad con-
ditior of the harnesses. He did not for
get TO mention with cOnsid :
cradle emphasis that he purchased
a new steam fire engine. He forgot to
say. however that he provided no way
for using it; that there was nothing
in the reserve reservoir system except
old tin cans and rubbish; that the els
terms would not hold water and that
il was necessary before the fire engine
could be relied upon for any protec-
ton to expend about $500 for putting
them in condition. Neither did he eX-
plain that it was necessary for this ad-
m;ristration to purchase 500 worth
of hose. which he was not required TO
do the previous year. No mention was
made of over 5000 which the city was
compelled to spend in adapting the fire
| alarm system to the, changed electric
| current.
Parks. overdrawn s5.42. We believe
Mr.. Plaisted didn't refer to that
| Police department, overdraWn s9S2 81.
| No exclamation was made of the 1act
| that after the estimate for this depart
| ment was made, the citizens petltloned
| for an extra police officer and that the
l not nnnlnHratS
4 Republicans so far as the record
| shows, decided that the petition
| should properly be grandchildren was
| done.
| Snow bills. highways, overdratt,
| ss7942. Well the explanation which
| Mr.. Plaisted did not make is that az
ter estimating according to the best
| knowledge available and setting aside
the sum of $4,000 for snow bills the city
Government found after the bills came
in that of this $4,000 all but $417.5' was
required to pay the snow bills OF the
| PIaisted administration.
Poor department, Overdraft $29oo.o".
Concerning this Mr.. Plaisted dld not
allude to the fact that the poor bllls
of his administration presented since
Mr.. Johnson became mayor amounted
to about $1,000; that it was absolutely
necessary for Oyerseer Wentworth on
coming into office to thoroughly rent
and purchase supplies as the laroer
was in an exhausted condition. IL tiie
citv was naked when Mr.. Plaisted took
the oath of office, the poor house was
both naked and hungry when he turn
ed it over to his successor
Sewers, overdraft $1316.66. OF this
amount about $1,000 was not anticipat-
cd and could not have been until after
tho wretched conditions were revealed
in the construction of the federal
huilding. 1t was then found necessary
| to replace the old unsanitary stone
trunk line sewer in Market square
and furthermore during the year 1870
feet of new sewer was built by con-
| tract ana paul LUZ All so .
amount Of repair work was done. The
city also put in new sewers on Sewall
street near Kennedy brook, Oak street,
Pine street and elsewhere.
Highways, overdraft, $S694S5. Mr..
Plaisted did not attempt to explain
this overdraft nor could he fairly be
criticised for not doing it, Had he at
tempted it in good faith he would have
occupied his whole evening in enumer-
Iating the excellent permanent improve
ments which have been made by this
business administration.
City rooms and buildings. overdraft
$S19.41. A very good reason appears
why Mr. Plaisted did not attempt to
make explanation of this. The pres
ent city government has paid under
this head s1227.6S all in bills which
We're due under Plaisted's administra-
ton and which should have been paid
by it. Moreover it was found neces-
sary to expend over 5000 for the ar
mOry in order to make it acceptable
: to the State. The present administra'
ton paid $70275 in insurance premium:
on City hail. insuring that building
not for the year 1909 alone. but for {
period of five years. No further prem
iums will have to be paid on the $40,
: 900 insurance on City hall until 1914.
Mr.. Plaisted devoted considerable at
: tention to criticising Mr. Johnson ant
his administration for terming tn,
Z Leonard farm an asset. Let us look a
q the facts for moment. The hous,
on this farm is rented at a rate equiva
lent to six per cent. on the purchas
price of the whole farm. AS it ad
joins the poor farm it is especial,
valuable and there have been cut tn