Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-03-15

partment and as liberal an appropria-
ton given as possible. ...
The care of the streets and sidewalks
should even be undertaken with the
thought Of permancy first. There will
need be temporary repairs at times but
it would be far greater economy and
more satisfactory, il so far as it is pos
si5lc, the money for this department
should DC used for permanent and up
to-datc' work. 1t would seem as If
we were relniss in our duty if we cam
not devise ways and means to avail Of
the State road aid offered and continue
the good work done upon our business
street last year. At present from adj
vice ubtainablc. | wonij suggest that
any work undertaken be nacadamiz-
cd road bed similar to that built be-
tween our city and Augusta. which has
proven durable and least expensive,
then later If it is desired. a top coating
of tar macadar can be added.
Such q road is needed and should be
built, either at The South or the North
cEd Of our business street connecting
with the work done last year
Only such work should be UNDER
of our city anc for the payment of such
biil together with that of last year.
sinking fund should be created and
suitable sum raised each year until
this road debt is fully paid. It may DC
FOUND iudicious. if this work is under
taken. to make a very small increase
in our present low tax rate for would
not favor such work without arrange
lnents which can be made that our
present city debt shall not be increased
permanently
Some money should be raised each
year toward our system of sewerage.
so essential to public health and safety.
Good progress has been made during
the past few years with the limited
funds available and there is still need
ed work to be done.
We look 10 our police department to
preserve order in our city: to uphold
the laws fairly and impartially as they
have taken oath to do: to safeguard
our property and people by day and
night: to suppress criminal vice and
evil, ever ready to creep in corrupting
our street life and public life. An Off
Ger should devote his time during the
day to our main streets, to prevent
any law!essEeSs or obstruction of the
streets and to make arrests promptly
when needed. 1t is a department that
needs ard deserves the help and CO.
opera ton OF all the good citizens, rath-
err than the too common tendency to
stand aloof and criticise for real or
fancied evils.
Tne report of our Poor Department
is really largely a repetition of form
er years ard We find from the figures
that the cost of the maintenance OF
our city Farm alone last year. was
very nearly fourteen hundred dollars
more than all revenue received from 1t.
This may be some over the average
but if you will go over the annual re-
ports for ten or twenty years you. will
find. that while the expense of some
years may have been higher or lower,
there is general average below which
il has not been possible to reduce the
cost of its maintenance. Our City
Farm has had during the past year an
average of about eight unfortunates to
provide for; it has sold quite an
amount of wood. hay and dairy prod
ucts. yet it's not self supporting, 1t
never was and it never will oe. if 1t
has seemed necessary way of pro-
yid ing for our poor, it has ever proven
an expensive one for our city. more es-
speciaIly when the number of paupers
is small as of late years. The City