Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-03-14

| m. opinion, De dufdDit, iastiHS, anu
adequate to our present and future
needs reasonably to be forseen. The
| good progress made in recent years in
| this respect has NET with general APP
| probation and should be continued. The
aid offered by the State should GER
| tainly. il would seem. be availed of,
| unless we are to be reniSS in our
duty.
| Some suggestions of detail in this re-
| gard do not seem amiss to now men,
| ton.
The condition OF our main business
| street, with its forest of poles and
| labyrinth of wires, offer a truly awful
| menace in case of fire to property and
| II life We have small justification
| to require the members of our fire
department, ready and willing as they
are, to assume such risk as they may
| be called upon to at any moment,
| under present conditions. Is it not
time to take determined and decisive
action in this matter? Although /
have made no exhaustive investiga-
ton as yet. I have no doubt that
public safety can compel the removal
| of this unsightly and dangerous condi-
ticn and bring about a change that
viii beautify our city and protect our
Property and our citizens.
Further, J would recommend the
adoption of n systematic and effective
plan Of cleaning Water street: either
by employment Of one man, by a cyl
inder sweeper, or otherwise. BY the
means heretofore employed, the street
mas been clean one day week, and
that day Sunday. This is a matter
not alone affecting appearance and
comfort but public health The street
railway company should be made to
share, as by law bound 10, in the ex-
pnnse Of sprinkling and abuttrrs be
assessed for the balance.
II may be well in estimating your
appropriation for the highway depart
mcnt to consider the necessity OF
carly action relative to the old bridge
on the Outlet Road near Otis farm.
ask your attention to the affairs
Of cur poor department. Without the
necessary time t. inform myself ade
quately, l do net clearly see why the
town farm if properly managed should
not be more nearly maintaining.
An average cost of over i've dollars
per w. TOR each inmate. majority
of vi n are able to .orl, as | cs-
innate it, would appear excessive. I
real that many of our competent
citizens have had charge Of this de-
partIarnt, but If the system itself is
al raul' it needs to be reminded.
Our fi"e department is recognized as
tgHly efficient. thanks To the interest
an! efforts Of its members. giving
their time. and labor and freely risk
ing their lives for most inadequate |
compensation. To the members of this
department the people feel deeply |
a;eful and it behooves your body |
to guard the interests and preserve |
the unity of this organization.
l would suggest that investigation |
again be made into the advisability of |
establishing an electric alarm system
and would refer to the general low
ering of our now excessive insurance
rates, which would follow. as l I'M
derstand. If not deemed wise to ae:
upon definitely. the information Sc
cured would be available when need
ed ard very we'll worth while,
Our schools are of a high standard
and this should be carefully main
tanned Their needs are growing and
the necessity of providing for these
needs must soon be faced and acted
upon. Unfortunately, the salaries of
our teachers are inadequate for the
service required and ii cannot be hoped
TO retain efficient instructors for
much less than they can
command elsewhere. and with less eff
cheney, We would be dissatisfied. 1t
should be the duty of the members of
This board, as IL should be of every
ard not alone of the school
to acquaint themselves
with the existing condition OF our
high and common schools, and TO re-
luire that the members of the school
committee itself should know the sit
lation thoroughly. a knowledge that
has not often existed.
AS time has passed. the original di-
vision of the city into the respective
wards has failed to meet the condi-
tons of an unequal and uneven growth
of population. until in Wards One and
Two today. we find over Cne-half of
Oh. total population and in Ward One
well over 200 voters and over one
third of our population, but with a
right of representation only equal to
that Of Ward Five with q registra-
tion well under 100 Upon this pres
ent board. one of our smallest wards
has representation three times that
of our largest voting precinct. This
is not just and is In direct contra
dietion to the explicit terms of our
charter, which require the city coun- |
Gil at least once in 10 years to review
and. if needful. to preserve an equality |
Of voters. to alter our ward bounda-
ries; something which has not been
done. however, since the year 1895.
This matter seems to call for seriousl
deliDeration and action upon your part.
One other matter of detail suggests
itself. relative to the development of
our residential section by the improve
ment OF the property at Inc noi tnern
extremity of Water street. We have
seen within a few years. the building
up Of "a neighborheod IF modern homes
upon the Wilder property which ARuSt
be Of general satisfaction, and With
the prospect OF furtl..l advancement
in thu Increase of taxable property, as
purei% .slsiness proposition, it would