Putnam patriot. [volume] (Putnam, Conn.) 1872-1962, 1911-01-06

The annual meeting Of the Common
Council, for the purpose of organixs
sion, was held Monday evening. Pres
ent: Mayor Mac Donald, Aldermen Ds
dy, Carpenter, Hawkins, Bouthlette
Broduer, Nichols, Miner and Davis.
The oath Of office was administered
to the newly elected Aldermen, Messrs
Davis, Nichols and Hawkins.
The Mayor appointed Alderman Nj
chols to succeed Alderman Joslyn on
sLe committees, and Alderman Da.is
| 10 succeed Aldermen Tetit.
| The same city Court jurors rs last
year were appointed.
| The Mayor appointed Attorney j. +.
| Carpenter, whose term expired Janus.
~ LIST, to succeed himself rs member
of the Water Commission for term Of
three years.
The Mayor then read his annual Mes
sage, and II was voted to spread 1t on
| the records.
| Gentlemen Of the Common Council;
In assuming the duties OF mayor NJ
the beginning Of my term OF ONCE on
January .lsl, 1910, entered fully into
| the important municipal questions
then confronting the city, and ! Will
| briefly state what | consider We have
| way, make some recommendations for
| the future.
HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT
| | wish to repeat what said year
| ago, that the time has come when,
| more than ever before, our citizens de.
mand good highways, and II must be
| our endeavor 10 use whatsoever high
way appropriations shall be made for
| the permanent improvement of streets
and In such q manner that, by the
| continuance of the methods used, the
streets ,of our city will gradually be
| brought up to q well graded, smooth,
| dry, and permanently good condition.
| We have not accomplished as much In
| the last year as had been my ambition
| In relation to the permanent improve
| ment of our highways, but Il must be
borne In mind that the most Of our
appropriation has been used In the re-
| pairing OF the approaches TO the city
| rather than In the repairing OF the inss
side city streets. believe that II
| would DO economy for the city 70 pur-
chase . crushes and roller and thereby
b in position 70 place such material
| upon our streets that our each and ev-
cry expenditure shall be for permanent
good, mot simply 70 temporarily nll
the holes.
We must, 1t our adjourned annual
meeting In March, arrange for side
| walks near the Smith street school In
accordance with the recommendation
| Of my last message.
WATER SUPPLY
The action Of the city In voting 10
| install 4 water plant Of its own has OBJ
| Waited the necessity Of making con-
tract with the Putnam Water Compa-
nv. A Board OF Water Commission
eFs has been appointed, the Putnam
Water Company has rendered Its plant
to the city, and negotiations are now
| in progress for the purchase OF the
plant by the city.
SEWERAGE
Our citizens very emphatically vot-
| ed In favor Of sewers. We have conf
pleted the main trunk line from the
Convent TO the river, have built river
crossing, and have arranged for and
largely constructed the trunk line from
the river atBullOck street 70 the outlet,
which il 10 located that no city prop
erty will be disturbed by the drainage
OF the sewers into the river. The part
Of the main sewer not yet constructed
was contracted 20 have been finished
BY January LIST, 1911, but II will take
some time 70 complete 1t. l recommend
that sewers be built within the social
cd Arch Street District this spring and
that the sewers west Of the river be ex.
tended and, II possible, thst the main
line be built from the New High6chool
10 the present sewer At the corner Of
Water and Bullock streets. We are TO
be congratulated upon our success In
| the sewer work.
ORDINANCES
In my message OF year ago | rec
commended that the ordinances Of the
city be coilated and revised. On &C.
count Of the fact that we have voted
| 10 install water system, IL has been
| deemed best to so revise the ordinan.
ces as TO cover all things relating 10 the
se wer system and water works, AS well
| as the matters already covered by our
existing ordinances, and a proposed
| draft OF ordinances Will, | understand,
| be forthcoming at the proper'time.
| REVISION OF CHARTER
A wear ago also recommended the
| revision OF the city charter. | deem II
| wise that the charter be so amended by
| this session OF the legislature that II
shall be clear In regard TO our sewer
| rights. the assessments for sewers, the
| layout OF highways, and that the In
consistencies in the charter be dis
pensed with. Acting in accordance
with the recommendation in my last
| message, q committee was appointed
10 redraft the charter OF the city and
thereby consolidate town and city COY.
ernments. 1t seems that this vii! be
1 i'm possible 10 mpiish u this ses-
| sion OF the legislature. ] therefore rec
ommend that for the present 81 least.
our charter be revised 50 ~ to be con.
siatent. and so ~ to be = clear and abb
solute guide TO this Council In the mat
ter az e wer construction and the as
ressments for sewers, and In the mat.
ter OF the layout OF highways and the
assessments OF benefits and damages
caused thereby, and ask for authori-
" 70 employ counsel 70 present = draft
Of : revived charter TO this Council for
lis sction, the same 20 be presented TO
this council not later than 1t It's segu,
lar meeting In February, 1911.
SUNDAY OBSERVANCE
In my message Of year ago said
oonsaderabIe abouf5Sundsy 0bsefyance.
and " ere 70 b. congratulated upon
TIE fast that this city u mot open 70
cnticism upon the iway In which ~
| haye handled the question Of sunday
ohssrvanee dudng the past year.
VIEE DEPARTMENT