Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-05-06


dump at Royal Park. However, the
dumping ground of the city is very
rapidly growing smaller and II is only
matter OF a short time before the city
will have to adopt other methods OF gar
base disposal.
Street Cleaning and oiIins Service.
The only appropriation particularly
designated which would come under this
service Is Sweeping of Water Street
which of course is limited in its scope.
Under this service however. shall con-
slider what believe belongs to 1t.
mind are rather crude snd likewise
costly. There are several machines and
appliances for this purpose upon the
market which are comparatively mex
pensive and which will undoubtedly pay
for themselves In d short time. 1t would
be a. step In the direction of economy to
at least give them thorough trial.
Water street has been swept by hand
and at intervals with street sweeper.
but with the increasing amount of paw
ing to be kept clean other means must
be adopted.
Our oiling service has been somewhat
limited, it being confined practically TO
Water street. A portion of State street
from the Augusta House south has, how
ever received an application OF oil which
was paid for by the abubting property
owners. This service has been partially
successful, but can be and will be greatly
improved by the use of sprinkler at
pressure thereby giving more uniform
distribution and forcing 1t into the pores
of the roadbed.
There seems to be an increasing de-
mand for attention by the city to the
question of Dust Prevention upon our
residential streets. l believe this aues-
ton Will bear due consideration on the
part of the committee and more salts
factory solution to the problem adopted.
There are several different methods and
processes of dust prevention at the pres
ent. time passing through various ex-
perimental stages A study of the publ
cations issued by the Office of Public
Roads at Washington, d. c., will give an
idea of results obtained by that office.
Sewer Service.
There has been constructed this year
two sewers, Lincoln street, 1857 feet In
length and Grand street, 2ls feet long A
map Is being prepared showing the sewer
system OF the city already constructed.
Whlch VIII enable the committee and de-
partment to make a more comprehensive
study of the needs of the city in this
service. A number OF new catch basins
have been built. Several were rebuilt on
the south side of Western avenue be-
cause they extended too far into the
Travelled way with the new alignment of
the street
There are great many more needed
In various parts of the district, which
will more than save their cost in times
of heavy rainfall by preventing wash
outs and damage to the streets.
1t is my belief, based upon the follow
ing figures, that the city has been rather
backward in its sewer construction and
has not kept pace with other improve
ments in this important service 1t
might be interesting to note that during
the past ten years there have been built
1874 miles of sewer making a total at the
beginning of the present year of 1881
miles of sewers During that same pc
riod there has been accepted one mile
StfAets a of
miles AT this same rate of progress,
that is, building approximately one half
mile OF sewer each year, 1t will require
Is years to complete our sewer system,
and even this. cannot be done upon the
appropriation OF the last few years and
still maintain our present system.
Snow Service.
This service is probably the source of
more trouble and is harder to cope with
than any other All money spent in this
service is necessarily of a temporary
character and our only chance of i'm
chanical devices which we use. and. as
treiric requires. more extended patrol
system.
A snow pillow or rather scraper which
seems to have been quite commonly
adopted in other sections of the country
Is sort of two wheel grader which Is
apparently giving highly pleasing re-
suits. ! would therefore recommend the
purchase OF at least one and give 1t
thorough trial
Upon our country roads a large wooden
roller seems to give the best results for
a snow road and as at present we have
but two for use, / would recommend
that two more be constructed for another
season.
Conclusion.
/ am aware that this report is some
what more extended than the usual Gus
tom demands, but there are few things
/ wish to call to the attention of those
who are sufficiently interested to read
this report.
First, | believe an accounting system
should be established. A system of keep
ing records of work done. costs, plans,
estimates and much other information
which is essential to the establishment of
this department upon a business basis.
And to that end l am now preparing
forms and methods for gaining such in
formation because ! believe IT to be
business policy, pure and simple.
Consider for moment corporation
doing business whose expenditures
amount to from $4,000 to s225.0o0 yearly.
How long would successful business
man allow department of that corpora
ton to continue to expend from $4,000 to
$4,000 yearly without first investigating
conditions governing such expenditures
and gathering all data possible to aid in
the most economical and advantageous
manner of distribution of such funds.
And then would he not provide method
phases of the work that he might
strengthen any weaknesses that might
appear.
This leads me to my next recommends
ton that plans and profiles of all our
country roads be made. because II is
about these that we know the least,
which will enable US to correct the most
serious defects In grades and drainage
facilities and thereby gradually overcome
defects which are now treated by the
hit-or-niss method. We can then frame
and adopt policy as regards our road
system and work toward an end in view.
This cannot all be done in a short pc
Rod of time and miracles wrought, mas
much as meanwhile We have got to con-
tinue our maintenance and construction
operations under the old system until
we can accumulate sufficient information
upon which to base our future policy.
No one is to blame for our present
methods because Ii seems 10 have been
a universal condition of affairs and no
one has thought until recently to apply
business principles to our departments of
government.
To those who may be interested ! rec
ommend these suggestions for serious
consideration. and should you desire TO
make your appropriations accordingly !
would recommend the following sub
divisions:
MENT. TJiorhU A dn1inis-