New Britain herald., 1915-04-28
DISTRIBUTION Of
WIRES UP AGAIN
Public Works Board Will Canvass
Lafayette St. Property Owners.

In order to learn whether property
owners on Lafayette street favor OF
ephone wires the board of public
works Will make a canvass of the
street. This was decided last evening,
following a discussion regarding the
laying of Il subway. President IL. N.
Humphrey was of the opinion that
the companies using wires could be
forced to put them in the conduits but
! City Engineer Hall pointed out that
! this did not conform with the opinion
| of Corporation Council Cooper in re-
spect to situation in Franklin Square
| when companies distributed their esr-
| vice through back yards. A canvass
by the Southern New England Tele-
phone company is said to have shown
that there was no objection on the
part Of property owners to the use Of
back yards.
The city will lay the conduits in
Lafayette street and City Engineer
Hall will be in charge. 1t is estimnt-
cd that $1,000 will be saved by tho
city If it does it's own construction
work.
City Engineer Hall asked the board
for a schedule for macadamizing
streets and 1t was decided to macad-
amize Myrtle street from Burritt to
Curtis streets, and Gold, Kelsey and
Harvard streets in their proper turn
It was voted to extend the sewer in
Cemetery lane to the south line Of the
Burns property.
Petitions Received.
The following petitions were re-
ceived: extension of water main and
sewer in High street, hearing ordered;
water main on DAILY street from Oak
to Wilcox street, hearing ordered; ac-
ceptance of DAILY street from Oak to
Wilcox street, referred to city engi-
near; cinder walk on Clark street
northerly to I-aSalle street, laid on
table; removal of dead tree in front
Of 27 Dewey street, referred to city II
gineer; sewer in Lawlor street to AL
len street, laid over for inspection;
light on Connecticut avenue, laid over
for inspection; sprinkling of Adams
street, hearing ordered; curbing and
macadamizing Broad street from Sill
Yer to Burritt streets, hearing or
dered; by Southern New England Tel
ephone company for permission to set
poles in Market street, referred to city
engineer, and superintendent of wires
with power.
Part of Money Held Up.
The II. e. Hall company communi-
Gated with the board, stating that the
city had held back s72.25 on a con-
tract for a bridge and walks on Nc
Clintock street.
The company complained that the
work had been done under the super
vision Of ex-City En- gineer Oldershaw
or his deputies and that it was the
city's fault If the work was not done
properly It developed that a FIVE
foot rather than a nine foot walk had
been built and the company claimed
that the five foot walk was staked
out. City Engineer Hall stated that
the blue print showed a nine foot
walk but no width was called for in
the specifications.
The matter was referred to City
Engineer Hall.
The board decided to order a car
of street oil at an expense not to ex-
coed $500. 1t was decided also to
recommend to the council the pur-
chase of two more cars,
A request was received from the
Connecticut Quarries company for the
certified check for $500 rendered with
the bid for the crushed stone con-
tract.
Permanent Repair Gang.
President Humphrey brought up the
project of having a separate gang OF
workmen which could devote all its
energy to repairing macadam streets.
City Engineer Hall did not see the
need of such a gang and he said it
would be necessary to buy new
roller for such a squad.
President Humphrey spoke at
length in support of his plan, which
was a Stitch in time" policy. Little
ceeps in macadam street, If neglected.
grow to large gulleys, he said. and
many streets could be saved If flaws
were attended to promptly.
Commissioner Downes called atten-
ton to the fact that there are many
defects in macadam between trolley
tracks.
City Engineer Hall estimated that a