New Britain herald., 1916-05-18


 and the citizens and taxpayers or the city can now point with a feeling of pride to our many fine streets and street improVeme
 Too much cannot be said in praise of the work of our city engineer who by this change, inaugurated two years ago, has had the direction of all the work done by the board of public works. He has been pains taking, careful and economical in his management and l feel that the city is indeed fortunate in obtaining the services of our present city engineer.
 Many of our streets are in need of attention and it is the plan of the board to place in good condition Ill the streets as far as their appropri2- ton will permit.
 I would recommend to you, to De included in next years estimates, the paving of Park and Myrtle streets. These streets are in bad condition and in view of the heavy traffic to which they are subjected. I believe it would be wise and economical to pave these streets, or at least Myrtle street with stone block pavement.
 A very advantageous contrast for the city was entered into upon the recommendation of City Engineer HalF with Warren Brothers company for the repair of the bitulithic pave ment laid in 1910, upon which the guarantee had expired, at cost of $594.4S or three cents per square yard per year for a two year period
 This relieves the city of the neces- sity, for at least two years of paw ing Main street
 l would recommend the further laying Of concrete pavements in cer- tain streets because I firmly believe this pavement in spite of criticism of durable pavement
 Assessment for So-CaIled Semi-Per-
 manent Pavement.
 The problem for a cheaper, and at the same time durable pavement, other than the so-called permanent pavement for streets where it is not wise to use macadam, presents some difficulties but which, I believe, can De easily overcome by an assessment for the laying of the sO-called semi permanent pavement
 The laying of permanent or semi permanent pavement on a street en- hances the value of property on the street and 1t also requires daily su- pervision, therefore, I believe an as sessment should be laid for semi permanent pavement according to the cost of the pavement.
 The Lafayette street pavement should not be assessed against the property owners at the rate of $50 per foot as in the case with perma- nent pavement, but should be as- sessed upon the cost, which I believe is also the stand taken by the board Of compensation and assessment.
 I have discussed this matter with the city engineer and the corporation counsel and they agreed that some form of assessment should be levied fer semi-permanent pavement.
 I would therefore recommend this m alter of assessment to your honor able body for consideration.
 Subway Extensions.
 Objections have been raised to the further extension of the so-called subway system.
 The reason for this objecton was that the income from subway rents would not take care of the interest and bond paym ments.
 After carefully Investigating this matter the city engineer reported that the reason for this was the high cost of construction of our subway system and until a more economical manner and method of construction was devised and carried out We would continue to show a deficit in the sub way department.
 The suggestion was made by the city engineer that future subway eX- tensions be constructed by the city and when the extensions were ordered by your honorable body in Lafayette, and Elm streets they were 1 built by the city under the direction i of the city engineer
 The results amply justify the con- 1 tention of the city engineer that i the enormous profits out of all pro- 1 portion to the amount of work done | had been made by the contractors ! doing the work
 The city saved several thousand { dollars reducing the cost from 50 to l 60 cents per duct foot to 25 to 90 1 cents per duct foot
 We can therefore presume that ! future extensions will be built by the i city and the deficit in this depart ment removed.
 New White Way.
 All credit should be given to the board of public works and the city engineer in devising the proposed | plan of street lighting for the ccn- tral streets, to be known as the White Way.
 It is proposed to install S5 new arc lights operated upon a direct surrent, five amperes With efficiency electors, lights similar to those recently installed in Waterbury and New Haven.
 The lights will be placed on fOur-