The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1918-01-16

parties have manifested spirit OF fair
ness and justice in meeting the ney
problems that have arisen.
In spite Of the unsettled conditions o
the labor and material markets, we haY'
been able 10 carry 10 completion SOM
very necessary and important improve
, ments. The South Main street paving
project that has engaged the attention
OF your city councils for a number o.
years, aud has been delayed from numer
Gus causes, has been successfully com
pleted A reinforced concrete pavement
has been built on North Main street
which should be "a source Of satisfaction
and pride to our citizens, as we now
have continuous permanent pavement
of the best class on our Main street from
Second street To Ayers street, distance
of l.4l miles. | trust that as soon as
conditions permit, means will be found
not only 10 construct new bridge on
South Main street, but To extend our
permanent pavement TO the top of Jock
ey Hollow hill, and from its present ter.
minus on North Main street to the ma
cadam road, thus giving us an unlnter-
rupted stretch Of permanent street ON
Main street from city line 10 city line.
The street department has made a re-
markably good showing under adverse
conditions. The Branch street retaining
wall which was started under the pre-
vious administration has been completed
and while a heavy drain on the appro.
priation, il is built in a permanent man
ner and is we'll worth the expense. This
department has also installed a modern
stone crushing plant at cost of $500
that is giving satisfactory service and is
producing a sufficient quantity OF stone
to care for our needs for some time TO
come. We feel that the expenditure for
this purpose will commend itself to all of
our citizens, This plant furnished about
1000 tons of stone for the work on North
Main street, which was done by city
forces. and about $3.50 tons for the foun-
dation of the South Main street pave
ment, besides the usual amount used for
maintenance purposes.
Besides the work done on Main street.
previously mentioned, upper Brook street
and Merchant street have been resur-
faced with gravel, putting this portion of
the road in the best of condition. Con
crete cutters have been built ON a mum |
Der of our hill streets. The maintenance |
expense of this department has been I'M |
usually heavy due TO number of severe |
freshets, and the early and excessive fall |
of snow. | believe that the majority of |
our streets were in exceptionally good /
at the beginning of the winter.
Owing to the unavoidable delay in
starting the permanent work on streets,
we were unable TO have it completed in
line for assessments to be levied on the
AUDITORS this year but it is expected the
amount to be paid by the AUDITORS and
street railway company win be about
$4,000. We should also have received
tbont S2,475 from the state for work
lone this year, but owing to the reasons
Ibove stated we will not receive it until
9ls, although it should be credited to
OH, There is also large amount of
material on hand which was bought in
OIL, but will not be used until 1918.
Nothing was done this year on the
south Main street bridge on account
# the delay in paving and also on ac-
cunt of the stringency in the money i
market n
The improvements started on the wa
er system during the previous year have !
cen partly carried out this year but on
ccount of the break in the Bolster reser- | !
DIR during the winter and the large ex
ense entailed in repairing the same, ii | ]
'as not deemed advisable to fully com I
lete the other Improvements this year i
he income of this department during I
be last two years has come within ST. I
81 SO of meeting all expenses and i'm
which indicates that the in
Dme for 1918 will meet all current ex.
enses and complete the improvements
eretofore planned without recourse TO a
ond issue as originally intended, This s
i'll necessitate the payment this year of s
lie notes issued in anticipation of issu p
& bonds from this years income. J.
This department. in common with S
ost OF the others, was handicapped by s.
lie scarcity Of labor and the high price S,
supplies, yet succeeded in accomplish 81
z practically all the work laid out for b
and still turned in a net amount of r
l27 to the city treasurer. "
The fire department has maintained its 81
additional record for efficient service, NJ
Ithout overrunning its appropriation. CT
lille our fire losses have been slightly ri
rger than the average, in no case has a p,
IS been due to the department, Officers H
ID men have eXerted themselves to the 81
most. and have made the department Pr
e of which our citizens may well be In
oud ST
The overdraft in the poor department Pr
directly due TO the continual increase q
the. number of cases provided for, and In
e increased cost of fuel and provisions. Ct
The charity committee and the over f,
er have investigated all cases thorough Te
watched expenditures carefully and On
We handled the situation in an efficient NJ
d economical manner. Economy can ID
t be practiced too closely at the ex- I'll
nse of causing unnecessary suffering So
long the unfortunate of our citizens. Dr
The police department has handled all As
uations in an able and efficient man Ba
r, and have kept within their appro- Ca
stion. | would urgently recommend &c
1t new quarters, in keeping with the Re
It of the city offices, be provided for HX
IS department. In,
The finance committee, III their recon- Ne
for 1917, stated that a tax !,
at least two dollars and sixty cents All
uld be required to carry out the pro- Re
I'm which they had laid out. and which
tried to carry out as fully a. possible Mi
that rate. After the estimates for
z had been made up, the state levied
irect state tax of twenty cents on the Inc
lar ana TINS we pau OUT q this year Elk