Daily Kennebec journal., 1918-06-15
REPORTS OF
CITY OFFICIALS

Printed copies of the reports of tn > |
various city officials are very limited
this year. The reports, however, con- |
tam much of interest TO the citizens |
and taxpayers.
The report of Chief Engineer Neal !
shows that there have been is |
alarms of fire. 10 still alarms and
eight general. The losses and insur-
ance was as follows: Value of build
ings S3l, 100; value OF contents. SIC, n
damage to buildings. $6ss5l5 dam
age TO contents s6050.50; Insurance
insurance paid on buildings s6740. IS;
insurance paid on contents, s5841.01.
The building inspector reports
that there has been but little bullo-
ing in Gardiner during the past year.
The Gardiner General hospital and
one house on Clinton street being I'll.
These buildings have been erected in
conformity with the building ordi
rances Of the city. many chimneys
and buildings have been inspected. ,,
Alderman Russ Of the highway de
Iartment states that the department
haS done more work and with better
results than for some years and ttdS
is surprising especially when one.
considers the advanced price of ma
terials. Mechanic street has beal
transformed from bog hole 70 4
boulevard almost and a new side
iWaik -fiDm Hanleys creamery to
Brunswick avenue. From IS TO ~
miles of road has been turnpiked.
Three thousand five hundred tons Ell
gravel and crushed rock have been
used OE the city streets. Great M
prov mentS have been made IN
South Gardiner. Summer street fas
been cut down and graded. Wes'
street has been given coating OF
coal ashes and also the same on Pope
street and Harrison avenue. 4 con
crete fountain has been constructed
in Depot square at an expense OF ov4"
$500 Tar walks have been built On
Washington Fremont, River ard
: nool streets and also in Depot
square. Wooden walks, mostly oak,
kaVc been lard on many streets ana
numerous gravel walks have been re-
surfaced Alderman Russ also called
attention to the fact that the ap-
propria ton of his department had
been cut $500 and the Bridge stree
washout cost the city $40 New
tutmcnts were put onder the q. ana
r bridge. No new sewers Were
built
There were reported to the Gardi-
ner Board OF Health for the year
1917, 106 cases of small pox and 18
cases of chicken poX. The small pox
was of a mild type with no deaths
and not Il single complication. The
city physician paid 104 visits to the !
city poor and 80 to the aims house
The directors of the Gardiner Pub !
lie library report that 420 books have |
been added to the library shelves dur !
ing the past year. The total number /
of books in circulation during the !
year We're 26,5S3. Largest number in
moved from the shelves los. The /,
library was closed during the month ,
OF November, owing to an epidemic .
of small pox. This necessitated the |
burning Of IS books. One hundred |
novels and magazines have been |
sent to the soldiers.
Principal Chaffees report Of the I
High school is statistical in the fore
part. but interesting nevertheless, for .
it shows a decidedly healthy condi-
tion. The present senior class mum
bers 53 which is 81 pc cent Of the
number registered at the beginning of !
the course and - of these 53 are
original membership members Of the
class The Junior class has ISIS per
cent. of its original membership and
the sophOmores have 81 per cent val
liable reference and supplementary
works have ben addd 10 the school
library. Twcnty-eight boys and girls
completed garden and animal projects
under the direction OF the University
of Maine He notes the decline Of
interest in debating, making it neces-
Sary for the school to crop from the
Bates League. He touches on ath-
Ietics and interest in War work. He
detects a wholesome school spirit
becoming more apparent in its effect
on the school. Prof. Chaffee deplOreS
the existing conditions that make so
many changes in teachers necessary
but sees no chance for improvement
until the salaries have increased and
the hN2lenlc cOndlllonS ~ lHc SCHool
building have been made suitable tor
more effective work Then he gives
us the following and with him we all
agree: To state it briefly, it would
be sufficient to say that we lack
suitable building and equipment with
which to do school WORK. The young
people OF Gardiner High school are
not receiving the advantages which
they should from thei" high school
course 1t is the duty Of every par !
ent and friend of education 70 see i
that conditions are such that the ad-
vantages which their boys and girls .
receive are comparable 10 those given !
to the young people of other places.
CHUDREN'S SUNDAY AT 1.