Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1925-01-06

6136.11 square yards for which we
laid them $17,244.l6. This amount
was paid from q joint fund made up
as follows: For this work we re-
ceived from the State S7,52S33. from
the Androscoggin and kennebec
Railway Co. $1.265.79 and the city
paying $S,450.04. In addition to this,
the city furnished the gravel but has
an asset in unused paving blocks
worth between S2500.0O0 and $4,000 90.
This past year the City has put
out about 1900 cubic yards OF
gravel. If this gravel had to be pur-
chased at S1.75 per cubic yard, 1t
would have cost the City Sl9,25O0o
but last spring we bought a gravel
loader. which male saving to the
City in labor. and increased the ett-
cheney of the trucks and teams in
time saved. of soc per cubic yard
over loading 1t by hand, total saw
ing of S5,500.00 on $4,000 invest
ment which the loader Ssost. When
it is working again in the spring, YOU
should visit the gravel pit and see FOR
yourselves what an efficient piece OF
apparatus this is.
Your City Government put through
a new ordinance in July. effective
August 1st, to control the distribute
ing of the surface of the streets for
! the purpose of digging trenches
such as opening the streets for gas,
sewer, or water. and so far, the rev
enue received has been slS617. We
can readily see that if this had been
/ collected in wears past and placed to
the credit of the Department, the
paving of Water street this summer
| would not have cost the tax payers
of Gardiner a dollar.
l do not have to give a detailed &C
count of the work done on our streets
which is evident to everyone. l have
nothing but the highest Of praise for
! Commissioner Byon +. Jose. for the
! cry efficient manner in which lie has
| handled his departments. II ! went
! into it in detail / could show you
| where he has saved the City thous-
| anis Of dollars this past year. he
| has been a great help TO the Mayor
| and Aldermen where the advice OF
n trained man in these departments
| was needed. I would recommend
| that we extend the work which we
! have started. the coming year. we
! have found that the use or tar proh-
net and calcium chloride not only re-
! licved the dust nuisance hut aHectei
| great economy for the City in Eol1-
i ing the surface of the street ana re-
| ducing the cost of maintenance
| would suggest that we do some
| thing this year in improving some
/! of the dangerous corners in our City
| as we owe it to the travelling public
TO make our streets as safe for them
as we possibly can. | would also
| suggest that the hill at the foot or
| Vine street be cut down to make an
| eos ier haul to and from the freight
| depot. this improvement could be el :
fectej at a very small cost and l
| also recommend we improve the
curve leading into Vine street. l
would further recommend that we
continue working toward permanent
| walks which will ultimately give us
| better walks and reduce the main
| tcnance charges.
| The City has Mr.. r. 2. Hazard TO
! thank for constructing a very me
sidewalk on Winter st. and putting
| in the cobblestone drain-the Guy
| only furnishing the gravel and stone
Mr. Hazard paying for the labor
ard cement, himself. The thanks or
| the City are also due his company
for the new side walk on Water St,
also Mr.. +. y. Boston for putting in
Il new sidewalk on Dennis & Vine
SITS. paying the expense, himself, OK
| cept a little material furnished by
| the City.
! Fire Department
Our Fire Department this year has
made a wonderful showing. 1t has
responded to 100 calls and has kept
the fire loss down to approximately
S20. 10000. The morale of the men
is fine and under the efficient direc-
ION of Chief Dunn, they have made
so..e wonderful stops, keeping the
fire loss down to a minimum.
We have added to the Department
, this year, two new pieces of motor
lied equipment. one being new
hose truck for the Alert Hose Com
pany. This Company has raised al
most the entire amount necessary TO
purchase this truck. themselves, by
putting in money of their own and
by public subscription.
They are deserving a lot of credit.
The Department in South Gardiner
also raised part of the purchase price
oc their new hose truck and chem
ical. Quite a lot has been added to
the Department in new equipment;
the City also purchased 700 fit. of 2i2
in. double jacket hose. The men of
interest in repairing and painting
their quarters, thmselves. Chief
Dunn and his men are to be con-
graduated on the very splendid work
they have done this year, so that
now the City has a Fire Department
to be proud of.
Police Department
This year, the City furnished their
police officers with new revolvers,
handouts, and flash lights. Our po-
lice and traffic officers have done
good work this past year and life
and property have been we'll protect
ed within our City.
Sewer Department
This year, / would recommend that
we put in new sewers on Spring,
Clinton and Deane streets, also Lin
coin Avenue.
Library
Our Public Library is a universal
benefit to all of our citizens and Is
doing a splendid work; you all have
reason to feel proud of the work car
ried on there. 1t is fast becoming
the evening school of the public and
most of our people are beginning to
realize the educational benefit of this
institution. There are zoo children
enrolled this year in the Juvenile
Dept. alone. The system used in our
Library is the same that is used in
larger cities. Miss Bartlett and her
assistants have raised about $1,000
which they have turned into the city