Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1926-02-03
WA1ERV|LLE HEAD
OF CITY MAKES
ANNUAL REPORT

The story of busy year in Water
| vflle's history was told at the monthly
meeting of the Waterville city govern
ment last evening in the annual report
of the mayor, DR.. Paul r. Baird. The
city fathers were in joint session while
the mayor read his address, which was
as follows:
To the members Of the City Council:
I have the honor to present at this
time brief summary of the work
of the city government during the
past IL months. While there have
been many things left undone that
we would like to have accomplished,
still l feel that with the increasing
/ demands made through traffic.
schools, and most other departments.
we have made a creditable showing.
! Streets
There has been one thing more
clearly demonstrated this year than
ever before and this is the fact that
dirt or gravel streets will not stand
the tremendous mount of motor
traffic of today and in time are more
expensive than concrete.
Poor Department
! Owing to labor conditions in the
factories this department has had
heavy burden to carry all of this
yearA Also the large number of con-
victions in violation of the Volstead
act have placed a large number of
families on the city for support.
Fire Department
| We found the condition and
amount of hose in use in this de-
partment in such poor condition that
it was necessary to purchase 1000
feet of hose carly in the year.
State Aid Roads
BY changing the location of state
aid roads from North street to Col
our legal appropriation we were able
to construct 1868 feet of concrete
street 20 feet wide at an expense of
$29,293, S15,97S of which was paid for
by the state.
Rubbish Removal
BY purchasing a truck especially
equipped to handle rubbish 1t has
been possible to handle I'll the rub
bish as scheduled taking the place Of
four horses which were unable to re-
move successfully the rubbish in six
days. The truck did the work in
| four days, the extra time being used
for work on the streets.
Sprinkling
| Due to the fact that sprinklng Of
streets had evolved from the appli-
j. cation of water on main streets as
of a few years ago to include the
application of tarvia. calcium Chlor-
ide and water together with any 9TH
err heavier binder that the city might
| see fit to USE, we abolished the So
called sprinkling tax and made APP
preparation for same under street
| ;rfn a O.
essary for application of such ma
terial as was formerly included I'M
der, the head of street sprinkling
amounted to about one mill of total
valuation.
| In order to take care Of the sprink-
| ling appropriation of $4,000 and an
| increase of $4,000 in our State and
| county taxes, some $4,000 of unpaid
bills left over from 1924 and the fact
! that the past administration left
deficit. of $4,000 we fere obliged to
raise the tax rate three mills. This
should have been done two years
ago.
Bridges
| When the frost came out last
spring it caved in the old abutment
| Of the Gilman street bridge. These
abutments have always been con-
structed of timbers laid crossways
or cribwork and had to be replaced
every eight years, consequently we
! built of concrete at cost of
! $2229.50 and feel that the present job
! IS practically permanent.
Sewers
We have constructed 1895 feet of
sewer this year and 20 new catch
basins at a cost of $500.
Snow Removal
Feeling that the light equipment
used in the pastto remove snow from
our streets and roads was inadequate
especially for auto travel, we con-
| tracted with the Lombard Traction
Engine Co. to remove snow from
some As miles of our streets and
county roads. l feel justified in say
ing that our roads are second to none
in this State and that the work has
been done at considerable less ex-
pense than formerly.
Finance
In order to successfully finance the
city the past year. it was necessary