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The University of Maine DigitalCommons@UMaine Maine Town Documents Maine Government Documents 1885 Twenty-Second Annual Report of the Receipts and Expenditures of the City of Lewiston for the Fiscal Year Ending February 28, 1885; Together with Other Annual Reports and Papers Relating to the Affairs of the City Lewiston (Me.) Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/towndocs Repository Citation Lewiston (Me.), "Twenty-Second Annual Report of the Receipts and Expenditures of the City of Lewiston for the Fiscal Year Ending February 28, 1885; Together with Other Annual Reports and Papers Relating to the Affairs of the City" (1885). Maine Town Documents. 4586. https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/towndocs/4586 This Report is brought to you for free and open access by DigitalCommons@UMaine. It has been accepted for inclusion in Maine Town Documents by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@UMaine. For more information, please contact [email protected]. TWENTY-SECOND ANNUAL r e p o r t O F T H E RECEIPTS FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING FEBRUARY 28, TOGETHER WITH OTHER ANNUAL REPORTS AND papers RELATING TO THE AFFAIRS OF THE CITY. LEWISTON, ME.: PRINTED AT THE GAZETTE OFFICE 1885. > CITY OF LEWISTON / ^ S I n B o a r d o f M a y o r a n d A l d e r m e n , March. 16, 1885. } O r d e r e d , The Common Council concurring, that the Committee on Printing be authorized to have fourteen hundred (1400) copies of City Reports printed, the cost of same to be charged to appropriation for printing when made. Read twice under suspension of the rules, passed, and sent down. W. J. RODICK, City Clerk. In C o m m o n C o u n c i l , March 16,1885. Read twice under suspension of the rules, and passed in concurrence. F. X . BELLEATJ, Clerk. ERRATA: Page 3.— Under head of Liabilities, last line, instead of $20,000 read $200,000. The footing should read $1,040,000. Page 34.— Under head of State Tax, first line, instead of $13,747.60 read $38,118.94. MAYOR’S ADDRESS. Gentlemen of the City Council: In conformity to the provisions of our city charter, we are assembled here to take the oath of office and to assume the duties and responsibilities of our municipal affairs for the ensuing year. Let this not be to our constituents a case of misplaced confidence. My first duty will be to pre. sent to you the financial standing of our city. LIABILITIES. 6 per cent, bonds due in 1888, $50,000 4 per cent, bonds due in 1893, 100,000 4 1-2 per cent, bonds due in 1894, 80,000 5 per cent, bonds due in 1897, 100,000 4 1-2 per cent, bonds due in 1899, 51,000 6 per cent, bonds due in 1901, 185,000 5,'per cent, bonds due in 1907, 174,000 4 per cent, bonds due in 1913, 100,000 5 per cent, bonds due in 1917, 20,000 $380,000 The $30,000 in bonds which would have become due this year was in the sinking fund, and by order of the city gov­ ernment the bonds were taken out and destroyed. RESOURCES. Municipal sinking fund, $67,863.03 Water loan sinking fund, 35,188.75 Tax deeds, 3,007.51 4 CITY OF LEWISTON. Uncollected taxes, 45,154.21 Cash in treasury, 15,549.83 2249 shares in L. & A. R. R., 224,900.00 $391,663.33 Net debt, $648,336.6*7 The 2249 shares in the Lewiston & Auburn R. R., have never before been placed in the list of resources, but I can see no good reason why they should not be, as they could not only be sold to day at par, but a large premium could be realized. The mortgageo o bonds on said road become due next February, and I would recommend that the money be taken from the sinking fund to pay our proportional part and that the rental of the road be received direct into said fund, thei 1 making an investment for said fund at a bett< ate of interest than the committee are, or have been, enabled to make for years past. Next I would call your attention to the assessors and the assessment of taxes. In the past, the valuations have large­ ly been taken from old valuation books, and the polls from directories. This should not be. You should select for assessors men of sound judgment, men whose judgment can­ not be swayed by prejudice or friendship, pay them a fair compensation for their services, and demand of them some ser­ vice in return. They should be required to examine property and judge for themselves, from their own knowledge and from what they can obtain upon inquiry from persons competent to judge, for inequalit}r of valuations makes taxes onerous, burdensome and unjust. I would also advise that the assessors be required to be in their office certain stated days in each week to receive evidence on abatements and to give parties receiving them (if they can be found) certificates of the same; also to give such other information as is constantly being called for. The depression in business for the past few years has caused a great shrinkage in values of all kinds of property, mayor’s address. 5 consequently lessened the valuation, while during the same time the percentage has been reduced, but the poor man’s tax (viz. his poll) has remained the same. I therefore would most eaimestly advise, gentlemen, that you take such action in the matter as will reduce the poll tax from three dollars to two dollars. FIRE DEPARTMENT. This department is the pride of our city and the admiration of the state. Its excellent condition and efficiency have been brought about by the untiring efforts of the chief engineer* I would recommend a liberal appropriation, and also a close scrutiny of all expenditures. I am informed by the chief that the committee has contracted for a new hose wagon at an expense of $500. without authorit}T from the city govern­ ment. This is certainly in violation of the rules adopted by the city government which expressly declare that no com­ mittee shall expend more than $200 for any one purchase without premission from the city council; but if it is what is needed (and I am informed by the chief that it is) I should advise to accept it and pay for it. HIGHWAYS. I know of nothing in this department calling for any larger appropriation than that made for last year. Broad street bridge will require planking but a special appropria­ tion for this and similar expenditures will probably be made, as in foi’mer years. I would recommend on all roads in the rural portion of the city (where it can be) that the road machine be used, thereby securing better roads at less cost to the city than by the present method. We should also pay more attention to the building and keeping in repair our sidewalks and crossings. A large majority of our popu­ lation are laborers and mill operatives, who travel to and from their work on foot; consequently we should for their comfort build, each year, all the walks that our appropriation will allow, and the commissioner should be required to clean 6 CITY OF LEWISTON. or clear them from snow (when occasion demands it) in season for the morning travel as well as for evening. POLICE. This department has been for the past year without a regularly appointed head (viz. a marshal), consequently has become somewhat like Artemas Ward’s military company, “ all captains, no privates.” Each officer should strictly obey the orders of the marshal, should take all orders from him or through some officer under him. Avoid all others seeking to give advice or orders for they do it from no other motive than to stir up strife and contention and to break up the discipline of the force. The mayor and aldermen should stand squarely behind each and every officer in the faithful discharge o£ips duty; throw around him every possible pro­ tection, and provide suitably for his wants and comfort, and demand a strict obedience to the rules and regulations of the department. SEWERS. There will probably be a large call for an extensive out­ lay in this department, partly on account of the large in­ crease in the number of water takers and partly on ac­ count of “prospective cholera.” I would therefore advise a generous appropriation for this department. I also think that if the price of permits were reduced to a nominal sum the sanitary condition of the city would be greatly improved. WATER DEPARTMENT. This department is second to none in the state and I might say in the New England States. The city has re­ ceived for the past year a revenue from this department equal to five per cent, on its entire cost. It must be very gratifying to those gentlemen of the water board who com­ menced with this department in its infancy, to witness the result of their labors to-day; and certainly every citizen m a y o r ’s a d d r e s s . 7 ought to feel thankful and hold in high esteem those gentle­ men who have given their time and labor Avithout any other reward than that of securing to their fellow men one of the greatest blessings on earth viz.

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