and that they should stand the test of time and use before being generally adopted. There has also been tried as an experiment, about sixteen hundred yards of the Concrete Pavement, viz: five hundred and seven-six yards on Myrtle and Joy streets, two hundred and ninety-one yards on State street, and seven hundred and thirtythree yards on Maverick square, East Boston; but no satisfactory decision in regard to it can be reached until it has been thoroughly tested.

By an order passed by the Board of Aldermen on the twenty-second of December, 1868, the Superintendent of Streets was authorized, under the direction of the Committee on Paving, to build Atlantic avenue. Plans and specifications for the sea-wall having been drawn by the City Engineer and approved by the Harbor Commissioners, proposals for building the same were advertised for and received, and the contract awarded to Messrs. Boynton Brothers, they being the lowest responsible bidders. The wall is to be completed by the first of May. A contract was also made by the Committee on Paving, with Mr. B. N. Farren, of Greenfield, for the grading of the avenue with earth from Fort Hill. This work is to be completed on the first of

September; and in all probability the whole avenue will be graded and paved before the expiration of the present year.

After the raising of the houses on the Church street district had been nearly completed, the paving of the streets was given was given in charge of the Superintendent of Streets, acting under the direction of a sub-committee on the Church street district. On this territory eleven thousand three hundred and ninety-three feet of edge stones have been set, and four thousand six hundred and sixty-six yards of round stone, six thousand three hundred and seventy-four yards of block stone, and five thousand seven hundred and thirty-four yards of brick sidewalks have been laid, and the expense thereof charged to the appropriation for the Church street District. The raising of this territory also necessitated the raising of Tremont street, and when this was done, the street was paved with the Paul wooden pavement, at an expense of eight thousand nine hundred and ninetyone dollars (not including the amount paid by the Metropolitan Railroad for having the space occupied by their tracks), and charged to the same appropriation.

By an order passed by the Board of Aldermen,

and approved on the fourth of May last, the building of the Broadway bridge was placed in charge of the Committee on Paving. Plans and specifications for an iron bridge were presented by the Moseley Iron Building Works, which being satisfactory to the committee, were referred to Major General Foster, T. Willis Pratt, Civil Engineer, and to the City Engineer, for their examination, and were approved by them in writing. It being required by Chapter 188 of the Acts of 1866, that the structure over Fort Point Channel should be erected under the direction and supervision of the Board of Harbor Commissioners, the plans and specifications were sent to them for their approval. After a delay of several weeks, the specifications were returned to the committee very materially altered, and they were required to have new plans drawn to conform to the new specifications, which caused still further delay. The contract for building the iron bridge was awarded to the Moseley Iron Building Work, their proposal (three hundred and thirty-one thousand seven hundred and eight dollars and seventy-six cents), being about forty-three thousand dollars less than that of the next higher bidder; and the contract for the stone abutments was awarded to Messrs. Clapp and Ballou.

The building of this bridge is now in progress, and the structure promises to be of great strength, durability and beauty. In its construction special regard has been had to the dimensions, location, and mechanism of its draw and piers, in their relation to the navigation of Fort Point Channel, and the maintenance and development of the commercial advantages and value of South Bay. It is confidently expected that this bridge will be completed and the Broadway extension open for travel, early the coming season.

The annexation of Dorchester to Boston will increase the operations of the Paving Department very considerably. The necessity of properly constructing, and maintaining in good condition the principal highways leading from the city proper, through that territory, as well as those through the Highlands, and the Mildam road to Brookline, is becoming more apparent every day.

A large number of petitions for improvements on the streets, and for grading and paving streets recently laid out as public highways, and which it was impossible to attend to during the last season for want of time and the necessary means, have been referred to the present government, and it is to be hoped that they will receive your earliest consideration.

SEWERS.

The expenditures in this department have increased with the expanse of territory and the extension of the water supply, so that facilities for drainage can hardly be supplied as fast as demanded by the inhabitants. In addition to the extension of the regular sewerage system, chiefly in the Highlands, it has been necessary during the year to construct large works for intercepting the drainage of the basin enclosed by Atlantic avenue, so as to permit the filling of the docks. The cost of this work, when completed during the coming year, is, by act of the legislature, to be assessed upon the wharf property, and repaid to the city.

A large sewer has been nearly finished in Concord street, which it is hoped will favorably affect the drainage at the South End, so far as the evils resulting from too low a grade can be remedied by ordinary appliances.

The Church street district has been supplied with new sewers at a higher level, and is now adjacent territory,

effectually drained; but the

known as the Suffolk street district, is suffering from the same causes, and demands the same efficient remedy.