would tend to produce uniformity of action on the part of those three departments; and that the Committee on Streets should have power to employ one or more persons to assist them in their duties. This report was not made until December 31, too late for any action on the part of the City Council that year. In the following year, 1867, the subject of petitioning the Legislature for the passage of a law establishing a Board of Street Commissioners for the City of Boston, was referred to a Joint Special Committee; the report of that committee (which has not been printed) was submitted on the 30th of December, 1867. The committee say: "The proposition to appoint Commissioners meets with general approval. The only question is in regard to the powers with which they shall be intrusted. The appointment of Commissioners in other cities, with power to conduct certain departments, without the control of the City Council, has not been attended generally with satisfactory results. The energy and decision obtained are more than counterbalanced by a tendency on their part to magnify the office, and involve the city in heavy expenditures without regard to the wishes of the citizens. In our opinion, it would not be advisable for the City Council to petition the Legislature for a transfer to Commissioners of any powers now exercised by the Board of Aldermen." The Committee then recommend that Commissioners be appointed by the Mayor, and confirmed by the Board of Aldermen or the City Council, who should consider and report upon all questions in relation to widening and extending streets; and they state that such a Board could be established by ordinance without application to the Legislature. This report was accepted by the City Council. We have thus stated some of the action of previous governments, for the purpose of showing the importance of the subject, and the different views which are entertained upon the manner in which the Street Department should be managed in order to secure greater economy and efficiency. Clearly the subject is an important one, and the undersigned believe that it should receive more careful consideration, before any definite plan is adopted by the City Council, than the Committee on Ordinances have been enabled to bestow upon it. In order, therefore, that this matter, as well as others in regard to the amendment of the City Charter, may be examined more carefully, the undersigned would recommend the adoption of the following order. FRANCIS W. JACOBS, GILES H. RICH, Minority of the Committee on Ordinances. Ordered, That the whole subject of establishing a Board of Street Commissioners, and of amending the City Charter in other respects, be referred to a Special Committee, consisting of five on the part of the Common Council, with such as the Board of Aldermen may join. CITY OF BOSTON. To the City Council: THE Committee on Sewers were ordered early in the year to complete the system of surface drainage on Tremont street, above Dover street, and to construct a large sewer in Concord street, as measures for the better drainage of the low cellars at the South End. Towards the expense of this work there had previously been set apart the balance of the amount received by the city from the Water Power Company, for constructing certain sewers upon their lands, and known as the "Back Bay and Surface Drainage " revenue. It was thought that this amount of $43,232.15 would cover all the expense of the work that could be done this year, but it was deemed advisable by the Committee, though exhausting the fund, to push the Concord street sewer as far as Tremont street, so that it could be available to the general drainage during the winter. The expense incurred exceeds the balance of the appropriation by the sum of $11,500, which amount the Committee ask to have transferred to this account. The expenses have been as follows, viz: For 2,300 feet sewers in Tremont street and Total Special appropriation Deficiency $7,374.52 47,127.71 54,501.23 43,232.15 $11,269.08 |