USA > New Hampshire > Strafford County > Rochester > Annual report of the city of Rochester, New Hampshire : for the year ending 1914 > Part 1
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GEN
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 01868 8348
GC 974.202 R58, 1914
WILLIAM WRIGHT, MAYOR
Twenty-Third Annual Report
OF THE
City of Rochester NEW HAMPSHIRE
ROCHESTER
CHARTER 18
a
For the Year Ending December 31st Nineteen Hundred and Fourteen
THERE RD PRESS
Printer ROCHESTER. N.H
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Inaugural Address
By Mayor William Wright.
Gentlemen of the Council :-
My address to you at this time will of necessity be brief, as the needs and wants of our city are not well enough known by me to warrant my taking your time by talking on subjects in which you at this time have a better insight than I. But the hour and the occasion demand something from me at least in a general way; and in the future, if needs arise, I may address you more to the point of some definite object.
FINANCE.
In making the appropriations for the coming year you must ever keep in mind that the people demand of us economy and still in the same breath call for those things in municipal improvements that are commen- surate with a city of far larger resources. Right here I wish to recall to your remembrance that in the last six years from 1909 the appropriations have steadily increased from $98,405 in 1909 to $115,781 last year, an increase of $17,376. I present a summary of the financial condition of the city as gained from the records.
FINANCIAL STATEMENT, JAN. 1, 1915.
Notes outstanding, $187,720.42
Accrued interest on notes to date, 3,679.38
.
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Sewer bonds,
$13,000.00
Interest on sewer bonds,
227.50
City Hall bonds, Checks out unpaid,
53,000.00
1,967.92
Amount due water works on account,
7, 300.66
$266,895.88
Credit.
Boston and Maine R. R. stock,
$ 800.00
Amount due on sundry accounts,
283.10
Amount due on Collector's list, 1911,
136.74
Amount due on Collector's list, 1912,
517.81
Amount due on Collector's list, 1913,
530.01
Amount due on Collector's list, 1914,
28,913.40
Cash in hands of Treasurer,
6,606.19
$37,787.25
Net indebtedness, exclusive of water bonds, $229,108.63 Water bonds outstanding, $160,000.00
POLICE.
In the revision of the city ordinances quite an added duty has been placed on our police, especially in regard to the traffic laws on our streets; and this, taken with what is expected of them on the question which was so decidedly determined in the last Novem- ber election, ought to cause us to consider if we are not expecting too much of the small regular force that we have at our command to have any of it done to our satisfaction.
FIRE DEPARTMENT.
Our fire department is a volunteer body, and the services which they have rendered are not to be
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reckoned in current coin. Anything which will work to pull down the spirit of the organization should be avoided at all hazards.
At this point consideration should be given for proper protection to that part of the city containing the large mills and factories which I am informed is almost defenseless against fire, for these establish- ments are the support of about one-third of our population.
SCHOOLS.
The schools of our city to be an honor and a credit to the memory of that man, to whom they were his life work and who did so much for them in the past when the obstacles were so great, the late Henry Kimball, Esq., should not be content to be in the main body but in the fore of educational progress.
It will be a step in that direction when we can see our way to have, in the no distant future, a man as principal in each of the large buildings; as I believe it is well for the children to come under the instruction of men as well as of women in the lower grades since so many children leave at the completion of what is known as the Grammar grade, as well as for the benefit conferred upon those who enter the High School.
To my mind, the greatest drawback our schools are encountering is the inability to retain the teacher who shows his aptitude for the work, as other places offer better salaries than the School Board can give.
HIGHWAYS.
The needs of the highways and roads I am not in a position to discuss, but it is well to keep in mind that the prosperity of a community is judged by the
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condition of its roads, and the money expended thereon should be done in a systematic and equitable manner as to all parts of the city.
One thing that has been called to my attention is the lack of guide-boards along our highways for the convenience of the travelling public, and I trust the proper department will attend to this matter.
Gentlemen :-
We are here to act together as one body to govern and administer all the fiscal, prudential and municipal affairs of our city. The majority of you are men of experience in these affairs as the framers of our charter have provided, and those of us who are new to the situation ask your patience and forbearance until we are at least familiar with our duties.
In the furtherance of our work there will arise differences as we severally see it as to the proper mode or manner of bringing something about, and because of these honest differences the best will come to light, and the city will be the gainer thereby.
In such a body as we are, where the several mem- bers each have the greatest welfare of the community at heart, there needs never be fear on the part of any but that all the interests of the city will be considered and fractional concerns will be given only their due value.
I feel and believe that this working in concert will be a pleasure to us all for the coming year.
City Government
As Organized January 6, 1915.
MAYOR William Wright
COUNCILMEN
Ward One
Orrin Q. Hoyt Lloyd J. Stewart Moses H. Jacobs
Ward Two
Frank Callaghan James Crannon Henry L. Osborne
Ward Three
Ernest W. Bickford Sumner W. Watson Leopold Larose
Ward Four
Joseph Letourneau Frederic E. Small Albert Perrault
Ward Five
Willard M. March Samuel E. Shapleigh Charles W. Wentworth
Ward Six
George E. Horne Eugene C. Foss Leander P. Pickering
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City Clerk-Frank E. Hussey City Treasurer-John L. Copp City Solicitor-Justin A. Emery Collector of Taxes-David J. Lucey Street Commissioner-George D. Dame Superintendent Water Works and Sewers - Fred W. Crocker Marshal-Charles M. Cook Assistant Marshal-Isaac D. Piercy Night Watch-Ferdinand G. Sylvain Police at Gonic-Warren W. Daggett
Police at East Rochester-Thomas H. Gotts Chief Engineer, Fire Department-Charles E. Randall First Assistant Engineer-Wilbur E. Horne Second Assistant Engineer-Peter McShane
Third Assistant Engineer-Donald C. Mason Fourth Assistant Engineer-Louis M. Richardson Sanitary Officer-Martin E. Jones
Overseer of the Poor-Forrest L. Keay
City Physician-Dudley L. Stokes
Board of Health-Martin E. Jones, Forrest L. Keay, Dudley L. Stokes
Assessors - A. Gaspard Gelinas, Charles W. Evans, Charles H. Henderson
Plumbers' Examining Board-Albert P. Covey, Dudley L. Stokes, Martin E. Jones
Trustees Public Library - Mayor William Wright, Stephen C. Meader, John Young, H. L. Worcester Willis McDuffee, Frank B. Preston, Cora B. Hayes
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Assistant City Clerk-Sarah M. Roberts Manager City Opera House-Frank E. Hussey
Special Police - B. Ford Parsons, Edward Josselyn, Charles H. Eastman, Edward L. Tebbetts, Walter J. Seavey, Felix Hughes, Lewis Grassee, John Lowe, William J. Hartford, Joseph S. Norris, Cyrille Vachon, Peter Gagne, Miles H. Dustin, H. M. Goodwin, Alphonse F. Potvin, Frank S. Edgerly, W. A. Hans- com, Eugene Dennett, Dana W. Grover, J. Harry Pauquette, William N. Bell, George D. Dame, Venant Perrault, George W. Preston, Alexander LaFay, Harry Carpenter, Eugene M. Foss, Marcellus Mari- son, James Ricker, Noe Carrignan, Fred Roux, Nel- son S. Hatch, Leroy H. Laskey, Arthur H. Bickford, George M. Rankin, Edward J. Crotty, Eugene Dame, Fred L. Chesley, Robert Reid, Erving A. Chapman, Fred M. Burrows, William Pennell, Donald McKay, John Foss, Timothy Cullinan, Frank Wiggin, Ozro Berry, James Walker, Elwin Watson, Richard O'Brien
Janitor-William A. Hanscom
Sealer of Weights and Measures-H. Walter Hislop
Surveyors of Wood and Lumber - Napoleon Masse, Nahum Woodman, Sidney B. Hayes, Louis Cartier, J.Trafton Whipple, Harry H. Meader, Robert Fownes, W. Eugene Springfield, Harry N. Lenfest, Arthur Holstein, Orra Goodale, Isaac Barrett, Arthur Davis, Arthur Barber
Weighers of Hay, Straw and Coal-Daniel F. Jenness, John W. Tebbetts, Newell B. Foss, H. Walter Hislop, George H. Torr, Frank L. Wing, Chester H. Smith, Walter J. Seavey, Frank S. Glidden, Owen R. Hoyt, Isaac C. Evans, Albert P. Little, George E. Green-
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field, N. E. B. Morrill, John Colt, Louis Cartier, George R. Ricker, Albert E. Holmes, E. M. Hawkes, Alice Bradley, Earl Knox, Fred Rodier
Fence Viewers-James Corson, David H. Tufts, Marvin T. Blaisdell
STANDING COMMITTEES.
Finance -- Mayor, Small and Pickering
Shade Trees, Parks and Commons-Mayor, Hoyt and Shapleigh
Public Instruction-Mayor, Stewart and Watson
Claims and Accounts-Horne, March and Osborne
Public Buildings-Foss, Wentworth and Letourneau
Fire Department-Horne, Hoyt and Perrault
Roads, Bridges and Drains-Bickford, Foss and Picker- ing
Water Works and Sewers-Pickering, March and Larose Street Lights-Shapleigh, Horne and Larose
Printing-Crannon, Perrault and Bickford
Elections and Returns-Larose, Foss and Letourneau Adams Fund-Watson, Stewart and Crannon
Bills in their Second Reading and Enrolled Ordinances- Small, Wentworth and Bickford
Legal Affairs-Mayor, Small and Jacobs
Purchasing Committee-Mayor, Wentworth and Callag- han
Police-Mayor, Stewart and Shapleigh
Old Cemetery Conservation Fund Perpetua-Callaghan, Hoyt and Letourneau
Street Sprinkling-March, Osborne and Jacobs
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Finance Committee
Recommendations for Annual Appropriations
Sampson Post,
$ 150 00
East Rochester Public Library,
200 00
County Tax,
12,963 63
Public Library,
3,600 00
Fuel for City Hall,
500 00
Brown Tail Moths,
500 00
Insurance on City Hall,
900 00
Street Lights,
7,200 00
Sidewalks,
2,000 00
Health Department,
200 00
Parks and Commons,
100 00
City Hall Bonds,
3,000 00
Interest on City Hall Bonds,
2,120 00
City Poor and Soldiers' Aid,
2,500 00
Schools,
33,000 00
Police,
4,500 00
Salaries,
7,000 00
Fire Department,
6,000 00
Highways,
16,000 00
State Highway Maintenance,
1,700 00 .
Deep Sewers,
300 00
Surface Sewers,
3,000 00
Sewer Bonds
6,500 00
Interest on Sewer Bonds,
227 50
Street Sprinkling,
400 00
Miscellaneous,
1,000 00
$115,561 13
Important Resolutions and Orders
Passed by the City Council
ANNUAL APPROPRIATION.
Resolved by the City Council of the City of Rochester:
That for the support of the various departments for the year 1915, there be raised by taxation the sum of one hundred fifteen thousand, five hundred and sixty- one dollars and thirteen cents ($115,561.13) and the assessors are directed to assess that amount with such overlay as may be thought necessary.
Passed January 19, 1915.
TO TRANSFER FROM PRECINCT FUND TO GENERAL FUND FOR STREET SPRINKLING.
Resolved by the Mayor and City Council of the City of Rochester :
That the sum of $813.67 be transferred from the balance on hand to the credit of the street sprinkling precinct to the credit of the regular appropriation from the general fund for street sprinkling, to balance ac- counts between the general appropriation for street sprinkling on the part of the city and the special appro- priation for the same purpose on account of the precinct, occasioned by an over-appropriation of this amount in the regular appropriation by the city in 1912.
Passed January 7, 1914.
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REQUESTING STREET LIGHT ON STONE BRIDGE
Resolved by the Mayor and City Council of the City of Rochester:
That the Committee on Street Lights request the Twin State Gas and Electric Company to furnish an electric light, free of charge, during the winter months, to be located at or near the stone bridge, for the benefit of those who skate on the river.
Passed January 7, 1914.
TO HIRE MONEY TO REFUND NOTES.
Resolved by the City Council of the City of Rochester:
That the Mayor, City Treasurer and City Clerk be authorized to hire on note or notes of the city, an amount not exceeding fifty thousand dollars, for the purpose of refunding notes now outstanding against said city as called_for.
Passed January 21, 1914.
HIRING IN ANTICIPATION OF TAXES.
Resolved by the Mayor and City Council of the City of Rochester:
That the Finance Committee be authorized to raise on note or notes of the city, a sum of money not ex- ceeding fifteen thousand dollars ($15,000) in anticipa- tion of taxes, providing it is necessary to do so.
Passed January 21, 1914.
PERTAINING TO PUBLIC WEIGHERS.
Resolved by the City Council of the City of Rochester:
That Chapter 33 of the Laws of New Hampshire, passed January session, 1901, relating to public weighers,
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be hereby adopted excepting section 3 of the same which is hereby suspended, and the maximum fees pre- scribed by law be the compensation paid for said ser- vices.
Passed January 21, 1914.
TO RAISE MONEY BY TAXATION IN SPRINK- LING PRECINCT.
Resolved by the City Council of the City of Rochester:
That the sum of eighteen hundred dollars ($1,800.00) be raised by taxation within the sprinkling precinct in accordance with the act of the Legislature creating said precinct, and the assessors are directed to assess that amount.
Passed January 21, 1914.
PRINTING CITY REPORTS.
Resolved by the Mayor and City Council of the City of Rochester:
That the City Clerk be instructed to prepare for the printer all matter that is to go into the city reports, and that the Committee on Printing be instructed to solicit bids for printing city reports and that they be let to the lowest responsible bidder.
Passed January 21, 1914.
PAY OF FIREMEN.
Be it ordained by the City Council of the City of Roch- ester as follows:
Section 1. Amend section 19 of Chapter VIII of the Ordinances as amended July 7, 1908, by striking out
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after the figure 6 in the fifth line the word "forty" and substituting therefor the word "fifty" so that said sec- tion as amended shall read as follows:
Section 19. The annual pay of the members of the department, except the board of engineers, shall be as follows: The members of companies 1, 2, 5 and 6, fifty dollars each; of companies 3 and 4, twenty dollars each; clerks of companies, ten dollars each; stewards, fifteen dollars each.
Section 2. This Ordinance shall take effect upon its passage.
Passed February 3, 1914.
TIME OF PAYMENT OF SALARIES.
Be it ordained by the City Council of the City of Roch- ester as follows:
Section 1. Amend section 1, Chapter XXIII of the Ordinances, relating to payment of salaries of city offi- cers, by inserting after the word "payments" in the eighth line the words "all firemen in equal semi- annual payments;" also further amend by striking out in the ninth line the words "and firemen" so that the portion of said section as amended shall read as follows:
Section 1. The salaries of the several officers men- tioned in this section for each municipal year shall be fixed at the annual rates herein set forth, and shall be payable as follows: The mayor, city treasurer, city solicitor, city physician, overseer of the poor, police judge and clerk of the police court, in equal quarterly payments; the city clerk, street commissioner, sanitary officer, all regular police officers and the superintendent of the water works, in equal monthly payments; all firemen in equal semi-annual payments; and all other salaried officers annually.
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Section 2. This Ordinance shall take effect upon its passage.
Passed February 3, 1914.
PAY OF ENGINEERS.
Be it ordained by the City Council of the City of Roch- ester as follows:
Section 1. Amend section 1, of Chapter XXIII of the Ordinances relating to the salaries of the Chief En- gineer and Assistant Engineers of the Fire Department, as amended June 4, 1907, by striking out after the word "department" in the second line, the word "one" and substituting therefor the word "two;" also further amend by striking out after the word "department" in the fifth line the word "seventy-five" and substituting therefor the word "one hundred," so that, the portion of said section as amended shall read as follows: The Chief Engineer of the Fire Department, two hundred and fifty dollars. The first and second Assistants of the Fire Department one hundred dollars each, and the third and fourth Assistants of the Fire Department fifty dollars each.
Section 2. This Ordinance shall take effect upon its passage.
Passed February 3, 1914.
CHANGE OF LINES FIRE PRECINCT AND WALLS OF BUILDINGS.
Be it ordained by the City Council of the City of Roch- ster as follows:
Section 1. Amend Section 1, Chapter IX of the Ordinances by striking out after the word "hereafter"
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in the first line the words "without the consent of the city council," also further amend by striking out after the word "building" in the second line the words "the walls or partitions of which or any part thereof shall be of wood" and substituting therefor the following: ex- cept the walls and roof shall be incombustible; also further amend by striking out after the word "begin- ning" in the fourth line the remaining part of said sec- tion and substituting therefor the following: at the northeasterly abutment of the passageway under Bridge street, thence running northerly by the Cocheco river to the northeasterly abutment of the Stone Bridge on North Main street, thence northeasterly by said river one hundred and fifty feet, turning at right angles and running on a line distant one hundred and fifty feet from North Main street to Union street, thence running northeasterly by Union street to Wakefield street, thence southerly by Wakefield street to Summer street, thence by Summer street one hundred and fifty feet, turning at right angles and running on a line distant one hun- dred and fifty feet from Wakefield street to Autumn street, thence northeasterly by Autumn street to the Boston and Maine railroad track, thence southerly by railroad track to Portland street, thence southwesterly by Portland street to South Main street, thence south- easterly by South Main street to Liberty street, thence southwesterly by Liberty street to Charles street, thence northwesterly by Charles street to Congress street, thence northeasterly by Congress street to the easterly corner of land of Charles E. Clark, formerly Norway Plains Manufacturing Company, thence northwesterly in a direct line to the easterly corner of said Clark's counting room building, thence northwesterly in a di- rect line to the point begun at, so that said section as amended shall read as follows:
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Section 1. No person shall hereafter erect or cause to be erected any building, except the walls and roof shall be incombustible within the following limits of the city to wit: Beginning at the northeasterly abut- ment of the passageway under Bridge street, thence running northerly by the Cocheco river to the north- easterly abutment of the Stone Bridge on North Main street, thence northeasterly by said river one hundred and fifty feet, turning at right angles and running on a line distant one hundred and fifty feet from North Main street to Union street, thence running northeasterly by Union street to Wakefield street, thence southerly by 'Wakefield street to Summer street, thence by Summer street one hundred and fifty feet, turning at right angles and running on a line distant one hundred and fifty feet from Wakefield street to Autumn street, thence northeasterly by Autumn street to the Boston and Maine railroad track, thence southerly by railroad track to Portland street, thence southwesterly by Portland street to South Main street, thence southeasterly by South Main street to Liberty street, thence southwest- 'erly by Liberty street to Charles street, thence north- westerly by Charles street to Congress street, thence northeasterly by Congress street to the easterly corner of land of Charles E. Clark, formerly Norway Plains Manufacturing Company, thence northwesterly in a direct line to the easterly corner of said Clark's count- ing room building, thence northwesterly in a direct line to the point begun at.
Section 2. This Ordinance shall take effect upon its passage.
Passed February 3, 1914.
PAY OF STREET COMMISSIONER.
Be it ordained by the City Council of the City of Rochester as follows:
That paragraph 5 of Chapter XXIII be stricken out and the following inserted in place thereof: The
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Street Commissioner, eight hundred dollars and two hundred in addition for the use of his team.
Passed February 3, 1914.
AUTHORIZING COMMITTEE ON STREET LIGHTS TO AWARD CONTRACT.
Resolved by the City Council of the City of Rochester as follows:
That the Mayor and the Committee on Street Lights be and are hereby authorized and empowered to enter into a contract with the Twin State Gas and Electric Co., of the City of Dover for the lighting of the streets of the City of Rochester for a term of five years, the same to date from January 1, 1914.
Amended that the Committee be empowered to make a contract at moon-light schedule at the lowest possible rate.
Passed as amended February 3, 1914.
RELATING TO INSPECTION OF COMBUSTIBLES.
Be it ordained by the City Council of the City of Rochester as follows:
Section 1. Amend Section 12, Chapter VIII of the Ordinances by inserting after the word "deposited" in the third line the words "once a month and oftener if necessary;" also further amend by adding to said section at the end thereof the following words: A record of all inspections herein provided shall be kept by said board and regularly filed at the completion of each inspection at the office of the City Clerk, so that said section as amended shall read as follows:
Section 12. The board of engineers shall examine all places where shavings and other combustible
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materials may be collected or deposited, once a month, and oftener if necessary, and cause the same to be re- moved by the tenants or occupants of such place, or at their expense, whenever, in the opinion of said board, such removal is necessary for the security of the city against fire. A record of all inspections herein pro- vided shall be kept by said board and regularly filed at the completion of each inspection at the office of the City Clerk.
Section 2. This Ordinance shall take effect upon its passage.
Passed March 3, 1914.
PURCHASE OF HORSE FOR WATER DEPARTMENT.
Resolved by the City Council of the City of Rochester:
That a sum not exceeding three hundred ($300.00) dollars be, and the same is hereby appropriated for the purchase of a suitable horse for the Department of Water Works and Sewers, said sum to be paid out of the earnings of the Water Works Department.
Passed March 3, 1914.
TO PROCURE SITE FOR STONE CRUSHING PLANT.
Resolved by the Mayor and Council of the City of Rochester:
That the Committee on Roads, Bridges and Drains be authorized to make and procure all necessary credentials pertaining to the rights in connection with obtaining a privilege for the City of Rochester to locate a stone crushing plant on a certain tract of land owned by C. W. Bradley, as recommended by said Committee,
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and that all monies expended on the same shall be taken from the annual appropriation for the Highway Department.
Passed March 3, 1914.
STRAIGHTENING NORTH MAIN STREET.
Be it resolved by the City Council of the City of Rochester:
That all of that part of the southwesterly side of the highway known as North Main street, leading from Central Square to property of Charles E. Clark lying southwesterly of a line located and described as follows, to wit: Beginning at the northeast corner of the Lewis McDuffee block, said corner being 49.56 ft. northerly from the northeast corner of the Salinger block and 69.30 ft. westerly from the southwesterly corner of the Dodge block, thence deflecting 1 degree 16 min. to the left from the line of the face of the said McDuffee block and running northerly 111.97 ft. in a straight line to the northeasterly corner of the brick foundation of the Hale block, the corner of said foundation being 78.52 ft. northwesterly from the northwest corner of the main Dodge block, 66.15 ft. northwesterly from the northwest corner of the Dodge Annex and 65.95 ft. southerly from the northwest corner of the store oc- cupied by Charles M. Bailey, thence deflecting 1 degree,
15 min. to the left and running in a straight line 117 ft. to an iron spike driven in the ground on the line be- tween the Hale and Clark property, said spike being 34.58 ft. northerly from the northeast corner of the main house on the Hale property, 64.35 ft. westerly from the northwest corner of the Cocheco block and 94.12 ft. southerly from the southwest corner of the Farnham block, be and is hereby discontinued.
Passed April 7, 1914.
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TO EXTEND DEEP SEWER ON COCHECO AVENUE, EAST ROCHESTER.
Resolved by the City Council of the City of Rochester :
That the Committee on Water Works and Sewers be, and the same is hereby authorized to extend the deep sewer from Cocheco avenue to the house of Martin E. Jones at No. 8 Union street in East Rochester, the cost of the same to be paid out of the regular appro- priation for deep sewers.
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