CHAPTER VIII.

PUBLIC WORKS, FREE LIBRARY, FIRE-BRIGADE.

The Buildings Committee-Hobrecht's work-Functions of Committee - Frequent breaking-up of streets-How avoidedPublic markets-Leaders of municipal improvement-Central market-District markets-Parks and gardens-The Thiergarten-School of forestry-Flowers for hospitalsBotanical specimens for schools-Public library-Branch libraries-Classes of readers-Fire-brigade-Its discipline —Its effectiveness—Samaritan Society.

ONE of the most important committees of the Corporation, and one which during the past twenty years has discharged most laborious duties, is that which is intrusted with the construction and oversight of the streets and public buildings (Bau-Verwaltung). It is composed of twenty-three members, partly councillors and partly magistrates, and it is presided over by one of the paid magistrates. It has been well

126

SPACIOUS THOROUGHFARES.

for Berlin during the period of the rapid increase of its population that the entire business of supervising the laying out and construction of new streets has been committed to the care of one administration, and not to a number of vestries or district boards. The city is remarkable for the spaciousness of its streets, by which abundance of light and air is secured to the dwellings. Its roadways and footpaths are of superior make, and with its thirty miles of asphalted streets, it will compare favourably, in respect of its thoroughfares, with any European city. It is to Stadtrath Hobrecht, who for many years directed this department, that Berlin is chiefly indebted not only for the excellence of its streets, but for the splendid engineering of its drainage system, and for its consequent superiority as a place of residence. Herr Hobrecht, the Hausmann of Berlin, is the son of a Scottish mother, a Johnstone of Annandale, who belonged to Ecclefechan, Carlyle's native place, in Dumfriesshire; and he boasts that whatever energy he has been able to throw into his work he owes to his Scottish origin. The work of the department

is divided into two classes-the buildings of municipal establishments (Hochbau) and the structure of streets and thoroughfares (Tiefbau). The building and structural maintenance of the public schools, hospitals, and other municipal institutions fall under the first class. The making and upkeep of the roadways, footpaths, bridges, and water-courses fall under the second. From their very nature, and from the constantly increasing numbers of the population, the labours of this department are onerous and incessant. Yet the whole work is carried on with admirable order and precision. It is extremely rare in Berlin to find the traffic of a whole thoroughfare blocked through the street undergoing repair. The streets are so wide that one side can generally be used while the other is being renewed. Moreover, the department takes care that whatever repairs may be necessary to drains, water-pipes, gaspipes, or electric wires, shall be done at the same time that the street is under ordinary repair. Frequent breaking-up of streets is thus prevented, and economy is secured. The small percentage of loss of gas and water by leakage

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CONTROL OF STREET STRUCTURES.

proves that the workmanship of the mains is of good quality, and that the opportunities for repairs while the street is broken for ordinary purposes are sufficient. No department of the service of the town more completely shows how the centralising of authority and responsibility can be made effective without interference with the proper work of other departments. Many departments have to make use of the streets in carrying on their own work, but on no account may any of them break ground without the previous sanction of the Streets and Buildings Committee. When the drainage, water, or other administrations apply for leave to open any street or footway, the Streets Committee notify the other departments which use the streets to ascertain whether in the vicinity of the proposed opening any other repairs are necessary, in order that all requisite work may be done at one disturbance of the traffic. Whatever street repairs or alterations are done by one department or another must be executed at the sight and to the satisfaction of the Streets Committee, who see to the proper laying and fitting of sewage, water, or