The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1892-08-02
The COMMON COUNCIL.
Gas Franchise Resolution Passed
Over the Mayors Veto.
THE SUBWAYS BILL INTACT.
The Interstate Railroad Comes Into the
City by Canal Street = New Contract
for Electric Lighting-s42,O0o for q
Now City Yard.

Inc InceJlnR Oh tue SOuulou COuncii
yesterday was very important one. 1t
was the regular meeting, there was a
special appropriation to be made for the
new city yard on Aliens avenue, the
matter Of the Providence Telephone Com
pany's subways, the Gas Franchise and
the Interstate Railroad, came up for
consideration. Mayor Potter vetoed
the bill for the ordinance grant
ing the franchise. aud the council
voted not 10 sustain the veto. Mr.. Nc
Carthy tried hard to have something done
in opposition TO the vote passed at the
last meeting, granting permission TO the
PROVIDENCE Telephone Company to put
their wires into conduits, but the Council
refused To have anything to DIP with IL.
Mavor Potter vetoes the Gas Franchise.
President Watson called the Council TO
order at o'clock, and read the following
message from His Honor Mayor Potter:
CITY HALL, Aug !, 1892.
Gentlemen Of the Common Council
return herewith resolution entitled, "A
resolution authorizing the Mayor to execute
contract relative TO special franchise with the
PROVIDENCE Gas Company" without my APP
proval.
/ feel that cannot with justice TO the citi-
zens of Providence approve the signing OF
any contract which takes the control OF our
streets and highways from the City Council
and give the exclusive right 10 use them to
years. yea s. WILLIAM X. POTTER. Mayor.
Mr.. Vaughan hoped that the veto of the
Mayor would not be sustained. He said
that the Mayor was present at the last
meeting of the committee on franchises
as member of the committee. aud favor
ed the granting of the franchise, saying
that he would not oppose il II sent to him
for signing.
Mr. Mccarthy said that he supposed the
business Of the committee was private
and not TO he repeated in public, and
even IL IL Is to be done the Mavor Is not
bound by a promise made in private when
subsequent public investigation shows
good reason why he should not sign the
contract. Wise men change their minds,
and he lhought the Mayor did right il he
the pubic good. He hoped that the veto
would stand.
Mr. AngeIl moved that the matter lie
on the taUle, there being n number OF Va
cant seats in the Council chamber.
Passed.
Mr. Darling for the committee on
finance presented the monthly report of
the city treasurer relative to the surreu-
der of coupon bonds for the month OF
July.
Also the report of the same committee
on tie resolution to build abutments aud
strengthen the " ashington bridge over
the PROVIDENCE river Tue original reso-
luton was indeinitly postponed and n
substitute adopted appropriating $4,000
for the building of new bridge at that
point.
New City Yard.
Also resolution appropriating the
sum of s42 900 for the purchase or a new
city yard just below Hill wharf for the
accommodation Of the highway depart
ment. Adopted.
A resolution was adopted, ordering
Charles street from Ashburton street 20
the railroad bridge paved with granite
blocks, and appropriatng $4,000 for the
same.
Resolutions were adopted ordering the
layout of Orchard avenue. Bergen aud
Superior streets.
Resolutions were adopted ordering
sewers in Point, Ring, Cromwell aud
Salem streets aud Broadway.
A resolution was adopted authorizing
the commissioner Of public works to pur-
chase building material for the sewers.
The monthly report of the chief engi-
neer OF the fire department was received.
Telephone subways.
Mr.. Mccarthy moved to take from the
table the resolution appointing a Joint
special committee to Investigate and re-
port upon subways for low tension wires.
laid on the table July Is, and began to
explain why he wished to take 1t from
the table He was allowed to proceed by
unanimous consent few minutes but
was finally called to order by Mr.. Peck.
The council voted to take the resolu-
tion from the table, Is voting in the
affirmative and l3 Id the negative, o be-
ing absent.
Mr.. Mccarthy moved the passage Of
the resolution. and speaking on the ques-
ton said that the ordinance permitting
the PROVIDENCE Telephone Company TO
build subways was inadequate. The
ordinance did not state what kind of a
subway was to be built, and the Tele-
phone Company could use the whole
street il they choose. The city ought not
to give any one company the right TO put
its wires under ground and leave the
wires Of other companies in the air.
lie stated that the PROVIDENCE Tele.
phone Company intended to let the privi-
lege TO other companies to put the wires
In subways, and would therefore build
subways much larger than its present
city gets full use of the subway aud pays
a Rogd price per pole to run its wires.
The city of PROVIDENCE has received
nothing directly from the Telephone Com
pany for the privilege.
Mr.. Mccarthy stated that the patents
of the Bell Telephone Company which
controls the PROVIDENCE Company will
run out In 1893 and ther devices will be
introduced to facilitate the telephone SER
vice, aud IL anoth,r company IL allowed
to come into the city the rates will be
lower. But IL the PROVIDENCE Telephone
Company :would he allowed to put its
wires into the subways no other company
would De allowed to put wires In the air.
IL the subways are built the com pany
should be required to take down the poles
and wires on streets where the subways
exist. lie believed that tue joint special
committee could look into the mat er aud
decide whether the ordinance is adequate,
which he believed IL was not.
Mr. Parkhurst said he was somewhat
in doubt whether Mr.. Mccarthy was
speaking on the resolution or che recon-
sideration Of the passage OF the ordinance
granting the aforesaid privilege to the
Providence Telephone Company. He
stated that the construction of the ordi-
nance provided that the wires should be