The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1892-09-08
BLACKSTONE VALLEY.
PAWTUCkET.

Iuo COno1tnOu Oh AAehan8o street BrtuHe
The committee on streets and bridges
of the Board Of Aldermen met yesterday
afternoon to hear the report Of Charles II.
Parker. the associate engineer In the
building of Exchange street bridge, on
the present condition Of the bridge Mr..
Parker presented two reports, tlIe main
one recommending reconstruction of
certain parts TO- the amount OF $500,
which would make the bridge good for
fifty years to come, taking the present
amount OF travel over IL as a basis.
Mr.. Parker said the excessive vibration
of the bridge arose from the bad adjust
ment of certain Of the braces He differed
from Mr.. Swain. the engineer who exam
ined the bridge last year, in that he be-
lieved the bottom cord to be the weakest
portion of the bridge, while Mr.. Swain
considered the upper cord the weakest
portion. The repairs he suggested i'm his
report were based on the strength re-
guired to stand strain equal to the pass
inY Of road roller over the bridge
Engineer Haywood Of the Interstate
Railway Company was present, and said,
IL one of the electric cars of this company
were to pass loaded coal team on the
bridge, n greater strain would be pro-
duced than by the steam roller. Mr..
Parker was not prepared TO say that cleo
trio cars might run over the bridge.
However, heavy loads did not affect the
bridge SO much as trotting over it,
Edwin Darling, one OF the commission
ers who built the bridge, was present,
and said there was an ordinance In exist
ance which forbade the trotting or horses
over the bridge. Mr.. Parker said that
trotting should at least be prohibited
while the repairs were going on
The committee went into executive ses-
sion and decided TO recommend the inn
provement in accordance with Mr.. Par
ker's Llaus.
The Board Of Aidermen-The Mayors
Message.
The Board of Aldermen met last even
ing in regular monthly session, all the
members being present.
MAYORS OFFICE,
PAwTUcKET. X. l.. Sept. 2, iS92.
Gentlemen Of the CITY Council:
desire to announce TO you The fact that
have suspended Frank Nj. Bates from the
office of City Treasurer
My reasons for so doing are that he has vio-
lated the laws and ordinances in this That
he has, contrary 10 law, paid certain police
men" who were Illegally appointed. and also
that he has paid them after having been ex-
plicitly ordered by me as Mayor not TO do so.
1he charter OF the city forbids the payment
of any OF the money OF the city without the
approval OF the Mayor. Whenever the Mayor
refuses 10 approveof any expenditure of the
money of the city the City Council has a right
To order such payment Notwithstanding the
disapproval OF the Mayor. | disapproved of
this payment. The city government has
never ordered the payment Notwithstanding
such disapproval.
But a committee of the City Government
usurped the functions OF both the Mayor and
the governing body OF the city and ordered
the oils TO be paid, and on this order. con-
trary To law, the city treasurer took the re-
sponsiblity to pay the bills.
The city charter makes IL incumbent on the
Mayor To supervise all OF the subordinate off,
GERS OF the city, and compes him to have
them punished for any neglect OF violation Of
the law.
have suspended the city treasurer. but he
has since continued 10 act as de facto city
treasurer. hnve not attempted to forcibiy
eject him from his office, believing that the
city council would take the steps necessary In
the premises.
These steps believe to be first, an investiga-
ton OF the law and the facts by a joint special
committee, and then. II IL be found that Mr..
Bates has violated the law TO either remove
him from his Office and elect a successor, or to
reprimand him.
II we are to be- governed by the city charter
and bylaws we must take notice of these
breaches of the law. Ii not, then we might as
well surrender the charter TO the State and go
back TO our old town form OF government, be-
cause laxity In the enforcement OF ali parts OF
the law on our part will breed general con-
tempt Of the law. and of the officers duly
therefore ask you to act upon this matter
with a que sense of its Importance 10 our form
of government, and without prejudice.
HUGH j. CARROLL, Mayor.
Alderman Davis wanted the matter
referred to the City Council in joint con-
vention. Alderman O'Reilly wished IL
received and communicated to the Com
mon Council. After considerable discus
sion it was laid temporarily on the table.
From tue Common Council came the
ordinance appropriating $1,000 addi-
tional for the Enhancement of the City
Hall. Messrs. O'Reilly and Witers OPP
posed the ordinance. believing that be-
lore the work was finished the cost would
be much more than was expected and
then the job would be unsatisfactory.
The Mayor said he understood that the
architects, William X. Walker g. Son, had
been allowed to remodel their plans,
while the other competing architects had
not. he did not think this was fair, ana
furthermore he was opposed to the site.
The ordinance was nnally adopted In
concurrence.
recommending the observance OF the an
niversary~ OF the discovery Of America
MAS received and filed. 1t was voted that
joint special conimittee be appointed to
carry out the spirit of the proclamation,
to consist OF three members OF the Board
of Aldermen and lour Of the Common
Council. Messrs. Davis, Adams and
O'Reilly were appointed from the Board.
X. ID. Mason & Co. received permis
sion to locate their steam boilors on Main
street.
IL was voted to curb and establish side
walks on Bayley. Knowles, stuart and
Lyon streets; also to establish grade on
the three latter streets, aud on Aborn
street; TO change the grade on Pleasant
street; to accept Weeden street from
Smithfeld avenue to the Power road, aud
establish a grade aud sidewalks thereon;
to accept and establish u grade on Bont-
well street.
Petition for establishing grade on
Daniels street was read, and the city en-
Rineer was instructed To bring in plan
for n grade at the next meeting.
Petition for the widening OF Barney
avenue was continued.
Petition for the curbing OF Carnat.on
street was received and ordered adver-
tised.
Ordinance for the erection OF pest
house, not to exceed in cost 5000 was
passed..
Esten and Cunliffe avenues wers ac-
cepted rs public highways.
bond OF Johu IS. Riley as assistant city
treasurer was accepted.
O'Rieliy's Suggestion.
The following resolution was presented
by Alderman OReilly: