The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1892-03-08

Referred TO committee on ordinances.
Mr.. Mccarthy also introduced a joint
resolution of the City Council instructing
the joint special committee on franchises
to report. There WAS some discussion over
this by Messrs Vaughan, Angel ana
Mccarthy, and was finally lost . to %.
Mr.. Barney introduced joint resolution
authorizing the joint special committee TO
purchase the undivided half of land ad
joining Roger Williams Park. Referred
to the committee on the purchase Of land
for Roger Williams Park.
The petition of the New England Print
ing and Telegraph Company, for permis-
sion 10 erect poles and wires in certain
streets was referred to the committee on
ordinances.
The petition for the layout Of Concord
street was referred to the committee Oh
highways.
Joseph III. Kendrick introduced joint
resolution authorizing the joint special
committee 10 purchase land adjoining
Roger Williams Park. Referred to the
joint special committee on the purchase of
land for parks.
The petition of A. II. Coville for sewer
in Public street was referred TO the com
mittee on sewers
A resolution directing the issuing of n
quit claim deed TO the original owner OF
the North Burial Ground was referred TO
the committee on North Burial Ground
The petition of Charles 4. Pratt on be-
UdIi Oh TIE HtlTS Oh fdnkllu sou
damages was referred TO the committee on
claims.
The petition of Timothy Feeley for a
sewer in Steuben street was referred TO
the committee on sewers.
The petition of Samuel X. Burlington
and others for the layout and extension of
Arlington avenue WAS referred to the COM
mfttee on highways. The petition of
Phoebe A. Blackinton for remission of
tax was referred TO the committee on
claims
Mr.. Mccarthy gave notice that on the
next meeting of the council he would
move. to reconsider the resolution direct
ing the city solicitor TO apply TO the Gen
eral Assembly for authority To establish a
board OF fire commissioners.
John +. Kendrick presented the report
OF the record commissioners accompanied
by a resolution appropriating 81, 500 for
the printing of the records. The resoiu-
tion was referred TO the committee on
printing.
John +. Kendrlck introduced the fol-
lowing joint resolution OF the city council:
WHEREAS, In the death OF City Solicitor
Nicholas Van Slyck. who has for more than
seventeen years filed that Office with distin-
guished ability. the public service has sus-
careful In guarding the interests of the city,
and considerate to those TO whom considera-
ton was due; wise and firm in council, pru-
ductng litigation, and courteous, friendly and
Just To ali; that, notwithstanding his extern
siye legal practice, which he has honorably
time TO discharge his duties TO the public in
various positions Of trust and confidence. and
10 render most valuable aid in the great work
OF public education; that in every relation Of
life he has proved himself the faithful officer.
the. useful citizen and the posscssor of the
traits and characteristics which constitute the
good and true man therefore. be Ii
Resolred. unanimously. That the City Coun-
Gil offers 10 the family OF the deceased its
profound and respectful sympathy in their
great loss, and that a copy of these resolu-
tons be transmitted 10 them, duly certified
by the mayor and city clerk.
The resolution was adopted by rising
vote. and Immediately on motion of Mr..
weeks
The Report on the Town Records.
The report of the record commissioners
is given here in part. The commissioners
are Judge Horatio Rogers, Judge. George
NJ. Carpenter and Edwin NJ. Field. The
report shows that the earliest efforts to
preserve the records of the town, which
began in August, 1878. The next is nine
ty years later.
An account of inaccuracies In the tran
script, on Sept. IL. 1866, n committee was
appointed by the Common Council. ito
examine the condition of the early records
OF the town OF Providence in the year
ed for the purpose. In November of the
same year committee, slightly different
from the former one, was appointed to ex-
anime the early records of the town of
Providence, prior TO the year $500, aud re-
port what, In their opinion, is the best
manner of preserving the same, and in
case they may deem 1t expedient TO have
them printed, TO report the probable ex-
pense thereof"
Among the very interesting items of the
present report is the following: Where
an ancient town has remained intact from
its first settlement until now, the neces-
sity of preserving in print, records of such
great historical value is readily apparent.
Yet where other towns have been, in more
modern times, set of from an ancient
town, the need becomes still more evident.
The safety of the records and the conven-
fence Of the public alike require it. Some
towns have been repeatedly sub-divided.
In one instance, some seventeen or eigh-
teen towns have been, in whole or in part,
formed from the territory granted by the
General Court 70 the original town. And
o. her instances, equally striking, can
doubtless lie cited. Although the new
municipalities have "A history in common
with the older towns of which they once
formed "A part, their records are defective,
inasmuch as they extend back only to the
time of separation, the books prior to that
date remaining i'm the hands of the clerk
of the parent town. This works serious
Inconvenience. Matters are continually
coming mp which necessitates reference to
the earlier records, and they are not at
hand. Each new town should have com
plete set OF the records, prior 10 scpara-
tion, of the original town OF which il then
formed part. They belong as much to
il as to the other.
"A new town should not be forced 20
see such invaluable documents placed be-
yond it's control and in the keeping OF
officials not responsible TO il, subjected TO
all tho vissitudes and dangers which
records are continually running. Now
the art of printing enables us to obviate
all these difficulties. IL solves the pro-
blem completely. When once the records
are in type, extra copies can be had
merely for the cost Of press work and
paper. And each Is an exact duplicate of
the other. No copyist's errors need be
feared where the work is done with such
accuracy. A printed copy Is
vastly superior to any manuscript copy
that can possibly be made.
But 10 must not for "A moment be sup
posed that the people who live i'm any
given town are the only persons interested
in its records or concerned for the preser |