The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1892-02-10
TALK OF ANNEXATION.'
The 0IneyvlIe Business Mems Asso-
ciation's Meeting.
ENGINEER FRANCIS ADDRESS.
A Strong Statement of the Advantages Ac-
cruing from Annexation-The Question
of Taxation-Johnstons Citizens Rally
to the Defence.

the annexation of any of its most import
ant suburbs il will have to make far
greater bid than il is at present offering.
This was plainly shown last evening at
the meeting held by the Olneyville Busi-
ness Mems Association, at which an ad-
dress on this subject was delivered by Mr..
George B. Francis, civil engineer for the
n. ", u. & B. X. II. Co. 1t was an ex-
tremelv exhaustive summary of the ad-
vantages that might accrue to Johnston
and Cranston in such an event, these be-
ing the sections on which the lecture
hinged.
Mr.. Francis began by saying that utili-
ty, not sentiment, must be the basis OF ac-
complishing such a scheme There are
three classes of people to he considered.
First. those who wish to live where the
country Is more open, and are, at the same
time, willing TO pay for the advantages
coincident with city life secondly, those
wanting the major part, or all such i'm
provements, and who believe they can get
them at less expense than in the city;
thirdly. those who care for no improve
ments that will add one cent of expense to
themselves. The first two will eventually
arrive Mt the same end regardless of ex-
pense; the third pose as injured citizens,
and are ever saying, "Why don't you move
into the city If you want TO be IN the city.
Were IL not for the prospect OF increased
taxation he said, the first two classes
would undoubtedly vote for annexation.
The speaker then, by some pointed illus
trations, showed the disadvantages under
which suburban districts are laboring,
especially regarding taxation. all taken
from actual experiences. lie gives the in
stance of a man. thinking that by building
home in town without the city limits
he is saving in taxation by SO doing
would be "A considerable factor. He pays
s065 on the dollar in the town, in the city
$3.50 for taxes. A house lot costs $500,
house $1,000. In the city the taxes would
amount to $40 so in the country SlI55, per
year, "A difference of s22 .95, which the man
pockets. This fact proven, Mr. Francis
goes on to show how easy 1T Is for the
suburban resident 10 more than use up the
last sum, which he at first considers as
decided gain. Care fare in preparation
for taking out the deed, owing to distance,
lost him in business, extra expense in
moving i'm insurance because OF INSULT
cent fire protection, in express transfer
and hack hire. The tax collector comes
around, and the assessment for land and
building, including improvements, is
made on a sum far in excess OF the origi-
nal cost of both. Then the school tax.
which in the city is included in the Sl50.
At the end of year the s22. 10 had been
exceeded by s775, to say nothing OF the
other expenditures for parcel delivery,
private appropriations for necessary I'M
Irovements, and fire tax.
The school system is inadequate. and
when mans son makes all the advance
possible in the local schools he must pay
round sum for the completion of the boys
education, being entirely barred from the
city schools.
Disease is apt to he engendered by the
Int nf
there is no way of removal, without incur
ring more expense, owing to the insuih =
cient sewerage drainage.
From this il will he seen that the only
real reason for non-annexation, is the
question of taxation, which is not as inn
portant as represented. With everything
included. the total tax. instead of being 65
as printed. is, in reality Sl.l0 in the town
as against Sl.50 in the city. One other
privilege which Johnston and Cranston
are deprived of, the right TO turn their
sewerage system into the new trunk sewer
system of Providence, and in the former
town, il the people desire TO continue their
present scale of improvements, the direct
taxes must be increased To that of the
city. or nearly so, or else get themselves
seriously into debt.
The boundary line of the proposed sec
tions for annexation were then shown
on maps exposed for the purpose as fol-
u
the two forming natural boundary,
thence extending back to point near
Thornton, and by "a straight line, to Man
ton at the Woonasquatucket nyer. The
turn about to the west OF NeuSa&onkanut
hill was made so as To include this for a
public park. After the annexation. the
remaining towns will be larger than the
city of Providence. The present popula-
tion of johnston and Cranston as proposed
for the union TO Providence is, in the first,
about 5000 people, in the last 5000. MIR.
Francis who resides in Cranston, then d.
lated on the disadvantageous conditions
of that town, having witnin its limits the
State institutions, which are exempted
from taxes, as is also tue Narragansett
Park, these benelitting the State at their
Highways were next touched on as
again manifestiDg the liberality of the
city in being willing To contribute towards
the repairing of roads not within its
limits, and TO he known as state high
ways" by bill presented TO the legisla-
ture year ago.
Mr. Francis concluded by saying that
this enumeration would do away with a
great deal of strife between the different
sections. for i'm union there is strength.
The house then took up the subject, and
! from the views expressed the subject must
be again pigeonholed for IA considerable
| time. The sentiment that was mentioned
| in the beginning of the speech was brought
up again by John f.. Brown of Johnston,
| who stated that for number of years he
| had resided in the town. watching its
| growth with just sense Of pride, and
| hoping one day to see it the largest town
| in Rhode Island.
| DR.. Twitchell made few pleasant re-
marks in connection with the school
/ system, which he considered as good as
the city's. In his mind, also, sentiment
/ played great part. There was one thing,
/ however, which annexation to Providence
would do for these districts, and that was
To increase rental values and make rental
/ vacancies less frequent.
President e.. L. A. Bean spoke of the
prosperous condition of affairs in John.
ston to-day, its schools second to none in
| the State, with number of business men
having more push TO the square inch than
| any other town in the State could boast
} of. He quoted, one of the speeches at a
recent banquet, q representative person IN
Rhode Island. lie pledged himself TO dc
all in his power TO keep out OF the city
! the town he represented. The whole dis
| cussion hinged on the fact that Providence
in past years, when part of any OF It's
suburbs were taken in, had neglected 70
It IL.