The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1892-11-28
The PUBLIC Is GLAD.
What Chairman Vaughan of the
Committee Says Of 1t.
THE QUESTION OF THAT LAND.
The Railroad Companies Are Said to he
Anxious to Get the Work Going Espec-
tally the New York, New Haven and
Bartford-The City Taxed Land and
Must Pay for 1t They Say.

At the meeting OF the Common Council
this evening the committee on improved
railroad facilities will submit a report,
which will show 10 the council and alsc
TO the general public exactly how the sit
uation regarding the completion of the
terminal plans stand. Mr.. Vaughan.
chairman Of the committee, when asked
to-day how the railroad companies
stood on the question, said II
was the greatest nonsense to suppose that
either company had anything to gain by
holding back from the completion of the
work. In the case of the New York, New
Haven and Hartford railroad, their only
salvation is to complete the new station
as soon as possible as they have no title
In the present passenger station, cramped
as Is. Everything Is now In readiness for
the work on the new station itself, and
with the present disposition of the rail-
road companies the work will be pushed
TO completion as soon as possible.
-Four years ago the city opriated
s450,0O0 for the iilling OF the cove basin
and the building of the retaining walls
for the Woonasquatucket and Mooshas-
suck rivers. Mr.. Vaughn says that his
work has been completed under tho
watchful eye OF the terminal committee
at a cost OF s324. 900. n saving of $l0s, 900 to
the city. The cost OF bridges, highways
and approaches 10 the new station will
cost the city about $50, 900. while the low
figure at which the railroad companies
will secure the land necessary for the new
station and tracks means n loss TO this
city of about 100000 more. Thus il will
be seen that the city is paying large
amount toward the new termiua al plans
About the Land.
Regarding the land TO be occupied by
the new passenger station, and the price
TO be paid to the Providence aud Worces-
ter and Boston and Providence Rail
roads for the land now occupied by the
passenger station, the question may
arise In the minds OF some who know the
circumstances, why the city is Obliged to
pay anything for this land. This is
question which goes way back to 1916
when the first grant was made to the
Providence and Worcester Railroad com
pany. The road was given the privilege
OF using certain land for railroad pur-
poses as long as they desired aud il
at any time they should give up
the use of this land IL should revert to
the general public. For years the city
tax assessors have assessed tax on this
land, valuing IL at 81 per foot, which tax
the raffrUads have always cheerfully
paid. the Boston and Providence
having later completed the western end
OF the station under the same
grant. When it came to
question of getting, back this
new station is finished it was found that
the railroad corporations wereas strongly
In possession of the property as il they
had bought and paid for it. The ques-
tion then arose what right had the city
TO levy taxes on this property which has
a IL sl~ - -sss
yet, taxing the property comedies to the
corporations the ownership of the land.
1t was thought that if the taxes were re-
funded with interest the railroads would
be willing to give up the land, and the
companies signified their willingness to
accept proposition of this kind. The
amount was figured out aud was found
TO be about $4,000 In excess of what the
land would be worth at S4 per
foot. Hence it was decided TO buy the
land OF the corporations at the above
price. During the time from 1916 TO the
present the land has been taxed at 50, s.
aud s. per foot so that the average would
be nearly If not quite a per foot.
The committee on improved railroad
facilities has made several reports on the
progress of the work of filling In the
cove basin and other improvements,
thai the city has at least kept
ahead of the Terminal Company through
be very slowly done. The time which
was allowed ut first for the completion
of this contract was so short that it was
a Physical impossibility for any con.
tractor To fulfil the exact terms 1t was
not made iron clad, however, but the
date was set with a view toward the
Fastening of its completion.
The city is ready TO commence the work |
on Francis, Gaspee and Promenade |
streets and the bridges over the Woonas-
Quatucket and Moshassuck rivers as soon |
as there is assurance that there will be |
some use for these improvements some
where in the future, and as IL is probable |
that work will soon begin on the new
station itself, IL may be hoped that all
these imp ovements will be completed
within three years at the most.
The people will be delighted to learn
that there is to be report-a statement
Of what has been done Officially given TO
them and when IL comes tley will he able
to make up their minds. where we are
at"