Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1893-03-24
HIGH SCHOOL SITE.
Shall it be Here or in
AttIebOrO?
MATTER FOR TAXPAYERS.
They Pay the Money But Who Has
the Choice.

been cons idering for some time the uues-
tion of a High School site. They havee
proceeded with the utmost secresy and
whatever their motive, they have tried to
railroad one particular site through the
City Council without any regard to the
feelings or wishes of the other mem bers.
The good sense of the majority prevailed,
however, and three weeks re allowed for
examination and public discussion. Now,
as to the site selected, the TRIBUNE has
no particular objection, except that botn
territorially and by population 1t is en-
tirely remote from the center OF the city.
The idea OF erecting the new High
School, which is to cost probably S10O,0 900
and is expected to last for generations, on
the outskirts Of the city, is preposterous.
1t is much nearer to the Massac chusetts
line than to the centre OF the city. Upon
the proposed site Is building which IL Is
agreed by all will have to be demolished,
consequently the land is all that can be
counted In estimating the cost. The
committee on City Property acknow ledge
1t to be 64 cents foot.
Land In that vicinity Is rated for taxa
tion at about one-third that sum. The
owners OF the building, OF course, cannot
be expected to give away their building,
but that Is a reason why the committee
should look elsewhere for a site where
such an useless incumbrance would not
have to be paid for.
When the Hill property on Main street
was proposed 1t was objected to because of
its proximity to the Slater Mills, but this
now suggested and recommended so eager
ly Is just as close to Cages Mil, which is
not any more OF an ornament In archi-
lecture than the Slater Mills. A good To-
cation in the city for High School il on
the west side of Park Place and even IL ii
costs a larger sum than those out -of-the.
way sites, the people in the end will be
better satisfied.
"Gage" site, while the people may put up
with 1t, they will certainly chafe under
such an imposition, and the representa-
tives OF the people have a right to pay
some attention to what is best suited for
their interest and welfare.
The present site owned by the city on
High street is the best place of any for the
building and all admit the fact, but the
committee says there only 1900 square
| feet OF land and that therefore the site is
| to small for the structure which II is pro-
posed to erect.
Have the committee tried to buy any of
the adjoining property in order to make
the site large enoughf IL new place is
bought for the High school this valuable
site on High street will have to be dis
posed for a mere song.
A we'll known business man and one
who knows something of real estate and
the city said this morning that it would
be entirely against the will OF the people
IL the High school was put on the Gage
| estate.
"Wby," he said, at is out on the
'Plains;' 1t is not and never will be the
center of the city. II we are building a
a High School for Massachusetts, why it's
all right, but IL 1t is for Pawtucket IL is
entirely out OF the question.
"The price of the estate is cheap enough,
guess, but there is no need of buying a
ne ~ site. Where is there more appro-
pirate or centrally located place than the
present High School site.
"They say 1t is not large enough. Well,
why don't they buy some of the adjoin-
ing property think they can and IL
they cannot, condemn II. Look at the
amount Of money spent in widening High
street and when II was agitated 1t was
said that 1t was desired to make the street
a suitable one to have the High School on
and now they want to put 1t over near the
Massac husetts line. 1t is all nonsense.
"The present site is near the electric and
horse cars and is not the next block to a
mill, machine shop, water fall or any.
thing else that would disturbistudy. The
people will not stand II to have their
school put away out near Attleboro at an
Of an expense OF 100000.