The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-05-18

beginning the project moved forward. In
1871 Governor Lippltt organized the Mar
ia ,ansett Hotel company with a C pital
or $500 600. The money was all spent and
nearly AS much more before |: the hote
was finished and the first four
= cries furnished. Four years had gone
by. The original company had given up
the project aud "a new company was
formed even before the cornerstone was
laid. The task at times seemed hopeless.
IL was unpromising aud indeed for many
years after its completion fulfilled it's
Improbable prospect. Nevertheless the
work was carried and a hotel was
built which today is without "A superior
in all necessary essentials. II is unfortu-
nate that as a business venture it 30 far
failed of success tnat its last purchaser
paid only what the land cost originally
aud the hotel itself and its furnishings
were practically aiyen to him.
The harDor of Providence aud Nara
gansetJ bay has been "A fruitful source of
resolutions anu memorials by the Board
of Trade. Twenty-three years ago the
member beg n the agitation by propos-
ing that a harbor OF refuge be n ade at
Block Island. The proposition has been
kept open ever since. ResOlutions after
I, solutions have been sent to Washing
ton. and ia December OF last year only
the last one Was sent, but nothing has
been done. Yet most OF the boards recon-
mendatious regarding the harbor have
been fruitful. It's first petition for
harbor lights was in June OF 1870, when
four more were requested. The req uests
have /. en- continued until THIRTY .eiRht
lighthouses are to De found in the state.
The board has been equally active in adj
vocatiug the dredging OF the harbor and
ia this matter its elorts have been sue
cesssful. The frst attempts to secure an
appropriation in the river and harbor
bill for dredging out the harbor from
Sassafras point we're not encouraging. A
number of the members wers inclined to
set lack aud say 1t can't be done" But
there was a gentleman, then aud now
well known in business circles, Elisha III.
Rockwell, aud wnen the board said the
money couldn't be secured Mr.. Rock veil
proposed To try. A number OF gentle
men we're selected, and among them were
MIR. Rock we'll and n. w. Aidrich. They
went to Washington. There they were
met with the encoura !iug news that
there was no hope for their plan. They
might just as well return home. said our
representatives (Congres Ballou
and Earnes). but they We're not
disheartened. They secured a ten
and harbor committee. Maps were
shown aud their demands made plain.
Scarcely had they returned to their
hotel when they received the welcome
news that instead OF the $25, 600 which
they had asked $50, 90 had been granted.
Siuce hen the work mas gone On continu-
ously. and now : aenty-hve feet OF water
at nIean low water eau be secured almost
in the channel.
1t is not surprising that while taking
so great interest in the harbor. the uJili-
of IL should ave frequently occu-
pied the attention OF tue board. 1t has,
l. might be said, been ALWAYS a pending
before tue members to try by
means to secure a more varied aud
compile o service Of steamships TO this
port. Committees have been appointed
TO consider the ACCESSIBILITY and practical
bIlity OF the proposal. Scarcely ten
years ago General Wilson, the capturer
OF Jeffeis - Davis. and at tue time ia
(1SS2) the president of the New
York IA New En9laad, was present at
a "a. Getting and discussed the question of
the proper methods to ue adopted
in order to induce foreign steam
ships to call hire tor cargoes.
lie compliment ed the city on its superior
to New York, but noted that
there was need Of better tsde-water con-
nectiohs witch tue railroads. Inused that