The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-07-08
NAY MOI T&M1H BOARD
nsssrS StudIsy and Luther Not De.
siFous Of Election as Commissioners.
STRONG EFFORT WILL Be MADE
70 Get Them To Reconsidsr-The Teie-
phone Company and the Cost OF Its
Service TO the City-sentiment In
Favor OF Purchasing Dc xter's Estate.

There is now little doubt that board
Df license commissio ners will be elected
hext Monday evening, but just how IL
will be made up is not quite so certain.
This uncertainty Is the result OF the
action OF Mr.. J. f Studley, who 1t is
nnderstood has said he does not desire
place on the commission.
Mr.. William Luther also has expressed
himself as not wishing TO serve. These
aunounc .ments caused some surprise and
bome spec but it Is believed that
: strong effort will be made TO
ipducs the gentlemen to reconsider and
accept the offc. Since the nemina-
tfons were made in the Republican cauc ,s
tho Impression has been growing that
commission 30 made up would carry on
ths work OF the department on strictly
business principles and that politics
would have little or no influence In the
direction Of affairA
For this reason 1t Is the hope of those
who believe In the efficacy OF the
new lawthat Messrs. Studley and
Luther can be prevailed upon to ac-
sept places on the commission:
neither Mr.. Mccarthy nor any of the
other candidates who have thus far been
mt forward by the Democrats will be
elected. The little caucus held last night
shows that the party is divided. and even
were it unit it could do nothing with
out the assistance OF more hepubIican
votes than 1t can possibly secure.
The opponents of Mr.. Burnham are
rot likely TO get much comfort out OF
tho meeting of the joint convention
0onday night, for he will In all human
probability be elected. There wa s
somsthios really amusing in the
not claimed that he was mot a
good commissioner or that the business
was not transacted In prompt. efficient
manner, but it was asserted that
III. Burnham was too cold and formal.
He didn't ask the boys into his Office
and treat them to cigars while they
snapped stories. Thus he became In
fheir eyes an autocrat and they didn't
want him elected. But they have got o
take him just the same according to
present indications-
Rates Not Fixed Yet.
From some quarters the story has gone
out. that the p rovidence Telephone COM
bany, having secured -a-25- years
exclusive franchise in the
CITY sreets, proposed to mulct
the municipality by doubling tho rate
charged for telephone service. Now, as a
matter cf fact, the tslepnone company
haa no exclusive franchise, and never
Il petitioned the city council for per-
mission TO build subways for its wires,
an Improvement that was as
much TO the benefit OF the city
~ TO that Of the company. The
under certain conditions, among which
were that the company should lay one
duet In every series to be used by the city
for its fire alarm telegraph and police
service wires and should also pay to the
eth each year one aud one-half per cent
Of its gross earnings
Now a. to the price the city Is TO be
matter was thoroughly discussed aud
fully understood at the time the agree
nlent for the building Of the con-
duitS was entered into. The city
has been paying, very small
rate and there will probably be an
yet been determined by thecompany. Even
should the city be. charged ct the same
rate As corporations and individual
users OF telephones the company will still
have to pay into the city treasury a
sum largely in excess of that
ynid By the city. superintendent White
ssid this moTning: The rate has not yet
will deal as literally with the city OF
Providerce, rs other companies. do with
k1ties in which they are located"
The Dexter Statue.
City Solicitor Colwell has not yet rend-
ored his opinion on the Dexter training
orcund matter to the committe consider
ang the subject. As soon as he does
another meeting will be held.
In conversatton with several members
Df the city council this morning IL was
found that the sentiment In favor of the
purchase of the contingent interest of
the Dexter heirs Is growing stronger day
said one councilman: 81 think it
would be good investment for the city
70 purchase this contingent interest. A
few years ago, / understand, the heirs
offered TO sell out for t25, ,00U and IL is
probable they would do so for the same
1gure now. This would settle all
from time to time and place the control
gf the property in the city forever.
Under strict interpretation OF the clause
in Mr.. ,Dexter's will, think the city
broke its provisions some thirty years
ago when 1t exercised the right OF absolute
ownership by cutting of from the train
ing held n strip to run streets through.
IL seems TO me the heirs by not assGrS
Ing their contingent interest at that time
baye waived any rights they might have
had
However, recognize that no one can
tell TO n certainty what the court might
decide on the matter, and TO avoid liti-
cation and prevent complications In the
future. believe IL would be well TO
make q settlement with the heirs
and obtain from them q release OF their
contingent interest,""
The City's Health.
The general health OF the city is at
svesent very uood ScarIet fever which
short time ago Was prevalent, has
oeen almost entirely stamped out,
She returns TO the Office OF Superinten-
dent Chaplain showing but seven cases as
against ~ for the preceding week and le
for the corresponding week In June.
Diphtheria, that dreaded scourge, Is
also on the wane, only turee cases having
been reported this week. Typhoi fever
has also lost It's grip. the record showing