The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-09-13
Contract for the 100000 Gallon
Pumping Engine Awarded.
TO Be BUILT BY WORYHINGYoN.
Bill Authorizing Creation OF Pension
Funds for Police and Fircmen Not
Passed by tho AssembIy-The Regis
try List stiil Growing-Notes,


works department awarded at noon today
the contract for the nsw 1000, 900 gallon
pumping engine to be erected at the
station at Pettaconsetr to the Henry r.
Worthington company Of New York.
Unusual interest was taken in this mat
ter by the citizens who seemed to be
alive TO the importance OF the citys secur-
log an efficient and reliable machine.
Not a little of this interest was
due to the fact that should any
accident have disabled the big Corliss
engine during the heated term
just passed, people might have been
put on short allowance.
There were five bidders and the COM
missioner and engineer after consider
able deliberation finally decided in favor
of the Worthington engine.
Pensions for FIremen and Police.
Some Of those who read over the an
nual appropriation bill as passed by the
common council last Monday were sur
priss d because they did not find any pro-
vision in IL for the pension fund for
policemen and firemen, and they at once
jumped to the conclusion that the city
council did not propose to establish the
fund at all.
aud Was based o. the erroneous impress
sion hat the city has the right to create
such fund. Several mo lths ago the
city council instructed the solicitor
to apply to the general assembly
for bill to au, horize 1t tn es.
tablish pension fund. A bill was draw n
giving the city council authority to appro-
pirate at once s., 600 for a pension fund
lor policemen and 5000 or firemen. Au-
thority was also given for au annual ap-
preparation Of 5000 for each of these
funds.
This bill was duly presented and passed
by one branch, but is now In the
hands OF a commitI ee OF the other Even
a the city hall 1t was believed that the
bill had become law aud IL was
ouly after investigation that it was
learned that 1t was hung up In COM
mittee. IL is'the general opinion, how
ever, that 1t will be- passed at the jan
uary session.
There are now two funds of 81, 500 each
out of which the widows of one police
man and of two fremen receive a small
pension. The policeman died from the
effects of a cold cntracted while
on duty at fire. One of Ihs fire.
men lost his life by the breaking OF a
ladder on which he was practising in
'front.' OF the house of the Three Ones.
The other was killed at the burning OF a
church in South Providence.
Growing Slowly.
The registration figures are growing
slowly. Up today there were 54l
names on the book. "a having been
put on Monday and o yester-
day. In nearly all cases foreign born
citizens have filed their registration
papers so the city clerk does not antici-
pate much trouble from this source
the coming year.
Atthe city CLERKS Office it was said there
was little Likelihood that the books
would be taken into the different wards
for the purpose OF facilitating x stration.
That methCd Is not gen-
orally approved as the law
says the citizen shall register at the
clerks Office. Besides, 1t Is claimed that
in the carrying OF the books about the
city there is danger OF their loss, injury,
or muiiation. Those who oppose visits
to the ward by the CITY
clerk or his assistants say further that
inasnuch rs the citizens have whole
year in which to register, there is no hard
ship involved In requiring them to go to
the city hall.
Notes About the Hall
Tomorrow the committee on lamps
will meet at o'clock in the evening.
The highway committee will meet to-
morrow afternoon at = o'clock in COM
mittee room III.
The steam hammer Is Mt work again
driving sheet filing for the continuation
of the DorraDcs street trunk sewer.
There are only 25 drain layers in the
city and they are all busy putting in
sewer connections.
Since the cool weather drove house
owners back TO the city there has been a
marked increase in the number of appli-
cants for perm ssion to make connections
| with the sewers.
Captain George II. Pettis, city sealer
| OF weights and measures, il exp scted
| back from the Grand Army reunion at
indianapolis the last Of the present or