The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1894-01-30

liams Park. A communication from
the City Solicitor was received, In which
IL was stated that the council had no au-
thority to authorize any other officer ex-
cept the park commissioners to make inn
provements in parks.
Resolutions declaring Francis and Still
man streets public highways, We're passed
in concurrence.
A resolution from the board directing
the commissioner of public works to
grade land on Aliens avenue provoked u
long discussion. Mr.. Mccarthy inquired
il the resolution was a part OF the scheme
TO provide work for the poor. 1t was
shown that the work would probably
be given To the poor, but In
order TO be assured of this Mr.. Mccarthy
moved that the matter be laid upon the
table until such time as all could UNDER
stand it thoroughly
Mr.. Angel objected to the motion and
urged action at once.
Mr.. Darcy said that ii would not give
employment to anyone while the resolu-
tion lay upon the table, and after brief
explanation of the bill by the chair, IL
was passed in concurrence.
The petition of Michael j. Keefe TO
raise building was granted.
The Supervision of City Buildings.
The report OF the joint standing COM
mittee on the City Engineers department
was taken up from the Board of Aldermen.
The committee reported on an ordinance
in amendment of chapter 43 of the city
ordinances entitled "Property of the City,"
and defining the duties of the City
Engineer, and advised the indefinite
postponement of the ordinance. 1t was
so voted. An ordinance in amendment
to chapter 43 was then introduced to read,
that before any building or other structure
for the use of this city be erected, altered
or repaired, the expense of which
will exceed $500, the city engineer shall
prepare plans and specifications of the
requisite amount of work to be done and
shall give notice i'm the newspapers of the
time when such plans will be exhibited.
Mr.. Angel moved that the matter be
referred to the committee on city
property.
MIR. Burton, chairman of that commit
tee, stated that as far as the city property
committee had control, the busi-
ness of erecting buildings for
the public use had been let out
to local architects. The committee
had always submitted these plans to the
parties interested before taking definite
action.
Mr.. Mccarthy presented substitute
resolution in which the matter was re-
ferred TO the commissioner of public
works.
Mr.. Burton objected TO the resolution
offered by Mr.. Mccarthy going to the
commissioner and stated that the COM
mittee had decided that it was better for
the city to own its own plans.
President Sellew stated that in four
years the city had paid s27,076 for archi-
tects' fees. The city engineer had
been before the committee and had
been questioned as to his ability
to do the work. He had stated
that one more man was necessary, yet he
had men in the department who perhaps
could do the necessary work in satisfac-
tory manner.
Mr.. Burton presented figures showing
that the expense to the city of Boston in
maintaining the department of the city
architect reached asum amounting to S22,-
216.16 annually.
Mr.. Freeman stated that he had heard
that large bodies moved slowly, and said
that since his connection with the
council he had found the saying to be
true. He urged the concurrence with the
board.
Mayor Olney stated that the idea of
providing city architect did not origi-
nate with the Commissioner of
Public Works. 1t had birth in
the speakers brain. He had consulted
with the chairman of the committee on
schools and found that the latter was i'm
hearty sympathy with the measure. r The
speaker thought the city was paying out
too much for architects fees, and stated
II as his opinion that it would be better
to place the affair in the hands of the city
engineers.
Messrs. Millen and j. III. Kendrick op-
posed concurrence in the bill taking the
ground that the council should have
thorough information in regard to the
employment of architects under the
present system and the increased cost
which the supervisor of the city engineer
department would entail. Mr.. Millen also
ipstanced the new Central Station and the
more pretentious public buildings to en-
phasize the necessity OF such an inquiry
as has been suggested by the Mccarthy
resolution.
Mr.. Vose suggested an amendment so
that the plans should be approved by the
appropriate committees of the City Coun-
Gil and Mr.. Burton approved the sugges-
tion.
The question of the adoption of the
Mccarthy resolution was then put and it
was defeated in the roll call by vote of
IA ayes to 16 nays, as follows:
Ayes Messrs. Blanchard, Barden,
Darcy, Duffy, Hickie, }. II. Kendrick,
Millcn, McGuy, Mccarthy, O'Connell,
Stone, Sheahan, Edwin Winsor, Water
man-14.
Nays-President Sellew, Messrs. Angel,
Anthony, Burton, Blakeley, Durfee, Free
man, Messing, Pierce, Parkhurst, Phillips,
Ryan, San Souci, Thurston, vose, Wood
lie.
Absent or not voting -Messrs. Burdick,
Clark, Davis, John Il. Kendrick, Knight,
Reynolds, Vaughan, Ira Winsor, White,
Whiteley-10.
Miscellaneous Business.
A large batch Of miscellaneous business