The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1894-08-18

crowded into very narrow strip of what
should be a wide and clear waterway.
All outgoing steamers and vessels
are obliged by ordinance to pass through
the west draw of Point street bridge, and
then the sand bar makes IL necessary for
them to go in an easterly direction and
encroach upon that portion of the channel
which is hardly wide enough to
accommodate the constant succession
of north bound craft fran the bay. Time
is lost, the chances for collision are very
materially increased, and 1t Is the mis-
fortune nearly every day Of some strange
vessel to go aground on the reef which is
not marked by any buoy or designated on
any chart. Then the captain must
wait for high tide or else add to the ex-
penses OF his trip by tug boat charges.
The harbor committee has asked for an
appropriation OF $1,000 with which to pay
for the complete dredging out of the OBJ
structing sand bar and thus remove the
only Objectionable feature of what is
otherwise one of the best harbors on the
coast.
The special Council committee for the
encouragement of new industries I'm the
City of Providence Is also much interested
in the removal OF the Middle
Ground, because with the harbor as
good as 1t is naturally adapted to be, the
inducement to business from outside will
be greatly increased and much of the
water freight now monopolized by Bos-
ton would come to the port of Providence
which is two-days' sail nearer to the
principal foreign shipping ports of the
One OF the best known marine coptrac-
tors says in relation to the channel that IL
is but 175 feet wide at Fox Point, and two
thirds OF the time there are az many as
four large barges moored at the Provi-
dence line dock, rs the company prefer to |
have them tie up there than to have them |
lie In the stream. These boats will take
up at least 100 feet of the channel.
leaving but q small space for ves- |
,eIs to pass, and those that sail |
down from the west opening of the
Point Street bridge have to keep well TO |
The east to make the channel at all. For a
portion OF the summer this part of the
1arbor has been open, as the steamer
Nashua has been taken away, but the
teamer Pequot will be here in few davs.
ind this Is not the only reason WHY the
obstruction known as the Middle Ground
sfOe'N ~ aNhoFetehti ~ WOulu De Cheaper |
n the end, for the reason it would
pen mp the channel and carry
m the refuse OF the Woonasquatucket
liver into the Government channel and
would then be taken farther down the
'ay. AS IL is now the channel from Craw-
ord street bridge to Fox Point has to be
ug out every year and sometimes twice.
his course is costly. The harbor is the
rincipal roadway TO the city and State.
nd should be kept In such condition as
'ould attract the attention of all who
re on the sea. II there was N
ood roadway tae freight would be lower.
DR. small vessels, at any rate, but a. IL il
ow strangers are obliged 10 engage
~, and II they do not, they are apt TO
an aground and remain there until
'ken OF by the tide, and there is hardly
day that one or more vessels In not seen
ground in the hsrbor. just at the pr.s-
lt time there may be no trouble In get.
ng vessels TO come to the port just a.
reap M they will anywhsre else. but
hen times are good IL will be difYerent