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

Euuy stfcet, from fluo htrctS W ioihe
street; Richmond street, from Ship street
to Point street. These streets are all
situated In the central or business por-
tion OF the city and should be paved with
granite blocks.
About $4,000 lineal feet OF curbing have
been set, uad about ten miles of new
streets macadamized and built. The
same trouble still continues about tearing
up streets to make sewer connections,
and the large expense for re-surfacing
could be saved il the abutting owners
would make the connections Immediately
after the sewers are built. / recommend
that legislation necessary to enable the
city TO lay the connections from the
sewers TO inside OF the curb line be OBJ
tanned as soon as possible in order to
avoid this expense.
During the last five years the received
streets have increased from one hundred
and sixty-one to one hundred and ninety
three miles, the paved streets from nine
teen and one half TO twenty-five and two
thirds miles; and the streets curbed and
built from ninety-eight 10 one hun
dred and thirty-one miles. The
regular appropriation fer the fiscal year
ending September 80, 1889, was s2OO,OOOi
for the year ending September 80, 1894,
S175,001. This shows decrease in the APP
preparation, Notwithstanding there are
thirty per cent. more of paved and curbed
streets to be cared for and maintained.
When we take the annual appropriation
for highways into consideration, 1t can
readily be seen that it requires SO much Tor
the general repairs and cleaning that avery
small amount is left for paving or build
ing streets; and most OF the new work
that has been done has been ordered
from the special appropriations. II this
is continued they will soon be exhausted.
The regular appropriation for highways
for the coming year shoula be increased
TO an amount sufficient to pay the cost of
cleaning and repairing and such new
work as the City Council orders; other
wise no new work can be done.
Nat,r Works.
The consumption OF water still contln-
uos to increase. There have been about
eighteen miles OF pipes laid during the
past year. The necessity of pure supply
of water has received the attention which
its Importance demands. The river has
been patrolled and the amount OF
pollution entering the same has
materially decreased. There has also
been large amount OF fill
tration Experimenting with good
results and plant for filtering the water
should be erected without delay as the
water used by our citizens should be the
very best that il is possible 10 obtain. 1t
ia expected that the new Worthington
engine will be ready for service by the
first of next June and then the city will
be fully equipped to furnish all of the
water required. Fruit Hill reservoir has
been repaired and is now in service.
That portion OF the improved sewerage
system extending from Olneyville to
! CroclSer avenue, through Norfolk and
other streets, will be completed early in
! the spring. This will enable all Of that
section OF the city lying west OF Parade
street and south OF Pottcrs avenue to
! obtain good drainage. The Woonasqua-
tucxet division has been built through to
the corner OF Dyer and Dorrance streets,
and contracts nave been awarded for the
building of the balauco of this division
| when this is completed it viii take all of
the sewage now running into the river
through the centre OF the city down to
Flelds's Point. Plans and specifications
for the apparatus required for pumping
the sewage are nearly finished and il is
intended to have the machinery in opera
tion by the time these sewers are COM
completed.
The city has constructed during tho
past year about II miles OF lateral sewers
and there have boon about 1000 house
connections made during the year There
will be quite lumber OF small sewers
built during the coming season, but 1t is
not expected that the number will equal
that OF the past year, as a very large por-
tion of the territory is now supplied.
Britgs
The bridges, with the exception OF
Exchange bridge over the Woonasqua-
tucket river and Red bridge over tn,
Seekonk river, are in good condition.
These two bridges should be rebuilt
as soon as possible. The Exchange
| bridge should be an iron structure
similar TO the Washington bridge just
south of it, and the river
walls should be constructed
according TO the plans submitted by the
| city engineer. BY building sections eacl
| year this work can be accomplished and
| IL will be permanent. The Red bridge
will be kept i'm service by prohibiting any
large load from being drawn over II and tht
engineer in charge has been notified TO tina
effect. Ii this bridge is rebuilt the STATE
| and the town OF East Providence shoulc
pay part OF the expense.
During the past year the Acorn stree
bridge and the Washington bridge owe
the Woonasquatucket river have been com
pieteci, and the Francis street bridge il
now in process OF construction.
city Enginec,'s Dep.rtmcn.
The employees of this department hav
been busily occupied by the many I'm
provements that require their services
and as the winter season prevents mucl
outside work, they are now plating an'
recording the work done during the pas
season, and furnishing the COMMISSIONS
OF Public Works with Information 70
making sewers and curbing assess
ments. ,t is my opinion that the plan
and specifications OF all public buildings
together with the supcrintendence OF tn
construction OF the same, should be place.
in the City Engineers Department
am OF the opinion tina