The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1894-02-13
WHAT BUSINESS MEN SAY
In Favor Of Widening Charles
and Mill Streets.
ALDERMAN LITTLE IS WILLING
That the Work should BE Done Under
the General Highway Act--Othcrs
Express Their Approval OF the Pro-
ject.

The question OF the widening OF Charles
and Mill streets will be brought up for the
consideration OF the members OF the Board
OF Aldermen at the meeting on Thursday
evening. During the past few days the
friends of the measure have been active
in its interest, and it is believed that the
matter will receive more favorable atten-
tion than has been given at any previous
meeting OF the Board.
The result of this missionary work may
be seen in all parts OF the city where men
who have been opposed to the expenditure
OF money in this manner now look upon
the projected improvement with more
favor, while those who might be said to
be occupying pos itions on the fence have
come out openly In favor of the plan.
A NEWS representative visiteda number
OF the prominent business menthis morn
ing and found them very willing to talk
about the project.
Mr.. j. Lewis Peirce, the president OF
the Board of Trade, said that he was
thoroughly in favor of the project. There
was no street in the city that was more
important for the business men. All the
large manufacturing concerns, the bleach
cries and the slaughter houses did heavy
teaming. AS 1t was impossible for them
to go over the hill they were compelled TO
drive through Charles and Mill
streets to GO to the city.
As the streets were narrow they
were continually being blocked by the
large teams and the electric cars, and any
one who was acquainted with this section
OF the city could see that the widening of
the streets was necessary Improvement.
AS this was a matter of general advan-
tage to the public it ought to be done
under the highway act, but il it was
found necessary to make the improve
ment under the betterment act the tax
should be assessed over wide section In
order that those who received the benefit
OF the improvement might pay for it.
Alderman Little said that he was so
much in favor OF the Improvement that
he was willing to have the work done
under either act. As 10 was general i'm
provement it ought to be done by general
assessment, as this would distribute the
cost all over the city. He believed that
the city ought to give the manufacturers
every facility to cheaper the cost of hand
ling their goods and supplies. The
surrounding towns were work.
ing hard to persuade the man
ufacturers to leave Providence.
They were willing TO exempt them from
taxation or to offer any possible induce
ment TO persuade them TO locate with
them and the city of Providence should
have every possible effort to keep such
sources OF wealth. He believed in i'm
proving the streets, the railroads and the
harbor and IL he lived in the North End
and realized the advantage that they re-
ceive from such corporations he would be
willing to have the work done under the
betterment act.
Mr.. Peck, OF Mason, Chaplin q Co.,
said that his firm was willing to do any
thing that would tend to hasten
the widening OF Charles and Mill
streets. Every business man had ex-
perienced the disadvantage of the
streets as they were at the present
time, and he thought that man who
had been inconvenience in this manner
would object to paying his share of the
cost OF the improvement. So far as he
could see, however, the advantages to be
gained were so general that there was no
reason why the work should not be done
as highway improvement.
Alderman Watson was too busy to make
any definite statement when he was seen
this morning. He said, however, that the
committee had made an exception in the
present case, so that only one half of the
eAptusc VI tut improvement WOulu come
upon the shoulders of the taxpayers IL the
work should be done under the better
ment act.
Mr.. George f. Leete of the Butler
Duncan estate said that while he recog-
nized the need of the Improvement and
thought that such work ought TO be done
he was not ready to say how the work
ought to be paid for.
President Henry G. Clarke OF the Provi-
dence Coal company was heartily in favor
OF the project, but he thought that the
work ought to be done under the better
ment act. He said that he believed that
the city had acted very fairly in Offering
to bear one half the entire expense. No
improvement that could be made in the
streets of the city was more badly
needed than the widening of
Charles and Mill streets, and the
people who enjoyed the benefits of the
work ought to be willing to pay for IL.
He was in favor of extending the assess
ments in an equal distance from Charles
street, north, south, east and west, as that
would make the tax an equitable one. He
did not believe in taxing the poorer prop
erty holders for the advantages that were
enjoyed by the wealthy wholesale and
manufacturing concerns, nor did he ap-
prove of doing one piece OF highway work
under the highway act and another piece
nndar bo hot far