Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1894-05-16
HOW SHALL It END?
Hearing on The Narrow
Gauge Controversy.
PROMINENT MEN SPEAK.
Some Merchants Are Anxious to See
Present Standard Of Tracks Retained.

ROADS OF the City Council gave a public
hearing In the Council Chamber last even
ing regarding the changing OF the narrow
gauge Of the Pawtucket Street Railroad to
the standard gauge. The meeting was
called TO order by Chairman Giles w.
Easterbrooks. The other members pre-
sent were Alderman Perrin and Council
men Batty and McCaughey. TIE petit
tion and the notice were read by Coun-
Gilman James Il. Batty, clerk OF the COM
mittee.
Chairman Easterbrooks announced
that they were ready 10 hear any person
interested In the question. Upon a sug-
gestion OF Councilman O'Brien II was ar
ranged that those In favor of the reten-
tion OF the narrow gauge should be heard
first, as the notice read In that manner.
Jacob Shartenberg of the firm of Snar-
tenoerg Il Robinson spoke In favor OF the
retention OF the narrow gauge track. lie
said he was one OF those who had signed
the petition, and the main argument that
he had for the granting of the sup
Elementary contract was that Pawtucket
was no better In improvements than IL was
when the rails were first laid. IL the wide
gauge was put In the city must then buy
land on each side OF Main street, or be-
content with one track on that street,
having the cars eithsr run up Main street
and down anot her street, or the reverse.
He did not think that the people OF the
city would favor such plan. The people
who live on the outskirts OF the city
wanted to come down Main street to the
square I'm the cars. IL wide gauge was es-
tsblished, good many OF the people
would stay on the cars and go through To-
Providence instead Of doing their shop
ping here; they would have to pay double
fare, no doubt, but they would not think
so much OF that so long as they did not
have to chs nge cars. He believed that II
would be benefit to the mere hants OF the
city to have the tracks remain as thsy are.
II might be construed as a selfish idea to
argue In that way but he believed he was
honest in so doing.
Henry II. Sheldon said that the mer-
chants interest was his interest. He
thought that the city was not I'm a con-
dition to give away any money, and IL the
proposed change was to be made he
thought IL would cost the city consider
able money.
Alderman O'Reilly said that 1t was un-
fortunate that the narrow gauge was ever
introduced, but it was not the fault of the
City Council. To change the tracks from
the narrow gauge to the wide gauge would
injure the business OF Pawtucket to a
great extent, he thought. 1t was unfor-
tunate that an ordinance was ever intro.
duced into the City Council granting he
charter to the Pawtucket Street Railroad
on the condition that they would put In a
standard gauge In two years time. lie
stated that he, as taxpayer, was not in
favor OF the changing OF the narrow to
the wide gauge. He thought no City
Council would grant any company the
right OF way to cross Main street at the
foot OF High street. This closed the hear
ing on the part OF the friends OF the mar
row gauge.
Ex. x.Mayor Hugh j. Carroll addressed
the committee and gave n short history
OF the road and how ID. Frank Longstreet
deceived the company into the lay ing OF a
narrow guage track ana the payment to
Longstreet OF 5000 for patent used in
laying the road. He eloquently advocated
abolition OF the narrow gauge as 1t was a
constant menace to the growth of the
city. IL left It in an isolated condition.
liza merchant could not do business
here successfully without a "fence" being
erected to prevent people from going to
Providence then he was not fit to be a
merchant. II he could not secure clients
as a lawyer with such fence then he had
better cease practicing law or else move to
Providence. 80 also with any other line
OF business or profession. The extra
width had very little TO do with the oper-
alton OF the road while the advantages to
be gained were almost incaIculable. The
time is coming when legislation can and
will be had compelling transfer ticks to
be issued and In the end the railroad COM
pany will be benefited, because when
people can ride y fair distance for one fare
more people will ride than now when at
almost every corner OF a street they must
change to another route or another gauge
and pay five cents more for ride OF few
feet.
Councilman O'Brien said he was op-
posed 20 the resolution authorizing the
supplementary contract to be made. He
pointed out as some benefits to be OBJ
tanned by the adoption OF the standard
gauge, the abolition ofthe three. T all track
on Main street from Broad street to Gar.
den street with it's extra turnouts and
wagon smashing propensities, the aboli-
tion OF one track on Central avenue, when
carriages could use with less danger that
important thoroughfsre.
The city would get Main street widened
at shesper price by the adoption OF the
wide gauge than any other way. Every
body conceded II to be a necessity and the
sooner II was accomplished the sooner
substantial progress couiu be made.
/. The curb line having already been es-
tablished, II would be necessary for the
abutting owners to deal fairly with the
city In order to have a sidewalk In front
OF their estates.
As to the statement by Alderman
o'Reilly that no City Council would ever
grant railroad the right OF way across
Main street at the foot of High street, Mr..
o'Brien picked up chapter las OF the city
ordinances and read IL, showing that the
right was already granted and sold and
the sale ratified. This meant more than
appeared upon It's surface.
The very fact that this link is esta ablished
means through road from Provi-
dence to Blackstone, because the new
contemplated bridge across the Black