The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1894-02-03
Rhode Island Business Men
Protest Vigorously.
THE CONSOLIDATED SCORED
road Are aiutual-Faith Must BE
Kept--The City Council Must Act
I'm the Matter.


was devoted principally to the
question of terminal facilities. Anumber
OF the leading citizens were present by
invitation and addressed the association
on the most important question that
today confronts the city.
The meeting was called to order shortly
after O'Clock by President John Shepard
and routine business disposed Of.
The following were proposed for mem
bership and duly elected:
DIR. Franklin p. CapFeHy BENZ. M. Bos-
worth, j. Walter Henley, Hon. w: Max
we'll Greene, Frank n. Evans, Geo. *.
Paine, Frank s. Arnold, Daniel r. Ballou,
Hiram Kendall, Joseph Fletcher, Thomas
G. Powell, &. M. Middlebrook, Capt. Chas.
c. Gray, Charles w. Bubier.
Terminal Facilities.
The topic of the evening was then intro
duced and President Shepard, after ex-
pressing his disapprobation OF the pro-
posed new depot, asked President An
drews of Brown University foran opinion.
II do not think the new depot is
what we have been led to
authorities of the Consolidated road
are not infallible. | believe the manage
ment, has made profound mistake. The
plansSthey placed before us are what we
want. The facilities for the
comfort of passengers are entirely
llaQeQuate. we nave 1OOkcu lOT-
ward to something better than the old
station. We do not want merely new
station. III the plans OF the road are
what they appear 10 be, the road is max
ing a dreadful mistake both for us and
for themselves. The Consolidated cannot
afford to build such depot. Isuppose
Mr.. Clark does not really know what this
city is. We have $50, 600 people dependent
upon our city. III we have proper
facilities for carrying on trade, believe
that this city will grow more in the next
| so years than Ii ever has before. The road
cannot prevent our growth but IL
can retard it by 25 per cent.
The greatest roads have attained their
greatness by faithfully serving the cities
along their lines.
ave have not until recently had any
| idea OF the magnificent geographical
possibilities of our city. This city can be
Consolidated road than Boston. In time
they may double, treble, quadruple their
| business here il they will plan
Alright. They must not try TO cripple this
city. They must not spend all their
| efforts in completing their service between
| Boston and New York.
How much has this city been injured
| in reputation by that old station. The
| effect upon travellers is to belittle the city.
| The first impression from looking at our
| station is that Providence is an old ram
shackle town without life or enterprise.
| The decision of travellers TO settle
| down in place depends to a great extent
| upon the impressions they get from the
railroad buildings.
The Bristol Road.
al believe that by proper depot facili-
| ties for the Bristol end the travel OF
| that road would be doubled in less
| than quarter of century. The road
| should empty its passengers into the
main depot. Nor viii the freight traffic
| increase in a less ratio.
"By bright and proper planning the rail-
road, in the course OF the next so years at
least, would add handsomely to its
| profits.
| Mr.. Sims Opinion.
| Mr.. Gardner c. Sims stated that big
| protest must be made against the proposed
| new depot. "People wonder" he said,
"why more business concerns do not
| settle here. 1t is simply that they are
handicapped by inadequate freight facili-
| ties"
| Must Have Good Station.
John McAuslan said that the original
| plan for the new station had many excel
lent features, but he did not know what
changes had been made in ii. He endorsed
the remarks OF President Andrews.
|
station and it must have it at all hazards.
| We cannot expect to have the palatial
| structures of Europe but, after waiting SO
long, we ought to have a station to suit
the growing needs of the city. We must
plan for greater Providence.
Once S2,eeo,oOO.
Hiram Howard. OF the Advance Club,
| said that once upon time s2,000, 600 had
| been promised for the new depot, hut II
had been dwindling ever since. III,
did not think like David that all men are
liars, hut he thought good many rail-
| road men are. The Consolidated has
made so much ON real estate in this city
that II could afford to put up most mag
| nificept depot. The Old Colony is said to
have made some enormously profitable
trades in real estate in Providence.
William A. Harris was called upon tc
express an opinion, but pleaded sore
throat.
Want Modern Depot.
Alderman Daniel r. Ballou called Il
question of paramount Importance. III,
had stood for the famous Goddard plan
| He wanted Just as good structure now
"The policy OF great railroads brings 9
serious problem TO the consideration o.
business men," he said. "lt i
question whether the railroads
control the State or the State controls the
| railroads. They often control legisla'
lures and IL is question II they do mo-
control Congress. IL is desirable that W,
have au ample and commo-
dious depot. We don't asl
for ornamental architecture. w,
ask modern conveniences. The qucs-
tion comes up in the City Council mex
Monday. Gentlemen, IL Is i'm your power
to bring the proper influence TO bear upor
the councimen. The road cannot adopt
the plans for the new depot until th'
council has approved them"
Harmony Wanted.
Hiram Aylsworth said he was thor
oughly interested I'm the new depo
project. "We must agitate," he said
awe must force the subject TO a propel
conclusion. We have capital, brains
everything we need, but the trouble Is
that we don't utilize them. What 4
being done to increase the beauty anc
utfftty of urrr rfty " e iftste-t--eff -etf-
couraging the growth ofalmost every cit,
on earth except our own. We do not wan
to sntagonize the Consolidated. Theil
| futereeta are mutual with ours Ne want