The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-11-27
The Biz Sewer SiphOn is
Now Completed.
Built for $4,000 Less Than
the Original Estimate.
conduit System Finished--Hard to
Collect Poll Taxes.

individual or corporation. This may be
true in some cities, but IL certainly Is
not the rule here In the city OF Provi-
dance. Many cases could be cited where
improvements have been made at a sum
very materially smaller than the est-
mates but one example will be sufficient.
An important part OF the improved
sewerage system Is Il sipbon under the
yiver at Fox Point, which connects the
trunk sewers traversing the east and west
shores and by which the sewage from
the section OF the city east of the river
ts conveyed to the west side, and finally
to the pumping station and outfall
sewer, from which IL runs into the bay at
Fields Point. The building Of this
siphon or tunnel under the riv, r 5ed ia q
very particular piece of work and the
board OF public WORKS and engineers de-
partment estimated the cost OF construc-
tion at $50, 600. No contractor in this
vicinity was equipped with the machinery
and tools to enable him TO build II by
sny other method than by what 10 known
as the "open cut. " FINALLY by looking
the field over q contractor who could
build the siphon by the compressed air
process was found and he put in bid
which was q little over s33, 900. Local
contractors also bid. The proposal OF
one vas s5s, 600; OF another, $1,000, and
The contract went to Charlss A. Has
kins OF Boston. whose bid was s36, 900.
Many and dire were the predictions
when the award was made. "You may
get the work done for that declared the
croakers, "but wait until the city has to
pay damages for the men who will be
drowned In that smod hole under the
river" But the work went on and now
IL Is completed. Not a man was drowned
nor was any one OF them ever in danger
at any time. The compressed air system
worked 10 perfection, and Providence
ma I'M ha ha
original estimate.
For couple OF days workmen have
been engaged on North Main street in
laying big iron pipe In the roadway.
Many people have been wondering what
this Is for-whether for gas, water or for
electric light purposes. OF the many
who made guesses not ono was correct
The work now In progress Is for the
city's lire alarm system, the wires OF
which are TO go under ground. The con-
duit put in by the Providence Telephone
Company, in which a section IL reserved
for the use OF the city, docs not run along
that part OF North Main street between
Market square and Waterman street, so
the city bad to put In it's own conduit
there. Thst Is the work that Is now in
progress.
The building OF the telephone condu-
its has been completed in what may be
called five sections. The first leaves the
Exchange on Union street, passes through
Broad and lNkman streets to Plain, on
which thoynghfare II ends at Potter's
f-sr'. IsA second passes through Wey-
tosSu tusst, Aborn's gangway, over
Crr,- 800 street bridge and along South
DIR street 10 Tockwotton street; the
third through Exchange place, over the
Burnside bridge to North Main street,
through Waterman street, Prospect alley,
Hope Waterman and Angel streets; the
fourth through North Main to Lippit
Dean, Summer and Pond streets to Pearl
street and the sixth to Olneyvills by way
II Washington street and Broadwsy.
This year the number OF persons against
.hom a poll tax has been assessed Is lees
~ LA than In 1894. The total assessment
Tor 1895 Is II, 335 as against p, ,509 Tor the
previous year. City Treasurer Granger
has received from this years assessment
thus far just S13s2, which probably does
not vary much from the amount received
up to the corresponding date in 1894.
The city never collects one half of the
tax assessed. last year, for instance, the
total sum reslzed from this source was
only sS950 out OF an aggregate assessment
of s21.5C9. This small return is due in
great part TO the hoating character OF the
~.
men In II may be in Providence TO day
and in Pascoag tomorrow, SO that In q
majority OF cases IL Is absolutely impos-
sibie to secure payment The constitu-
tionality Of the poll tax law, which pro-
vides that delinquent may be arrested
and incarcerated in jail until he pay
not only the tax, but all costs incident
to his commitment, has frequently been
questioned. Ii Is the opinion of City
treasurer Granger, however, that the law
IL constitutions although he does not re-
gard 1t as proper or just one. He has
on several occasions endeavored to have its
constitutionality tested, and has issued
writs for tho arrest Of deIinquents. In
every instance the sheriff who was charged
with the service of the paper either re-
turned with the tax money or reported
that the non payer could not be found.
In q few days the treasurer will begin
sending notices TO those who have failed
TO settle. Then they viii be called upor
by collectors and 20 cents will be added
to tax. IL they d. not then liqui date
their Indebtedness they arc liable to ar
rest and confinement, hut as there are no
provisions for imprisoning ~, 600 persons
resort to that summary process is not very
probable.
He came I'm with overcoat buttoncd up
to the chin. 1t was dresry and driszly out.
slde, ana he wanted newspaper penny
newspaper. His dripping un brells was
placed In corner, the rsin besprink lod
overcost slowly and metho Ideally un-
buttoned, the undercoat subj ected TO a
similar precis, treatment. men the hand
sank to the depths Of his trousers pocket.
where the fingers searched for several
minutes Tor an elusive disc OF conner
stamped lone cent" II was captured
eventually, and slowly drawn from the
darksome depths into the full g!aro OF
ha N ffr Rat o "a
over. The holder decided he wouldn't
part with IL until he was certain he was
going TO get what he was after. lie took
upa paper, read IL carefully, column after
column, and not finding what he wanted.
folded II and retnrned IL TO the pile.
Then he asked 10 the article had been
printed, and was informed that II had not.
Then he buttoned himself mp again with
dignifed delibcrstiou and went out into
the cbeerless night.
And the penny went with him.