The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-01-29
THE MESSAGE.
Continued from Page A.

think the time has arrived when the camp
ground commission should be authorized 10
turn the property over TO the Quartermaster
general, and should be relieved OF further
responsibility in the matter. My observation
leads me TO recommend that duties OF that
nature In future DO left entirely TO the man
agement OF department officers. Tho amounts
allowed for salaries and clerk hire &C the ad.
jutant general and quarfcrnlaster general are
nv nc means adequate 60 the work required of
them, and funds expended an tbs employ
ment of commissions could more wisely be
used In furnishing assistance to those officers,
leaving them more time to devote &C. matters
which they are competent to superintend.
have made requisition on tho secretary OF
war for the two heavy guns and mortars with
carriages and platforms for the instruction of
the militia in heavy artillery drfll, TO which
tho State Is now entitled.
The secretary of the navy has intimated That
upon requisitiol OF the governor one Of the
smaller monitors could be turned over TO tho
State as practice ship for the naval militia.
Such an acquisition would be Of great advan.
tage for cruising purposes whereby the men
might gain practical knowledge OF many dutie,
in which they cannot now obtain experience
Ihave, however, hesitated to avail myself OF
this offer because OF the expense involved I'm
caring for the vessel and supplying coal.
The subject OF military drll in public schools
In now receiving much attention. Wherever
IL has been introduced IL has improved the ap
pearsncs and bearing Of the pupils, and incul-
Gated lessons Of obedience and patriotism. Tho
cooperation Of the military department by the
use OF armories and the service of militia Off.
GERS would enable the inauguis alton OF a drill
system In this State without much additional
expense.
The first volume OF the revised edition OF In,
Adjutant Generals report Of S65 has icsn dis
trbnted during the year. 1t is expected that
the second volume viii be completed during
May. The work has been warmly welcomed
by the veterans and their friends. The ac
curacy and care which la marked its com
pilation makes il OF great value.
resolution passed. by you at the May ses.
sion, deg tred to authorize the reimbursement
sf certain members OF the Fourth Rhode Island
Regiment or their families, was found TO 10 in
operatve through an error in its construction.
The defect should be promptly remedied at
this session, for the payment Of these claims
has long been awaited and in many cases Is
greatly needed.
desire 10 take this opportunity OF publicly
thanking the officers of my staff, the brigade
commander and his staff, and the United states
Inspecting officer for the cordial assistance
they have rendered me in tho discharge Of my
duties as commander -in-chief.
Board OF Soldiers Relief
The amount expended for relief Of veterans
and their families. under Chapter 7S3 Of the
Public Laws of Rhode Island during the year
1894, was sii .Soil6 which wa, distributed TO
80 families. The work Of distribution has
been performed by agents of the Board located
In different portions of the state.
Early I'm the year the Hospital Building at
the Soldiers Home was completed and occu-
pied. 1t was a necessity which could not have
been longer delayed without seriously affect
ing the comfort Of the Homo.
The numbor of mQmbarS Of the Home De-
cember 81, 1891, was 1877. Amounts recon-
mended for appropriation for the year 1895:
Soldiers Home Fund, $22,0ooo0; Soldiers Re
lief Fund. Sl3,0 3,0U0.0).
Railroads.
The report of the RailIol Commissioner
will show that the capital stock Of the steam
roads owned and operated in this State is $S5,'
t2'375. an increase of s56s,S5; their total
property and assets Is S47 2S0 395. or, an increase
OF sl055j-69SJ); their indebtedness is s5I6oo,-
7O44) AN increase OF s., ,69T.65.
The total number OF passengers carried was
b.,s2f,3}l, loss OF 4f2i ,Sf5; total number Of
tons OF merchan lise transported, IL ,sll So,
decrease of 2,72l So, every road reporting da-
crease except the Narragansett Pier, X. r.
The average number OF persons employed was
2c81, a decrease of 2if.
The total receipts were s3lso),cGJ; total ex-
penditures $3),3So 7sacS; net earnings $500
DG.0a, "A decrease Of Sl.7i5,s ,s532S.
There are eight electric roads in the State
with i % miles of track Their capital stock il
sS,2n5-0; their property and assets Is reported
at SO, ,4S2 7i2S2, increase sl5f6 92376. Their in
debtcdness is S2,fil o3l9 90 receipts 81 40 82i 49,
expenditures sl.2s5, 1923; net earnings slS4,-
S24 90; decrease S26,374.3l. They carried 30
800 passengers, an increase Of 1,750603.
Considerable advancement has been made in
The work on the new passenger station and
freight yards in the city ef Providence, and
prosecution OF this long awaited Improvement
OF our railroad facilities so far as the northern
and we tern parts of the State are concerned.
The railroad company has, however, given no
signs OF any intention to furnish better accom-
modations TO the residents OF the east shore.
The building OF the elevated track from India
street TO the Union passenger station, permit
for which was asked and given at the January
Session, 1890, would shve to the State much
trade which Is now diverted elsewhere.
1t Is apparent that the extended adoption OF
electricity n motive power for street car
service and suburban travel must be followed
by regulations that viii minimize the dangers
70 life and limb. The overcrowding of cnrs
must also receive attention. The Commits
sioner states that % accidents on electric rail
roads were reported during the year, in which
Z persons We're killed and % injured, aud he
will present recommendations in regard TO
Tenders and the limit Of speed. Track walking
Is anOtner source OF Iatallty ana INJURY, ~ per
sons having to,n killed from that cause during
the year. The Commissioner will again rec
ommend legslation looking TO the prevention
CT this evil.
Harbors.
From the latest reports of Cap. W. II.
Bixby, Corps Of Engineers, u. 5. A., have ab-
stracted the following facts regarding the
government work on our water ways
The project for Tie improvement OF Provi-
dercs river, adopted in lsS2, contemplated the
dredging Of channel so n. wido and % It,
deep, from the city to deep water in the bay
and the securing Of anchorage basins. q, IL, IS
and 20 II d ,ep. This work has been com
pleto1 during the year with the exception of
re-dredg M the channel which has shoaled
somewhat since IL was originally cleared.
When that is finished there can be no further
improvements unless additional appropria-
tions arc made by Congress There is also the
dredging Of Green Jacket shoal TO secure an
choragcs OF 25 T. depth. A depth Of l6 feet has
already been obtained IN the central part of tho
ST OIL, arG 20 g. inih, main channel
improvements In Pawtuclet River contem-
plated a channel 100 GO. wido and II ft. deep to
n certain point IN Pawtucket and thence ~ ~.
wide through q stono ledge 10 pawtuclxat