The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-12-03
Central Market Scheme
Sleeping, Not Dead.
The Popular MiSapprehenSiOn
About Gordon Case.
Bleached oysters Not Likely to Be
Well Received Here.

been abandoned altogether or only elbow
ed into the back ground temporarily by
other public enterprises for which there
Is a more immediate and pressing de-
mandf These are questions pot easy TO
answer. To judge from the absence OF
all discussion or even reference to the
scheme one might believe that pu olic SEN
timent has changed, and that there Is no
longer demand for such an establish
mept; yet such a conclusion would prob
ntly be very wide of the mark. The central
market idea had marty strong supporters,
among them some OF the most pfogres-
sive citizens. That they have changed
their views upon tho subject is, of course,
possible, but not by any means probable.
In all likelihood they have simply allowed
IL TO slumber while the city is engaged In
providing a comprehensive ana adequate
sewerage system, and doing its share in
pushing along the long-delayed improve
ment and enlargement OF the railway ter
minal facilities. When these and few
other public enterprises, either begun or
contemplated, have been carried out, a
revival of the agitation for a central mar
ket may be looked for.
The late Mayor Doyle was heartily in
favor OF the scheme and had that push
ing, progressive and masterful personali-
~ been spared q few years longer ii il
easy to believe Providence would today
have central market that would stand
comparison with those i'm Boston, New
York and other large cities II was not
the habit of this man of energy and en-
terprise, OF whom il has been Justly said
that he found Providence q village aud
left IL city, TO lose sight Of any plaE or
project which his iudgmsnI indicated
would tend tC promote the welfare of the
people or the growth and prosperity Of
The city.
At the time the central market plan
was most generally discussed IL was
pointed out by its advocates that
the city had an ideal location ready
Tor II. The same argument can be
put forward today and may hold good
for long time TO come, uuless the Con-
solidated Railroad should decide TO make
Crawford street bridge the terminus OF its
Bristol ann Fall River branch, and
should obtain permission 10 do SC. The
location in question is the space over the
river. bounded by Market square, South
Water, Crawford and Dyer streets A
more central site could not be found. IL
IL the point at which the street railway sys-
tenn centers, thus bringing people ia ell
parts OF the city and the suburbs into
direct, easy ana speedy commun icstion
with II. Moreover, and this is a consid-
Grafton of no small moment, the city, il
IL ever carries out the scheme, will not
be compelled TO spend a cent for the site.
III any one doubts the desirability OF es-
tsblishing market at that place let him
visit Ii in the early morning hours in
the summer or fall snd mark the vast
business in vegetables, fruit and general
farm produce carried ON. That his
doubts will be swept awsy there is very
little question any more than there Is
that he will be an advocate of the central
market project when time ami conditions
warrant -it-heing- taken up again and
seriously considered.
Oil trust magpates have been manipu-
latinG the market again, and one OF the
results OF their WORK is an increase of
the cost of kerosene TO the consumer.
The advance in the wholesale price was
one and one-half cents q gallon and the
retail price was promptly marked up three
and four cents o gallon. In some places
Ia the city the retail price is Is cents, but
majority OF the dealers charge 16 Oil
iss,ill the popular illuminator, not as
matter OF choice, but because it is the
least costly. With dollar gas, such as some
other cities get, there would doubtless
be very material increase in the num-
ber OF consumers and a CORES ponding de-
crease in the quantity OF oil used. But
dollar gas for Providence is only an un-
substantial and delusive dream. Perhaps
when that promised home-gas maker,
which is to cost but 81. so and TO produce
ell that is required in the household for
a few cents week, is put on the market.
the people may get even with the oil
trust and the gas companies; but the
home-gas maker is likely TO prove quite
as illusive and impalpable q dream as
that of deiiar gas.
How often do men, otherwise we'll in
formed, betray surprising lack OF infor-
nation, or, rather, correct information,
ABOUT important local events even when
they are OF comparatively recent occur
renee. In the rotunda OF the Narragansett
Hotel last evening two gentlemen, one of
them from New York, the other we'll
known city merchant, We're discussing
the latest metropolitan murder trial-tEat
OF David Hannigan, who killed Solomon
Mann, and was acquitted. After express
sing his opinion as TO the business OF the
verdict, the New Yorker said, "Here, in
Rhode Island, you don't impose the
death penalty, l believer"
"No," was the reply, "we hanged an
innocent man and that was the last OF
capital punishment in this State.
"Who was the man?'
"John Gordon. He was accused OF kill
ling Amasa Sprague. and they found him
guilty aud strung him up"
"Brt was his innocence established
afterward?p
Certainly. / don't know Just how IL
came about, but 1t was shown that Cor
don didn't commit the murder and the
sentiment OF the people was so strong
that no mere innocent men should suffer
tha! the Legislature abolished hanging. "
The city merchant was unquestiona bly,
honest In making this statement. Like
a great many Others he believes that
Gordon's guilt was disproved after his
execution and that horror at the idea of
having put an innocent victim to- death
brought about the abolition of capital
punishment. There is 10 foundation for
such a belief, but IL has come down to
the present dav as a traditiun-a false
tradition--which Is frequently encounter
ed when the question Of hanging for
murder IL discussed. John Gordon was
-corvieted-ef- -eireumstantial evidence.
Against such evidence there exists n very
strong prejudice I'm the popular mind.
4. l. It.n 10. Na rfa t..t h..