The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-11-18

mate, but they are not the only Q who
fleece the people, the poor, particularly.
There are coal baronets as well as coal
barons. They are the small vendors who
peddle out coal by the basket, and IN
many cases they make a far greater proht
in proportion TO the quantity hsnoleo
than DO the mine owners or operators
The worst feature of their sxactions IS
that il Is the poorest OF the poor who are
mulcted and compelled TO pay exorbi-
tant prices. Ii is stated that in this city
there are men who make q practice OF
getting 30 and even SO baskets out OF a
Ton of coal. Each basket Is supposed to
hold a bushel. and that is what the un-
fortunate purchaser thinks he Is getting;
but he is woefully deceived. There are
only "A bushels to the ton, and when
you get 80 or SO they are mo bushels. The
price, however, is invariably 70 cents a
basket, so that the man who spreads the
ton over 80 baskets gets ~. 30 for IT, and
he who spreads II still thinner by squeez-
ing out SO, pockets S9--a profit OF e. 30 in
the first case and 81 in the second, for
neither pays more than rs. No regular
coal merchant engages IN this sort OF
business. liz is confined entirely to small
storekeepers in parts of the city inhabit-
ed by the most INDECENT OF the popula-
tion. IL IS encouraging TO learn that
this dishonest practice is not nearly so
common as II was a few years ago., and
that there is reasonable hope that the
watchfulness and work OF the authorities
will ere long put a stop TO 1t altogether.
No project OF public moment was more
strepuously opposed than that to erect a
city hall in Providence. When plans
were accepted the croaking began. The
late Mayor Doyle, who was heartily In
favor of the scheme, was denounced as
AnA wnhA nNnVnun1 90 NunnfnnlU NEn2lA the
peoples money on a palace that would be
too large for the needs OF the city Tor a
century TO come. All sorts OF dire predic-
tions were made about an empty treasury
and a bankrupt Municipality. Still work
went on, the city hall was built, but
the prophecies OF the pessimists have not
been fulfilled. The warmest friends OF the
city hail scheme believed the structure
would meet all the city's requirements
for fifty years at least, but they, too,
were mistaken. IL is only II years since
the building was dedicated, yet today
there is not a vacant room in 1t. Indeed,
il is not possible TO find room within its
walls for some municipal officers, and the
question of esta blishing an annex Is be-
ing seriously discussed by those familiar
with the existing condition OF affairs.
This is a signal illustration of the impos-
sibility OF making present provision for
the future needs of a fast growing city,
and Providence is growing rapidly
though the figures Commissioner Tiepke
gives are somewhat disappointing.
Four and fifty years ago today Provi-
dence was n good deal more excited over
a "reform" movement, then in progress,
than il il today. 1t wa on November Is,
1871, that the so-called peoples conven-
tion completed the work of framing a
constitution and voted to submit il TO
the citizens for adoption. The outcome
OF this action was the attempt OF Thomas
Wilson Dorr to grasp the reins OF gov
eminent, the conflict between the Algeer-
ines and Dorrites, the fracas at Acot's
Hill, the trial of.Dorr for treason, his
conviction and sentence to life imprison-
ment. He was liberated by pardon after
serving one year in confinement. That
"reform' movement proved a decided fiZ-
zle. The latest fad with a similar name
promises to be even a more dreary fiasco.
Up 10 the present time the cost OF the
water system Of this city has been 81, 000,-
600, and il is the largest item in the pub
lic.debt. about which there is no much
sen seless talk just now. This sum should
not be considered as q debt. Why? Be
cause 1T takes care. OF itself; 1t Is, In fact,
a money-making debt. The receipts OF
the water department not only pay the
entire expense of operating, the cost 'of
maintenance ana repair n the interest
charges on the debt, but in addition there
is left every year a handsome surplus
which is paid into the sinking fund. A
debt that makes an annual profit OF many
thousands Of dollars for che debtor Is not
the sort OF encumbrance 10 worry over.
Practically, it is not a debt at all, and
should not be considered as such. De-
duct this 81, 900, 600 from the total NUM-
cipsl indebtedness and the remainder
will not be large enough to furnish mate
rial Tor a ~fiap-doodle editorial in the col
umns of the Daily Reformer.