The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-09-20
Meeting Of Both Branches
Yesterday.
Renewed Discussion on The Widt ninq
OF Charles Street
Condition OF Streets the Theme by
Councilmen and Aldermen.

The Common Council at it's session yes
terday afternoon laid on the table reso
luton providing for the widening anc
Strengthening of Charles street, and pro
vlding for thoroughfare 90 feet in width
This action was taken after long dis.
oussion as TO the respective merits of &C
and eO-foot highway, and after an amend.
ment offered by Councilman Burdick OF
Ward 8, to a resolution introduced by
Councilman Durfee, chairman OF the COM
mittee on highways, had been voted down
by vote OF IL to l3, and also a motion
To refer the whole matter back to the
committee on highways by the same vote.
The reason for the matter coming be-
fore the Council was because the city So
licitor thought II necessary TO pass two
separate resolutions for the widening Of
Canal and Charles Streets and not one as
heretofore done
On motion of Mr.. Durfee the Board of
Aldermen were invited to a Joint conven-
tion TO discuss the widening of Charles
street and Mr.. Durfee thereafter reported
the city solicitors opinion. Mr.. Colwell
was then interrogeted and explained his
views, and the Council rescinded the old
resolution.
Councilman Durfee presented a resolu-
iton for the widening OF Charles street.
Councilman Burdick offered an amend
ment to the resolution OF Councilman
Durfee. providing for an s0-foot street,
ana this amendment was seconded.
Councilman Burdick then moved that
the Council take q brief recess, to exam
ine the lines proposed by his amendment
and the motion prevailed.
On reassembling, MIR. Burdic< took the
noor In support OF his amendment. In
his very earnest speech In support Of it
he said II otter this amendment pro-
viding for an S0-foot street in good faith,
and hope you may favorably consider IT,
You must all be aware OF the importance
OIL this'great natural outlet for the North
en- End OF the city. II you vote to have a
b0-foot street 10 years from now, the con-
dition OF Charles street will be as bad as II
is today. II is a natural avenue for the
manufacturers OF an important section
OF the city. Ii IS the only way you can
get to Pawtucket. II you go by the way
cline and thew down again. Teams can
only carry two-thirds OF load IL they go
that way, making the manufacturers pay
90 much more for their goods. am free
10 say today in favor of laying out this
thoroughfsre under the highway act, but
the gentlemen here did not see fit TO agree
with me. i call upon the other mem bers
OF the Council TO come to the assistance
OF the Third Ward. / voted for the i'm
provement OF Broadway, and / have no
excusest 40 offer for so doing. / appeal
to you gentlemen I'm the interest OF the
whole city TO act on this matter fairly,
and to make the street wide enough for
ali purposes. Some of the very best men
In the city have said before the commit
tee on highways that q 100 foot street
would not be too wide. The men who
have favored wide street are Governor
Lippitt, ex-Mayor Smith, the Fletcher
Manufacturing Company, American Screw
Company, Corliss ErgIne Company and
the Allen Print Works. Why not in the
name OF business give us street wide
enough Tor the carrying on OF the busi-
ness OF that section?"
Councilman Durfee, chairman OF the
COMMITTEES on highways, next took the
floor. He said: "The committee of
which am chairman has considered the
matter OF the widening OF Charles street |
for about two years. and have looked at |
the matter from both sides. IL is the un- |
animous opinion of the members OF the |
committee that the width of the street |
should be go feet. They believe a street |
of that width would take care in good |
shape of all the traffic that would go over
IL. The plan presented by the commit
tee provided for the setting back of every
building on the west side of the street
and there is plenty of room on the lots
on which they stand to do so. Tho talk
ing of land on the east side, that would
be necessary TO make an S0-!oot street,
would require one outlay OF sos, 600 alone
for one piece of property. BY the commit
tees plan only three buildings would
have TO be destroyed, and two of them
belonged to the city. There will be less
uhBics Oh a. OO-IOOt tnan OH lUU-fOOt |
one" Mr.. DurfeGclosed with an appeal
to the Council to support the committees
recommendations.
In answer to questions by president Sell
lew and other members, Mr.. Durfee stat
ed that Dorrance street at Exchange
line to building line, and 3s feet from
curb to curb. and that Charles street ac-
cording TO the committees plans would
be 4 feet wider between the curbs.
Councilman Burdick wanted TO know
why Dorrance street sidewalks shnld be
Ia feet wide, and those OF Chalres street
only nine, and he also wanted to know il
there was not more travel on the side
walks OF Charles street tnan on those OF
DorIance street.
Councilman Durfec replied that il the
city was building Dorrance street side
walks again, IL would not probably build
them so wide.
Councilman Murphy urged the passage
ot the amendment offered by Mr.. Bur-
dick.
Councilman Burdick again spoke in IA
Vor OF an S0-foot highway, saying that
was really only beginning
'nd that II would continue to grow, and
nat bO-foot street could not be made
WIDER but at far greater cost than an So
DOT street can be made now. ,
councilman West thought the matter
before the Council should be considered
'ery carefully and in his speech in IA vor !
u the amendment said: ~ think that
ne broadway Improvement was good
me, ana l never walk over that thorough
are without thinking OF the public
pirlt OF the men who voted for ii. but
nat is all for pleasure; now we have un-
Ter consideration the needs OF a CONNER
lal part OF the city that Is rapidly grow /
ng, and we should be careful o. its in !
erests. 1t is foolisnness for any gentle
nan to say that he knows better than \
ne people OF the section where I
he highway is TO be widened ,
rhat the widths should be. "Tbe
entlemen from the Third Ward
as not been contradicted in his state T
lent that the men who appeared before \
he highway committee representing r
100, OO, 900 wanted an SO-foot highway, q
II will cost s55, 600 more, have an so r
Dot highway. Because some property I,
wners there want big sum for their 4
uilding, we should not cut the ears \
the business men OF that section on q
hat account Against the unanimity OF