The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-01-02

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he Is greeted by many OF his old friends
who remember his delightful perform
ances in the days when the Forbes and
Pine Street theaters were the chief places
Of entertainment ia the city.
Tho bill with which the Pine Street
Theate- was opened was "A Soldier OF
France and Married LIfe.n The loca-
tion OF the theater was not q good one,
or was not considered 20 IN those days.
for the attendance was not OF very en-
couraging character and Messrs. Verrey
and Arnold closed II on Jan. 3, 1850. In
The following March it was reopened with
an operatic performance and occas ional
entertainments were given In II for some
time. On Oct. Z, 1851, IL was reopened
under the name OF the Providence
Theeter, but finally closed on July OF
the following year. the Academy of Music
in the Pbenlx building ON Westminster
street having secured the greater part OF
the tbeatcr-going clieDtage OF the city.
IL was at the Pine street or. as then
called, The Providence Theater, that j.
Wilkes Booth, the sla.er OF President
Lincoln, appeared during the early part
of 1862.
The Methodist Society, now known as
the Hope Street NJ T.. Church, formerly
worshiped in the church at the corner
of South Main and Power streets, which
Is now the Talms Theater. The Grace
Church Society purchased the first s.ruct-
ure ever erected in Providence for
theatrical performances. IL was the old
Providence ,Theater, and occupied the
site OF the present Grace Churtr at the
corner OF Westminster and Mat hewson
streets.
Persons OF an observing bent must
have noted the fact that Providence is
fast making up for lost time in the mat
ter OF street paving. More work OF this
kind has been crowded Into the last four
or five years than would have been re-
quired in 20, had the improvement been
begun in proper time, instead OF being
postponed until IT could be delayed no
longer without serious injury 10 the
business interests OF the city and great
Inconvenience to those who use the pub
lie thoroughfares frequently. The whole
history OF Providence shows strange
disinclination on The part of the town
fathers and their SUCCESSORS in the Coun-
Gil in the earlier years, under a city form
of government, 10 make provision for
good and substantial roadwass in the
public streets. Indeed II was not until
1855 that the matter was taken up at all.
although Newport had for many yesrs
previously been paving its principal
streets, paying for the Improvement
out of money realized from lotteries
granted for that purpose. And this first
movement in Providence for paved
streets was based upon lottery and the
money received was TO be expended ON
the streets running "north. south and
ives. from Wcybosset BRIDGE The initial
wofk-tt may be -sssumed was NOT very
extensive, and although paving was done
al Intervals sfterwsrd, it may oe said that
up TO 1890 the city was far behind other
municipalities in this matter OF substan-
tial rosdwsys.
Then came the sudden boom in the
work which has continued ever since and
promises To- be prolonged for some years
to come. OF course the paving bills foot
up big totals during the past four or
five years, but the persons who find fault
should remember that il is always
costly experiment to try TO mako up for
lost time. ProvideSce has spent for this
purpose during the last half decade sum
sufficient to have served ner for 20 years,
had the city fathers OF a quarter Of a
ceotury been less conservative and lit
tie more progressive snd alive to tie
needs OF the city and the psople.
But what have we got to show for this
big expenditure, some ono will ash. Well,
the showing Is decidedly solid and sub.
stsrtial one. IL is nothing less than
twenty-four piles ot streets paved with
granite blocks. b. far the larger part OF
this pavement has heen laid In the few
years already alluded to, and il may he
said that no city OF equal size IN this
country has ever spent in such brie;
space OF time such q large sum Of money
for street paving ss Providence ms.
The cobbls stone is not ia favor Tor
paving purposes. u Is still used TO some
extent, aud there are nearly four miles.