The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-04-11
Very Lively Session of the
) ..... Town Council.
The District Highway Scheme
...a Voted Down 4 to 3.
Mr., Walsh Re- elected Highway Com
,,,. missiOner--An Episode.
Inn, Nrws rrsrAv, oLsrrynur.

"
day afternoon. Numerously signed petit
tons asking for the election of John
Waich as highway commissioners were
presented. Petitions to divide the town
.pto-four highway districts were also pre-.
sented.n The question of division into
districts was taken up for action, and on
an informal ballot the proposition receiv-
ed four OF the seven Councilmen's bal
lots. Upon roll call, which was to be
final the vote was reversed and the
proposition to divide into four districts
was lost, 10 3, Messrs. Beanc, Harlow,
Luther and; bennington voting against
snc Messrs. Sawyer. Sheldon and hughes
In favor. s;lss.
John walch was then reelected COM
missioner of highwavs for the town. For
dog officer James Greenup received five
votes, Rotert Mcmillan one and Arthur
q. Cham berlain one. lyman Thompson
was nominateu, but did not receive the
vote pt-tho Councilman who presented
his name. James Greenup was declared
elected. The salary Of the highway
commissioner was fixed at $1,000 per year
This is-Ihe same smount voteo at the
financial town meeting until last year
when the so-cailed economists" cut sal
aries ane made the pay Of this official
5000. The little bye-piay Of one OF the
the controlling faction on the board into
a trap TO Increase the salary of Mr.. Waich
TO such an amount that IT would create
a feeling against them among the tax
payer, dff not work. MIR. Hughes mo-
lion TO mske the salary $500 received
only his own vote.
The price OF teams employed on the
highways Is TO be regulated at a special
Session, OF The COUNCIL next Tuesday,
whensthe board Will drive over the high
ways II the town to determine how the
recent highway appropriation shall be ex-
pended.
The committee appointed to report on
the needs and methods 70 obtain better
fire protection for. the Olneyville section
of the town was presented as follows:
!. The cost OF new apparatus would be as
follows: :"i''f q
Estimate No. / (jneludipg bofses), in
addition 10 what the town now owns,
neY.s ladder -tsuck and bination
chemical and hose wagon, horse, stalls,
beds and other sundries, S600l
Estimate No. . The probable cost of
equipping with the new apparstus now
owned by%the Rough aud Ready Fire
Company, including stalls, beds and
other sundries, 5000. The cost Of main
tsininges per. estimate, No. would be
S62U0 per year, and as per estimate No. 2
S51C0. The apparatus In estimate No. 2,
excepting hose Is, in the judgment OF
the con- mittee, entirely unsuhcd for a
permanent department, being originally
designed for volunteer company, and
are not OF tho proper construction, to
Withstand any but very careful usage even
tnsthe present. volunteer company. The
committee would therefore recommend
the purchase of new apparatus as repre-
sented IN estimate No. ], and would pre-
rent the following resolution TO be used
III presented 70 the voters of the town In
financial meeting: Resolved, That the
sum OF sh,2 200 be appropriated TO equip
and maintain permanent fire depart
ment. 5000 being for equipment, and
$500 fdripaintensnce for one year.
In endeavoring TO obtain an expression
OF public opinion upon the desira bility of
establishing grcba department the com
mittee linda division of sentiment upon
one phase OF the question only. That is
whether the attendant expense should be
borne BY the town or by a fire district
under the recent act incorporating the
Olneyvilie- fire district. chapter Sl6 OF the
public avs. While this division OF ideas
as to the method unmistakably exists,
the committee lind unanimous express
sion that a.. permanent fire department
should be established at once and the ex-
pense borne Ia one of the two ways afore-
said.
III the tove-reSolution is presented to
the tow{l. medSing the committee feel con-
fident tie recommended expenditure will
economically equip the department..
IL the Council eeen, 1T expedient that
the compact portion of the town, as. en-
cioserin aforementioned act assuhaifhe
expense, the epmrlittee would reconmen
thHt the present committee, IL cont inued,
be inSfypeied 70 sgiiSaSdistrict mass meet.
ing TO geta general expression OF ppin-
ion, and that said committee be increased
by the addition of the following named
~ A.
Ben iamin Hawkins, r. X. Atwood, Mar.
tin Dempsey, Henry &. Gorton, w. A.
Lawton, seth Walton and Robert q.
Walsh. Respectfully submitted,
w. w. FIsKE,
IE1tlt II. Z. SAUNDERs,
Committee.
Mr.. John shannahan, the third men,
Der, had not signed the report, but Mr..
Fiske. explained that he would have
done So. but he had been called out OF
town before the report was ready.
Councilman Harlow asserted that Mr..
nhannahan had told him he would not
Uign the report and moved that Il be
continued. At'this juncture MIR. Shanna-
han entered the Council cham Der and was
handed the report 10 read. Mr.. Fiske and
Mr.. Harlow each tried to have Mr..
Sbannahan substantiate their statement
regarding his action and succeeded
partially, and finally, when Mr. Fiske had
a slight advantage In the statements of
the third mem ber OF the committee, Mr..
Harlow expressed himself in language
which n citizen stated after the session
adjourned, "was the most undignined
and unbecoming speech he ever heard
Councilman make i'm this town.
His words 10 hlr. Fiske were: CT con-
sider you below me,I consider you my
inferior, morally, mentally and physi-
cslly,n Mr., Fiske made no reply. Mr..
sawyer moved sthat the report ofthe com
mittee be received aud the committee In
creased as suggested by the report.
This motion was adopted, Mr. Harlow
alone voting the negative. ~
Commissioner OF lights j. n. n. Red
tern reported that the maintenance OF
lights to- date had consumed ell but
s2s3 OF 81 the Sle.O00 appropriated at the
lsst financial meeting, and n the lights
were continued the deficiency would be
about 1900.
Town solicitor Tillingbsst wss in
s.Rcted TO notify the Supreme Court that
the charge Of $3.50 made by the commits