The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-02-18

sent to the city printer. proofs to be read,
corrected and The work to be again verified
The board Is at present engaged In the
discharge OF that duty. There are ~ lists
to be printed and but four ward lists have
yet been completed by the city printer.
This work on these 1000 names is verified
four times for entire accuracy, equivalent
to 81, 900 names once copied.
Ninth. The State election falling on
the first day OF April of this year the law
requiring lists to be printed and publicly
posted 20 days before election, necessi-
tates their completion and posting in
three public places in each voting dis
trict on or before March IL next. IL the
board had discharged its clerks on the
exhaustion of the prior appropriation 1t
to complete any voting list for the State
election IL they had waited until the
present time. Thirty-three hundred and
fifty persons registered after the last APP
preparation was exhausted, there being a
continuous line of several hundred per-
sons always waiting. These could not
have been registered without clerical as
sistance.
Tenth. The above was, OF course, in
addition to the various duties deyoIving
by law upon the board, such as consider
ing applications for additions to the list,
by the coming Of age, acquisition of prop
erty, gsiniDg a residence, ETC., as we'll as
hearing and determining questions OF
residence and the holding of canvass meet
ings in the several wards, as required by
law. OF these last, 81 meetings were
held at night during the year 1895, as fol-
lows: N for the special Council election
in Ward 3; 10 prior To the state election;
10 prior To the special constitutional cleo
tion on September 25, and 10 prior to the
municipal election In November. Inciud-
ing necessary night work OF all kinds, the
members OF the board nave all averaged
more than n night session per week
since their election. So, also, the ceath
returns, filed with the registrar of births,
deaths and marriages, are examined
monthly and the names of the males over
u selected from the nearly three thou
sand deaths recorded annually and the
lists corrected accordingly.
While the work thus performed was
greater the past year than IL Will he
necessary In the future. yet the pfrma-
nent duties of the board must always be:
First. The posting OF the registration
into twenty-four district ledgers, prepare
tion OF copy for the city printer, proof
reading, correcting and verifying said
lists for the State election, which cannot
be completed before the middle OF March,
annually, since the registration will
annually average fifteen thousand here
after in all probability.
Second. The preparation in April OF
lists of qualified electors eligible to jury
a. " NV = vi III bohAu vi "a
man, involving OF necessity an examina-
ton in the case Of every personal prop
erty voter as to whether his tax 8 or Is
not paid.
Third. The annual verifcation OF the
name OF every real estate and personal
property voter at least TO ascertain wheth-
or there has been any change of residence
during the past year, and the making of
the proper transfer in each case, as such
voters are not required TO reg lister an
nually. In the year 1894 seventeen thous-
and, one hundred and thirty-five persons
changed their residence during that year
i'm Providence. This alone required many
weeks labor.
Fourth. The examination of each name
upon the list in comparison with the an
nual tax assessment in order 10 ascertain
whether a property voter has lost his
property or a registry voter has been as
sessed. etc. This consumes practically all
the time from the time the copy of the
assessment Is received until the first of
November.
Fifth. During the latter months OF the
year clerical assistance Is, of course, neces-
sary to attend to the registration which
is largely deferred until that time. No
mention Is here made Of the constant
work of member OF the board keeping q
record OF changes made daily and correct
ing the official voting lists posted for pub
lie inspection at the office of the board as
said changes are made.
For the year ending September 30, 1894,
the expense unde the old system, for sal
airy of district clerks aud other incidental
expenses, was 6100 Dad dollars. The sal
airy OF three commissioners at 5000 each,
|. amounting to $500, permitting an annual
allowance Of s250) for clerk hire, without
increase OF expense to the city.
Eleventh. There is no provision in the
act creating this board, nor in any ordi-
nance, for any permanent clerical assist
Rnce to the board. Under the old system
% district clerks prepared the lists for
the city printer in addition to extra cleri-
cal assistance employed by the city
clerks annually at an expense of some
5000. to be charged to the appropriation
for contingencies.
About eight thousand changes OF ell
kinds were made by haHa IN the lists Hast
year, resulting In a net decrease of about
300 names on the lists.
In addition, constant demands are made
by different political party committees
and others for certified voting lists for
use at caucuses ana at elections. These
lists must be furnished by law by this
beard and largely increase its labors.
The amoun received for certified copies
Of voting lists was 1919. 80, out of which
500 was paid clerks for their services i'm
preparing the same, leaving a balance of
Sl99. 80 still I'm the hands Of the clerk of
the board and of which no disposition has
yet been made.
1t appears by the veto message of his
honor the Mayor that the amount expend-
ed by the city for salaries and clerical
and other expenses OF this board for the
eleven months elapsing between the day
of their election, to wit, March z, 1895,
to Feb. z, 1896, wss S6S80. IS. This sun
includes expenses incidental to four cleo
lions held within that time; the special
election on March 20, 1895. in Ward Five.
the State election in April, the special
constitutional amendment election on
sept. 20, 1895, and the municipal cleo
tion in Nov. 1895.
The expenses unde the old system Tor
the II months ending sept. 80, 1894, be-
ing the last IL months of the last fiscal
year under the Did system and during
which time only two elections were held,
TO Wi, the municipal election in Nov,
1893, and the State election in April, 1894,
moun to s72s1.25 ard were as follows;
towit
Salaries OF district clerks, III months. s4C33. 80
Extra compensation for services. add
ing residences, names OF registry
voters, (s per resolution No. 5gV) .... 1000
Extra assistance city clerk, filing proof