The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-02-26

objectors TO prevent the transfer, had q
| plat made by surveyor with circle oi
| 200 feet radius drawn around the prem
ises, and with oil the land within 1t
marked of in feet and accompanied by
surveyors certificate as to the number OF
| feet required TO prevent granting and
| upon examination it was found that not
more than one-third of the land was COW
| cred.
The transfer was soon there's fter granted
| by vote Of the board every member be-
| ing presently subject to the premises being
| put in proper shape and the captain OF the
| district was requested TO see TO IT, when
he did, and reporte5 1t properly arranged:
Meanwhile other objections were fled
which seemed to be stronger tnan any
| previous one and pending their examina-
| tion, the clerk declined 10 endorse the
| permission of the board to transfer the
| license, but on examination or these OBJ
| jections which was done at the request
| OF the clerk, they were found to be IN
sufficient respecting the land covered and
| could have no weight III preventing the
transfer, having been fled after the vote
| to grant was taken. After few days de-
| lay. Mr.. Burke applied to the court for
| an order commanding the clerk to carry
| out the vote of the board and obtained 1t.
This case has been before the court and
| counsel for the parties who demonstrated
WAS in court ana objected 10 the granting
of the writ, but his motion was denied
~
| has declarel that the commissioners were
not In error in granting this transfer.
These acts are sustained by the records
| OF the board and are related consecutively
| in this statement for the reason that in
! the mass of questions, often confusing,
| the travel of the case is obscured; and an
| examination of this record shows that
| the proceedings in this case did not differ
from others except that on account OF the
controversy over II, greater care was ex-
ercised to protect the remonstrants, who,
| in the opinion OF the board, have the hrst
| claim to consideration.
| 1t is understood among the members OF
| the board that no license or transfer OF
license should be granted or any business
| done concerning 1t, while there might
| be difference of opinion unless every
| member Of the board Is present and no
such grants have been mace and no such
| business done without vote of the toard
duly had and so declared by the chair.
HOW BURNHAM KEPT THE RECORDS.
When he had finished reading Mr..
| Burnham was asked about MS term OF
service and stated the periods during
which he had served on the several COM
| missions, making a total length OF service
of about eight years. He also gave, in
| answer to questions, the names OF the
| several gentlemen who at various times
had served on the board with him.
| Then he was asked:
"Are the books kept by you in the
| commissioners ofiiceT'
"They are"
"Can they be obtained?''
81 think so. The clerk, MIR. Nixon,
has them"
MIR. Nixon went after the books and
then Mr. Burbank was asked to explain
what the significance or the street books
kept by the commissioners was. he said
the board kept book jndsxed, with the
oft he G+r 90 on Ngh hinh
lad been granted. A page was given to
| each street, and under this heading was
| given the several numbers at which Ii
censes were held and the names of the
| holders. Then there was another book
which the commissioners carried with
them when they went on tour of inspec-
tion in which notes were made of the
condition OF the premises visited and
other matters pertaining TO each spplica-
tion.
"In regard to the matter OF advertis-
| ing" asked General Wilson, "has there
been any difference in the method pursued
since the City Council elected the board
than before.?"
"No, sir, / am pretty sure the clerk
copied the style of the early days"
"Will the records kept by you show The
difference if any exists?'
"Yes, SIR.
"Has ii been the practice when notice
has once been inherited and new applica-
tions come in to insert those in the ad-
vertisement, giving the two weeks notice
required by the slatute?"
Mr. Burnham answered that he thought
it had been the practice and went on to
repeat what he testified at a previous
hearing that at first no leeway was
al lowed, but so many new applicants
sought to have their applicat ons inclu ed
in the first notice that an extension Of
time of the hearing two or three days was
made so as to accommodate the late
comers and permit their applications to
be included IN the early notice.
"Since the time of the organization Of
the present board has there been any
change in the matter of advertisements"
"No, sir. The advertisements were
| copied from the earlier ones and the man
ner Of issuing them was copied also.
"Was there anything in tneBurke trans
fer different from other transfers either
directly or Indirectly"
"No, sir; nothing was different"
Mr.. Burnham was esked to open the
records kept by him as clerk OF the board
at any date where an advertisement of an
application for license or transfer APP
peared He found such a place and
showed it to the committee and the coun-
sci.
.sWhy." said Mr.. Mccarthy, "tbis rec
ord is all in ink and that OF MIR. Nixon
is in pencil"
"WeiI, you can't blame Mr.. Burnham
/
After examining his own record Mr.
Burnham said, in reply TO question, that
| he saw no difference in the present svs-
tenn Of advertising or recording the do
ings of the hoard from what the method
pursued by him was when he was clerk.
Gen. Wilson told Mr.. Burnham to read
the record to which he had turned In the
book kept by him and the latter was
proceeding to do SO when Mr.. Mccarthy
interru pied him to inquire fer what pur-
pose Gen. Wilson wanted the old records
read. The latter replied that he desired
TO show that the method OF keeping the
records formerly and at the present time
were substantially the same. Then Mr..
Mccarthy wanted to know il the books
in question were those of original entry
and on being answered afiirmatively,
made another remark about tie records
of the present board being in pencil.
y his brought the rervots Mr.. Nixon TO
his feet that bis book with pencil entries
j in IL was the blotter.
"Who makes the copy from the blot
/ IaA Afs hy