The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-01-09
BICYCLE POLICEMEN.
Advantage Of Having Park Officers
So Mounted.
Several Other Important Measures Dis
cussed at Y. M. c. A. Lyceum.

lice TO provide bicycles for the police at
Roger Williams Park, end such others as
he NAV seem fit, the mum Der not to ex-
ceed 80, at cost not exceeding $boOO,
caused considerable discussion at the Com
mon Council meeting last evening, held In
Y. nj. &. A.Lyceum Hall. The appropri-
alton was to be transferred from the con-
tingencies fund 10 that for police. Coun-
Gilman A. J.Williams made some remarks
In favor of the ordinances, he having
presented ii. He said that citizens in his
ward desired II so the policemen might
get around the corner il needed some-
time between early noon and dewy eve;
the police are often referred to as
standing" army, also, and ii would be
well for them TO get move on as well as
to expect it of citizens. The bicycle or
di1ances are peculiar. One OF them says
a bell must be provided that can be heard
$50 feet off, and OF course the policeman
cannot determine whether a bicyclist con.
forms to the rule or not unless he stands
until the rider gets $50 feet away, and then
there is nothing to prevent his widening
the distance to $50 miles. which is another
reason why the police should have wheels.
Then, too, bikes are restricted to an or
dinary trsveling.pace. but nobody but
policeman knows what an ordinary travel
ing pace is.
'City clerk Henry Buker, who was
also clerk of the Council, had someth hing
to say. He thought the average young
A rioap oil
sporting blood In him that IL he saw, a
"cop" chasing him on a wheel he would
want to test speed with him and the re-
suit would he the desertion of the park
and surrounding cou1try, which would
be left unprotected for the thieves and
robbers TO despoil.
The ordinance was lost.
This meeting was the first OF a series OF
eight, one to be given each week, in the
form of City Council meetings. They
were inaugurated last season aud became
very popular, as many as three I'D four
representatives from each ward being
present each night. Previous TO oragni-
cation into a city government, Vice Pres.-
dent g. +. Hall called the Lyceum to
order and j.. Il. Ryan was admitted TO
mem bership. Treasurer ID. A. Cook sent
a letter OF regret and promised to be
present at the next meeting.
A. j. Williams, as a mem Der OF the city
central committee then started the mu-
nicipal government ball rolling. There
was primary meeting and nominations
made for Aldermen, Common Council
mon and school committee. Then in
auguration day came around and MIR.
Williams, the Pooh Bah of the occasion,
was informed that he was Mayor. His
address was pungent and he congratu-
lated the voters upon the good judgment
they showed in choosing him. He pitched
into the wapton expenditure of the city
finances in true 'Goo Goo" style
Elections followed, resulting as follows:
City clerk. Henry Buker; Judge OF mu.
nicipal court, +. L. Martinez; clerk, Mr.
Bot only; recorder OF deeds, j. b. Al
len; city auditor, q. W. Butterworth.
The remainder of the elections were left
until future meeting.
Tie Common Council organized with
Mr.. Ball preside and Mr.. Buker clerk.
The following business was trasacted: It
was resolved to direct the clerk to sc.
cure the services OF Lester Hill as page.
at a cost not exceeding 20 cents per meet
ing.
A resolution was adopted selecting
Walter 5. Reynolds and ii. A. Lamphrey
TO compose police court during the
municipal year.
resolution was presented appointing
Messrs. Hill, Ball ana Mclaughlin a special
committee on Fourth Of July celebration
and the appropriation OF $40, 600. This
called forth diversity OF opinion, some
considering.it too much and others being
in favor OF the amount, Mr. Williams
wanted good old fashioned celebration,
TO consist OF a picnic at Roger Williams
Park and the reading of the Declaration
of independence He moved to amend ar-
propriating $500 for the committees ex-
penses. The matter was finally tabled.
The rules OF order for 1895 were adopted
and ordered printed, the limit being set
at 100 copies.
The attempt TO appropriate $1,000 for
Memorial Day was voted down as too
extravagant.
resolution TO appropriate sl2,OOo to
the public library, payable in three equal
payments, was also voted down after a
heated war OF words. One Councilman
considered money spent on books
"squsndcred. He was shown, however,
wherein the library saved youthful souls
from going to hell, but the resolution
did not pass. Messrs. Pittinger, Clark,
and slocomb were appointed a special
committee to look into the purchase OF
the Roger Williams Park addition and re-
port Feb. 10.
Ii was voted that the regulations OF the
Y. NJ. c. A. City Council printed shall not
exceed 20 in each case.
A resolution providing for q memorial
tablet to be placed in Infantry Hall, 40
called, by the Union for Practical Pro-
gress, to commemorate q certain mass
meeting, was favorably received and