The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-03-30
Resolution to Hire Money.

Chairman Sturges reported back from
the finance committee the resolution To
apply Co the General Assembly Tor author
ity to hire 500, 900 for highways ard the
resolution 10 apply To the General Assem-
bly, for authority TO hire 800, 600 for school
purposes, without recommendation aud
both were open TO general debate.
In the discussion relative TO frst reso-
luton Chairman Whitclcy OF The highway
committee called Tor the reading of let
ter from Che commissioner of public
works TO the effect that the appropriation
for highways for the present fiscal year Is
but $50 0Oo and that is not enough by
$50, 600 10 even clean the streets and Keep
them i'm repair, To say nothing OF doing
new work The letter also stated that
there are now 23 miles OF received streets
which should be built.
Chairman Whiteley argued that the
reasons given by the commissioner OF
public works were sufficient To warrant
the members in voting to get authority TO
hire $500 600 for highways.
Chairman Sturges of the finance COM
mittee explained why he had reported
back the resolutions without recommen-
dation for definite action one way or the
other. IL was not To dodge the response
bility he said, of making decision but
became it was the opinion In committee
that the matter had better be decided by
forty men rather than by five.
Tho Highway Committee Wins.
The resolution to get authority to hire
5000, 900 for highways was passed 10y vote
of 81 TO & as follows:
Ayes-President Kendrick and Council
men Angell Allen, Arnold, Burdick,
Beane, Bullock, Davis, Grlnnell, Gardiner,
Gray Grimwood, Jones, Kelly, kava-
nagh, Leonard, Moore, Miner, Morgan,
Mailoy, O'Connell, = sIsins, Prcsbrey,
Smith, Sheahan, Swarts, Trask, Tanner,
Whitelcy, Waterman, Whipple and West:
Noes-Councilmen Blakeley,. Henry w.
Cooke, :. A. Cooke, Howard, Randall,
Sturges, Sisson, Sawin.
Chairman Gardiner of the committee ON
| education then moved the passage of the
| resolution to ask for authority to hire
| 800, 900 for school purposes, which the
| finance committee had also sent back
without recommendation. He was sup
| ported by Councilman Waterman OF the
| same committee and both urged the neces
| sity of securing greater facilities for the
accommodation of the rapidly increasing
| number of school children.
Needs of the School Department
Mr.. Jones of the Second Ward deplorct
| the fact that the city is Obliged to ash
| legislative authority for doing its OWL
| business and claimed that thore shoult
| be vested i'm the City Council sutficien
| power to decide these matters withou
| appeal To the Legislature. He then reat
| a letter from Superintendent Tarbel
| stating that the immediate needs of tn,
| school department i'm the way OF new
| buildings are as follows: One 4-roon
building i'm First Ward, $50, 000 on
Groom building i'm Second Ward. $50, 600
| one 4-room, $25, 600; one 1-room Sl5 co., .ant
| one S-room, $50 600 in the Third Ward
| two Groom buildings, $50, 600 each, i'm TIN
| Tenth Ward and $l25, 900 for the Manua
| Training High School; "A total OF 1885, 600
Mr. Jones made "a strong plea for th'
| resolution.
Rolling Up the City Debt.
In opposition to the resolution Council
| man Sturgcs presented another set o
| figures, the debt statmcnt of tho cit.
| treasurer up to March |, 1897, which WA
| Sl3, 2s3, $40, an increase of Si22, 600 owe
| the total for the corresponding period
| year ago. To this total Mr.. Sturges addet
| the sums which the city is already unde
| obligation to spend, amounting 60 vi, O5s,
| 600 and making the total debt, $l+, 32l, s49
Mr. Sturges didn't stop there but adde'
| on the 500, 900 proposed for highways
| 800. 600 proposed for schools, and th
| $s25. 600 which must bc borrowed for tn
| rebuilding of Weybosset bridge. Thi
! made the estimate of what the city deb
| may amount to In the very near futur
| $40, 2i6, $40
school Committee Attacked.
Mr.. Sturges not only opposed the reso
| luton from the financial point of view
| but he pitched into the school committe
and declared that he did not trust tina