The evening tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 189?-190?, 1897-07-02
Question Whether II Will Be
Necessary to First Obtain
Legislative Authority.
NO OPPOSITION WAS DEVELOPED.
Dept Limit Said to Have Been Nearly
II Not Rute Reached-Positlon Of
the Commissioners Explained.

Aldermen was held last evening for The
purpose Of discussing the advisibility Of
Main street. The full Board
was present land also number of.
interested parties. Mayor Davis,
on calling the meeting to order
said: "Pawtucket has found 1t an ex-
pensive undertaking to change the line or
grade of street, and Main street pro-
misses to be no exception to the rule. In
looking at the question think we should
first consider and determine what would
be the best way to effect the propo sed i'm
provements; secondly ascertain as near as
possible the cost and be careful not to un-
der estimate; thirdly, fully satisfy our
selves that the change proposed will
warrant the cost, and, lastly, II the i'm
provement is decided upon as desirable,
provide the ways and means to pay for It.
This may be provided by special tax pro-
vided for that purpose, but this would be
means / think the taxpayers would
hardly endorse, though II we are not able
to pay for what we want today, 1t Is for
US to consider whether it is wise or Just to
borrow and charge against the morrow,
which in public, as in private affairs, may
have all the needs of it's own that can be
cared for in season. The probable re-
source would be loan, but before we can
avail ourselves of that we must 60 to the
General Assembly and get, II we can, per-
mission to hire money in excess of the
present debt limit which is already to
closely intrenched upon. think we
should proceed with caution and advisedly
both as to lines which may be established
and costs to be incurred"
Lawyer Hugh j. Carroll then spoke in
favor of widening the street and said that
it had been talked about ever since he
came to this city about 20 years ago. He
said: awhile / was Mayor proposed to
widen Main street on the north side; then
some one proposed that 1t should be
widened on the south side. When / agreed
to widen on either side they changed their
minds again and showed they were not in
earnest. Think that it should be widened
on the north side under the general law.
The East side will be benefited as well as
the West Side, and will be willing to pay
their share. II we are anywhere near the
debt limit it would be well to get permis-
sion from the General Assembly to pay it.
''It is absolutely necessary to widen one
side or the other, for if we don't we will
have nothing in this section of the city
but tumble-down rookeries. i am de-
cidedly in favor of widening Main street.
Mr.. Easton, one of the members of the
commission on widening the street, said
l,aN Al~<,x l<>I <L.A
be done under the General Laws and
should be along certain lines. He said !:
1--WE succeeded in getting figures from all
of the parties with the exception Of Amos
Read. He would not give us any figures
at:all. We tried every inducement to get
him to gives US figures, but he would not.
My own opinion Is that the Board of
Aldermen should take some steps in the
matter, as the stockholders ought to know
what is going to be DONE"
Mr.. Carroll asked Mr.. Easton what the
commission had found the probable cost
to be-.
Mr.. Easton said that 1t would cost $685.
600 for the ID. l.. & l.. B. Goff property and
go, 900 for the John b. Read estate, the two
named persons agreeing to remove all
buildings and allowing the same to be
used for improvements.
Mr.. Carroll said that was the cheapest
bargain this city had the option on for
some time. He said when the city widened
High street It cost $75, 900 for the corner of
High and Main streets, besides paying ex-
penses which amounted to considerable
more, s35, 900 for the Gotf property and
go, 900 for the J. b. Read estate, and allow
ing Amos Read about $4,000 or $4,000
would be very cheap. 81 think this is the
time for these improvements to be made,
and the longer we wait the worse II will be
for the interest of the CITY,"
Ex-Alderman Smith then spoke I'm
favor OF widening the street. He was fol-
lowed by Mr.. Goff who said that he thought
1t was necessary. He said 1t had been agi-
tated for such length of time that he
thought something should be done. He
said he had always been willing to receive
fair price for his property. Mr.. j.. r..
Judson then spoke In favor of the improve
ments and said that some definite lines to
work upon should be drawn.
The matter OF widening Main street
bridge, and what the cost would be, was
then discussed.
Mr.. Judson said II could 90 widened by
connecting a steel arch with the bridge az
II Is, without building new abutments, for
about 10000, but II abutments were put In
IL would cost about $4,000. After more
discussion In regard to the method of Wild
ening the bridge the meeting adjourned
without taking any action.