The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-12-06


most prominent men present We're: state
| Highway Comm issioner Chase Hon.
| Henry f- Greene OF Clyde, senator Joseph
l.. Saunders Of Cranston, Representative
Hoiven OF Woonsocket, Senator George +.
A. Beape of Johnston. President John
! T. Bowen of the Johnston Town Council,
A. W. Smith OF the Johnson Town Coun
Gil. Representative Armingtou of East
| Providence Councilman John Nj. Dean OF
CranstoD, President benjamin wilson OF
East Providence, Chairman Hugh Is
Balm and Clerk william A. Bri9gs OF the
| School Board of CrADston. Committeeman
Charles l.. Clemenoe and Edwin r. Pierce.
| Judge Palmer OF the Probate Court Su-
perintendent of Schools Valentine Almy,
Chairman Edward Stanley of the board
| OF assessors, Assessor James horn,
| Town Clerk Daniel ID. Waterman, High
way Commissioners Phln eas A. Conley
and Town Engineer Joseph A. Latham.
President Ba bbitt suggested that as no
was uni0miliar with the management OF
such meetings. President Wilson of the
East Greenwich Council be chosen. Mr..
Wilson was accordingly elected chairman
| by unanimous vote. He expressed his
| acknowledgment of the courtesy and then
| called upon DIR. Washburn of the King
| ston College of Agriculture. DIR. Wash
| burn explained what was being done at
| Kingston in regard TO the making and
maintaining of good roads. MIR h. u.
| of the United States expressed his sur
| prise at the thoroughness with which the
| town had built its network OF excellent
macadamized roads. Their skill in con-
! struction combined with the economy ex
| hibited in the cost of construction was
| such as to excite admiration. He referred
| TO the Phoenix road particularly as one of
| the best roads constructed In the country,
| he had ever known OF, and hereafter he
would refer to It, instead of some roads
| in New York State ms SSs best model of
| excellence ana economy.
The agricultural school, be said had the
best equipped departments for road build
| ing instruction OF any in the country. In
closing he camplimented Phineas A
Conley and Joseph A. Latham, the high
way commissioner and town engineer OF
Cranston. on their skill shown in build
ing such excellent roads.
Representative Holden OF Woonsocket
expressed his endorsement of good roads
and then brought out the practical feat
ure of providing more revenue for the
state TO do the work.
On motion of Senntor Beane of John
ston the following resolution was passed
Resolved, That we favor the annual APP
propriation OF Sl00, 600 by the General AS
sembiy, for the construction Of main
highways. substantially in accordance
with the Massachusetts system, whereby
the state paws thres-quarters of the cost
one quarter.
State Commissioner Chase said the first
cost was the greatest. but cited Pontiac
street, which cost $40, 600 "a mile. and had.
after several years OF use, only required
5000 to resurfaoe IL. lie said Cranston
was remarkable for the cheapness and ex-
cellence of it's roads.
Ex- senator Greene Of Warwick strongly
| endorsed the giving of state aid, as a
means OF assistance which was necessary
in order to continue the good work Gen.
Armington or East Providence said he
favored the state helping but he said that
when the issue was drawn the citizens
must come forward nnd support them in
| forcing the law through the legislature.
| Senator Saunders OF Cranston said that
Cranstons good road movement grew
| out of an anti-annexntion meeting held in
| Auburn High school in 1892 He reviewed
| the adoption OF his first resolution In the
financial town meeting To bond the town
for the building of macadamized roads
| and the conference between himself and
james a. BudlonR. the then president of
the town council Of Cranston. which
terminated in tho appointment of Phineas
| A. Conley as highway commissioners of
| the town. Mr. Conley had since then
! held the position and the senator said the
! wisdom OF tho choice was reflected in the
| town having the best roads I'm the state.
| lie favored state aid and said the Pontiac
avenue had already goo $40, coo out Of the
sta6e and no hoped To get more at tho
next sitting of tbe.leeislature.
Previous to the speeches there We're n
mum bcr of stereopticon views given, which
were explained by .Iosophs A. Latham.
Among them were pictures OF the follow.
ing streets: Pontiac avenue, three views;
Broad street, three views; Crapston
street. three views; Park avenue two
views; Magnolia street, Phoenix avenue,
two views; Wayland avenue two views;
Webster avenue, one view; warwick
avenue two views; Douganay Hill road,
Union avenue. Sockanosset cross road,
Allen avenue, now NarraRansstt Boule-
ward, Dyer avenue before started. under
construction ana when completed, ana
the Oakl wn Ioat.
Town Engineer Latham read the speech
containing the most information regard
ing the town, synopsis OF which Is as
foil ows:
Previous to six years ago Cranston ap-
propriatad annually about SIS, 600 on
roads. which, when not extremely dusty
were muddy. with deep ruts. The in.
debtedness Of the town then was $50, :s.S
and last April IL was SiSd, 563, which
bonded at . l2 per cent, will be cleared
in about 80 years.
In addition TO building roads with
this money seven large school buildings
have been built. The rsturDs derived
Irom the enterrrising and intelligent
municipal management are reflected in D
growth of 20 per cent. in wealth during
the period covered, and an increase OF 80
per cent. in population, placing Gran.
ston, according TO the last state census,
far ahead of all other counties in the
state for development Cranston, he said,
had been blessed In many WAYS, hut none
more than in the fact that for great
many years the officials of the town. par
ticularly the mehbers OF tae Town
Council. have been far-sighted, prudent.
upright business men, working in har-
mony for the best interests of the town.
Our stone Crusber cost $1,000 and has
crushed nearly loo, 600 tons of rock. Our
Harrisburg lotion roller has been in con.
slant use during eight months Of each
year since IT'S purchase. We now have
some so miles OF accert3i streets and 30
miles of them arr macadamtzeu. Pontiac