The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-05-08
Store Keepers In Vicinity
of Market Square.
Bankers and Brokers are Also
Greatly Disguised.
Closing Up of Square Shuts Off
Travel and Hurts Business.

Il he wrath Of the proverbial wet hen Is
"a nothing compared to the general dis
gust of property owners and tenants along
Canal street, Market square ana North
Main street The erection of the fence
around Market square is making havoc
with business in that locality and hotel
Keepers. bankers, brokers, druggists,
markets. grocery store propriotors, mis-
ceilaneous dealers and gin mills unite in
general kick. They feel resigned to
fate, however, because they realize that
there is no hope for ~, but the prospect
OF six months of digging and blockade,
and loss of business Is not very agreeable
these hard times.
Does the work Of Improvement affect
your business muchY' was asked one
dealer
Like h.. Like everything. Before
the work is finished my business will be
practically ruined. People will not come
this way now. They can't get out If they
once get In, without some time and
trouble ana the average person ain &
going 10 put himself or herself out much
when the same goods can be purchased
elsewhere conveniently. They amt
going into n muck heap for tooth
brush, "a pound of butter or something
To eat They may chase around corner
for drink mt a fayorite barroom, but
when they flud that just as good whisky
can be bought without wading over rub
bish in some other place prohibition will
reign around these corners. 'Iwasn & only
short time ago they had us all up in a
heap building the Burnside bridge, and
now this blooming bridge comes along
with every prospect of "A half year $
trouble. Affect business? Suffering
Moses, | should say it did.
The opinion is unanimous that the
I'm ~ ba xyfl ha err
blow co the business interests Of this busy
section of the city. A protest from the
Peoples Bank and several other tenants
of the property most directly affected re-
suited in the removal of the fence that
was first put up within five feet OF the
side of the building and it was put back
To the line of the sidewalk along Canal
street and Market square. On the south
side in the middle OF the street the OBJ
struction Is "A solid board fence. This
shuts off the air and another protest has
been put in asking for wire screen
contrivance similar To that erected at the
sidewalk go that there will DO current
OF air across tho square.
Looking from the sidewalk on the north
side the fence looks like the screen that
holds the animals in check at Roger Will
liams Park, but the suggestion OF dells,
babbling brooks. trees, grass and other
things that beautify the city's big play
gfOuuu sIOpS HJ tne incnhRerIe suSRes-
tion limit. Beyond the wire and board
screen the workmen can be seen digging
oil the top surface OF the big square pre-
paratory to removing the bottom of
boards and heavy jolst TO make the neces-
sary excavation for the massive founda-
tion walls or abutments Of the new
bridge.
One man who had enjoyed boiled din
ner at the Hotel Bristol pointed to the
interior of the desolate district and re-
marked: There are the monkeys. "
One advantage Of the wire screen is that
the progress of tho work can be inspected
daily and If anybody loafs inside or re.
tards the progress Of the bridge building
the storekeeker adjacent To the fence can
report the fact at once and have the loafer
fired. BY this plan those most directly
concerned can have finger in the pie for
the next six months. IL things are rushed
harmony may be maintained but the
chances for vigorous kicks and protests
are so many and varied that the bankers,
and brokers and cotton tail holders and
all the others now thoroughly disgusted
can EMPLOY their leisure in concocting
schemes to make the lives of the bridge
builders a round of continual worry. This
will be on the plan that misery likes COM
pany.