The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-12-28


them. The people want To use the rail-
road station and II should not be said
that because OF disagreement III the
City Council they are deprived OF the
use and enjoyment OF IL.
The committee being satisfied from It's
knowledge OF the situation that it is for
the best interests Of the city 20 secure the
opening of the new station at rs early
date as possible respectfully present and
recommend the accompanying plans for
approval. The accompanying resolution
providing for such approval is therefore
presented for the consideration of the
City Council with the recommendation Of
the committee.
The report is signed by William r.
Vaughan, Silas IA. Manchester, Joseph
hi. kendrick, Arthur ii. Watson, hobert
f. Smith and Charles ID. Rogers tho
committee accompanying .. IL Is the corr
respondence between the committee and
the attorneys for the railroad, between
the committee and the city engineer. the
letter from President Clark to Chairman
Vaughan stating that il the plans no adj
yooated vera approved the company
woulu commence the construction of the
shelters Immediately and a copy of the Ie-
port of the city engineer in 1894 on the
plans for the new station. AT the close
OF the reading OF the report the accom-
panying resolution was read. ana the
matter was properly before the council.
At the conclusion OF the reading Of this
report and the accompanying plan, Presi.
dent kendrick said Chairman Vaughan
of the committee was in attendance and
so was the city engineer and the consult
ing engineer. and they would answer any
question.
Councilman Stephen a. Cooke boped
that before any other action was taken
that tho other report would be read.
THE STURGES REPORT.
Every good" said Councilman Ken
drick, ana he began reading 10. The Sec
ond report was as follows:
To the Honorable City Council OF the
City of Providence-1he undersigned,
appointed dec. l6 1897, Joint special
committee tn confer with the city soil
cit n as to any proposition made by the
\. Y, n. ii. Il II. X. X. Co, To pro-
vide train sheds for the railroad station
in the city of Providence, and to make
and recommend any plan for sheds
which, in tho opinion uf said committee,
might 10 adopted and approved by the
council, instead of the train shed pro-
vided in the act OF the General Assembly
of lSS9
Respectfully report, that they organized
to receive any proposition from the rail
road company. The committee wrote
letter ID its attorneys, Messrs. Edwards
q Angel, asking them TO present plans
early enough so that they could be pre-
son ted to the city council Dec. ~, 1897
Ihe ATTORNEYS replied that they had al
reauy submitted plans To the Joint special
committee on terminal facilities. who
vera To consider these plans in time TO re
port to the council at it's meeting OH the
27th. They intended 40 discourtesy to
the new committee, which was appointed
afterwards
The report of the committee continues:
Tha mayor and Others and the representa-
tives OF the railway company informally
discussed the matter at the granting of
the injunction against the company. and
several weeks before the committee S APP
pointment. 1t was hoped To arrive at
some result by this means, through tho
committee or otherwise.
The committee learned that new sub
stitute plan was fixed upon by the mayor
and city engineer as satisfactory TO the
city. Tho raj. road company suggested that
as no one appointed Ivy the council hAd
authority, and that rs the mayor was i'll
thai committee be appointed by the
council to confer with tho city solicitor
and the railroad company with power To
recommend any plans TO tho council.
This refusal to confer with tho commit
toe appointed by your honorable body. be-
fore meeting Of that body, and Fastening
to confer with another, not having re-
ferred to IL such matters, the committee
regards as a manifestation oi contempt
for the action of your honorable body.
Providence. the second city in New Eng.
lana, sho lid not become u way station,
and the city council will not take any
thing(unless 10 suits the city) that the
railroad sees fit tn offer. The state and
the legislature Is not under the company's
control
Public opinion demands recognition OF
the legislature which alone allowed the
company to construct u suitable passenger
station. by chapter sos OF the Public
Laws passed on March 2S 1891 Subse.
quently the General Assembly passed an
act May. lS9l which Incorporated the
New York. New Haven 4 Hartford Rail
road company, and made 10 subject TO the
same restrictions rs the Old Coonv and
New York. Providence ~ Boston Railrond
companies, and directed the speedy con-
struc,ion Of the station and approaches.
The General Assembly realized the rail-
road : indispusition to build suitable pas.
senger accommodation, and directed tho
road to hasten work. Yet the company
DELAYED four years and proposed To enter
the new station ON Oct 10 with no train
she'd built. Then supreme Court TO.
strainipg order was timely.
The city engineer stated that the com
pany had not provided sufficiently strong
foundations for anything but platforms
Ihus. the company had teen decoiviag
the committee I'm that 10 did not con-
template any sheds whatever. The com
mittee secured tho rlans agreed upon by
the Mayor and the city engineer. The
engineer approved the plans of the city
"a the test that could have been adopted
originally. But owing go harmony, ex-
pense and lack Of foundation he thought
another plan more desirable. Later 10
was learned that tbe engineer had mp
proved " tho original plans submitted
by the railroad ~ the Mavor and plans
which did not ineet his approval. In view
OF the feet that the engineer favored the
city plan ~ tic best and the company's
plan ouly on account Of harmony and ex.