The evening tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 189?-190?, 1897-04-10
IN CENTRAL
FALLS CITY:
Police Station Alterations
Are Nearly Completed, but
Are Insufficient.
The Public Toilet Room is in
Full View of the MalrOn's
Private Quarters.
1T oU0HT NOT TO BE TOLERATED.
The Lower Part Of the Station Is Burning
Shame, But According to the Plans Will
Not Be Touched-Local Notes.

Owing to the force of public opinion
expressed In regards to the condition OF
tho Cross street police station, he men,
bers of the City Council were compelled to
take some action looking towards its rem
ovation. Some time ago the Mayor
recommended that $1,000 or S12OO be ap-
propriated for that purpose. But the city
fathers, who by the way are noted for
great wisdom, thought that the said work
upon the station could be done for much
lees sum. Almost everyone In the city
knows the condition Of the building, and
they further know that 1t was In deplor-
able condition; in fact, 1t was disgrace to
the city of Central Falls.
After straddling the matter for many
months, and tossing the resolution about
from one cammittee to another the present
joint standing committees on city pro-
perty and police got the proposed renova-
tions under way. The committee in its
great wisdom set about the work, and the
citizens of this city were promised model
police station. AS every one knows there
is urgent need of a police matron at the
station at all times, and in pursuance OF
this fact, and to meet the needs Of women
prisoners, particular pains were taken to
prepare good quarters for her. With that
end in view the matron is to have two of
the rear rooms for her special use.
The work has progressed quite rapidly,
and, apparently, the carpentering work Is
finished; in fact, the rooms are now In the
hands of the painters, receiving the frst
c>sS. Whether or not the place will pres mt
such rosy picture when completed as has
been predicted by these wise solons Is q
question hard to answer. However that
may be, the work done thus far Is open to
much criticism. Not that 1t is intended to
reflect upon the workmanship Of the con-
tractor, Mr.. Dexter, for he has followed
strictly the lines of the plans, but rather
the criticisms fall upon the wise men Of
the City Council who imagine that they
can do with $500 that which is worth three
times that sum.
In other words to put the police station
in . proper sanitary condition 1t would
take from q 500 to 5000. The wise men
thus far 1t has been perfect failure. The
money is expended and no one is satisfied,
not even the Accommodations for the matron
are what are required. The idea was to
cut her apartments entirely of from any
connection with the Veteran fremen. An
architect was employed and under the
vigilant eye of the chairman of the COM
mittee, who have charge of the alterations
the plans were drawn. Probably the plans
are the best that could have been devised
under existing circumstances. In any
case they do not meet the actual require
ments as pointed out in the many protests
from the citizens.
In regards to the lower part of the sta
tion nothing has been done nor nothing
will be done. The vermin still play tag up
and down the sides of the walls, and the
whole Is fast becoming death trap from q
sanitary point. 1t would be well IL the
citizens of the city would visit this place
and investigate for themselves.