The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-03-31
Hearing Given as to Its
Disposition.
FIVE ADDRESSES MADE.
Four Speakers Favored Retaining
II as an Open Space.
ONE ADVOCATED THE SALE OF 1T


the City Council gave hearing in the
Common Council chamber last evening
to all persons interested in the question
OF the disposition Of Exchange place, the
old passenger station and the land be-
tween the new and the old stations
There were only few gentlemen prsssnt,
and only five spoke, all but one favoring
using the land for park purposes. City
Engineer Clapp was present with two
sets OF plans, which were utilized by the
speakers In emphasizing their remarks.
The meeting was called 90 order by
Mayor Baker, chairman OF the committee,
Msssrs. McCsrtny, Blakeley and Stursess
OF the committee being present. The call
for the meeting WAS read by Clerk Hay
den, and Mayor Baker said he hoped tbat
all the gentlemen present would state
their views upon the question under con-
siusration.
The first speaker was Mr. Alfred Stone,
who said that there was no worse scheme
Of travel than large opsn spaces OF lsnd
without proper divisions. for teams were
thus allowed To drive whsrv they pleased.
He thought that Washington street should
DO continued through TO Canal street, and
be widened. South Of Washington street
the open space shonld be- left, and should
be bordered with trees, afforuiDg shelter
from the sun and being pleasant 10 the
sye. He hoped that The land In front Of
the depot would b5 laid out with grass
and trees. There WAS a difference of 10
feet in grade tetweeD the Lowell OF Ex-
change place and the site Of the new
depot and the slope would add greatly to
the beauty and the health OF ths city.
The committees had In It's hands trust,
not only TO ths people Of today, but TO
those If the future. and it would be a
most griesous mistake to cover this land
with business blocks. Let the territory
be kept open for the use OF tho public.
The proposed new postoiIice would also
show to better advantage by such lay
out. Mr.. Stone said he hopsd tho water
between Market square bridge and the
Three Ones house would Lot be coveret,
as he had heard that IL might be-. He
thought the open srace south Of Washing
ton street should te gravel, bordered " it'll
trees, instead OF grass, for there would
grass might not be suitable. lie telieyeu
that both the hurnsice and the SolOi,rs
monuments might be moved TO this graz
elled space.
Hon. Amnsa n. Eaton endorsed all
that Nr. Stone had SAID, and he certainly
huprd that tie spaces would be kept open.
He thought that some suitable provision
should te made for the running of the
street cars to and from the new station.
1t has been urged that this land IN worth
a great deal OF money and should tie sold,
but by treating this land as great
public square great benefit will be con-
ferred upon the people. ana 10 would bs
a shame and an Outrage to sell 1t for
business purposes.
In answer TO question from Mr.. Add'-
son q. Fisher In relation tn the ARIA of
the land under consideration, City Engi-
neer Clapp said that tue total amount
was 345 COO feet, making about 23O. 900
feet, without considering the street.
Mr.. Fisher then said that Re differed
entirely with the previous speakers, and
he hoped that none OF the land would be
devoted TO park PURPOSES. The city had
recently given 20 acr.s OF land for the
new state Louse and tie pew state normal
school. and he believed that this was
enough to give for park purposss. People
were roo much gwen in trovidencs to
appropriatirg money fer breathing
plac S. We have Roger Williams, Hack
stone and Davis parks, and money can lie
expended on THESE. he believed tnat the
land In question woIl soil for $40 a
foot, wnich woald bring In about e., 0C0,-
~
would be aboLt S25, 600 year, and the
int rest at 81 per cent would amount TO
about $50, eco masinRa q total OF 100000
which should go into tie city treasurs.
The sale of this land for business pur-
poses WOULD r. suit In the erection OF large
warehouses which would also bring n
rev enue In tax to the city. Mr.. Fisher
said We wanted no park there, and no
said that tie sslts would be occupied 10y
q class OF men who DO not add tn the
reputation OF the city. Hs was decidedly
in favor OF devoting the whole space to
business purposes, and net to PARKS.
Councilman Augustine Jones favored
the idea OF n breathing placs, and con-
demued the idea Of packing the entrance
to the city with busiress blocks. Nature
has done 80 much for Providencs that 1t
would be mistake for art and en bellish-
ment not TO aid Ia the work. Having
taken the cove. which might Rave teen
worth something, the city should give the
people something In It's place. such dis
position of the land for rark purposes
would result In profit to the city, and
there Is no doubt that we have not given
anything ike the attention to parks
plan represents no outl Y, and when once
done II will he finished. Providence
TO become grent city. and
now In the time To make such imrove-
ments for the good OF the people that
shall stand for all time.
Mr. Stone remarked that the territory
was Of such nature that II did not lsnd
Itself for business purposes, but was par
ticularly we'll adapted for PARK purposes.
Ihe citv would be doing arievous
wrong II it escheated the PEOPLE from
tnis land, which 10 was fully entitled 10.
IL IL our duty TO secure parks for the
people and make the bonded debt n long
one. III the land should be cut up ana
laid out for business purposes 1t would
net represent bv v,ry isrge sum indeed
what had bsen stated here. In relation
to toe park Deccmin ng an unsafe rlsce.
Mr. Stone seid that wives ana daughters
are not insulea In frsquentei places, and
any such argument was utterly un-
founded
AR Fisher again said that he did not
think 1000, 600 should he sacrificed for
the sake OF giving rsradere place In
meet Ia, for these could NO 10 South
Water street or q the Dexter Training
Ground, and he once more hoped that
toe committee wout think long before
it recommended giving the land for
psfk purposes