The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1899-01-31


are very much less than those OF New
York or Boston. while the rate OF IN
surance upon vessels and cargoes from
southern ports To Providence averages
One-quarter Of one per cent. less than
To Boston. All that Is needed TO make
Providence "A great centre Of foreign
and cOastwise commerce is for the
state and city 20 unite i'm such active
measures as VIII secure intact ana Tor
all time this magnificent water front.
The y. :. Supreme court, I'm one or
it's recent opinions, has said, In Rhode
Island, the owners Of land on toe wa
ters have no title below high water
mark
The title 10 all lands therefore below
high water mark. If the above court Is
correct, would seem 10 be in the state.
Would il not. however, in the light or
this view. be well for the state at the
! very beginning 10 ascertain the exact
legal status of these lands?
INLAND FISHERIES.
In reply 10 a request made Of the
commissioners of inland fisheries for
| such data as would be of interest and
importance 10 the people OF the state, /
! call your attention To extracts from
communication from Professor ii. I.
! Bumpus PHI D.. Brown University,
| ana one of the commissioners.
Professor Bumpus says:
"In reply To yours of November 2Oth
| / beg 10 state:
list. That the acreage of planting
grounds for oysters in Narragansett
| Bay has never been estimated, and the
| natural rock or beds are practically eX-
| hausted.
I'D That the legislation providing
| for the private and several oyster fish
| cries began I'm 1883, and was last revis-
| ed i'm 1897. 2l39 acres are at present
| taken up on leases.
ed. The income derived by the state
/ from the leasing of oyster ground was
! for 1891. $70l6. and for 1895 it will prob
ably be at least $4,000
18th. The leases are nominally limit
| ed TO residents OF the state though
| great deal OF the land Is practically
owned and controlled by those not re-
! siding within the limits of the state.
| 18th. The general conditions OF the
| oyster beds prior to the present legls-
| lation were deplorable. Many of the
| ponds were unproductive and practi-
| cally worthless. With the present sys-
tenn of leases the output has Increased
| TO a most gratifying extent. Portions
of the bottom OF the bay which We're
unproductive are now yielding thou
| sands of dollars annually, and the in
| dications are that i'm the immediate fu-
/ ture the industry will be found far more
important than ii is at the present
| time"
During the past year the commits
| sioners of inland fisheries have worked
| with untiring energy. The fresh wa
ters of the state have been successfully
stocked: the fish traps along the shores
! of Narragansett bay have been deii-
nitely located and their ownership de-
termined; and scientific investigations
have been made upon the stariish
| which will lead To the restriction of
their depredations. If not To their alb
solute elimination. An investigation of
the waters of the bay for the purpose
of determining additional tracts suit
able for eyster culture has been made
possible through the cooperation of
the T. :. fish commission. The inn
poVerished condition of the clam beds
has received special attention. methods
of artificial culture have been eX-
amined. and there Is good reason fof
believing that with proper encourage
ment valuable industry may be re-
established. Experiments on the arti-
| ficial propagation of the lobster have
| yielded promising returns. Many mil
lions of flatfsh fry have been liberated
and the discovery Of the tile fish in the
| deep waters of Block Island has added
| n new, abundant and valuable food fish
to the list of sea products of the state.
| SOLDIERS HOME AND STATE
BOARD OF SOLDIERS RELIEF.
During the past year a cottage ha:
been built at the home for the sur
| geon: a new hay barn erected, and the
| concrete walks and drives repaired o'
| relaid: all without any additional ap'
| propriation from the state.
i have made two offiWial visits TO th'
home during the past year, and eacf
time have made a careful and thorough
inspection of everything, and take
pleasure in testifying to it's excellen
| condition in every respect. The mum
ber of inmates December 3d. 1898, wa:
| $50.
/ am of the opinion that a lack o.
| something to do by the members o
the home is a fruitful source or mor'
or less discomfort. 1t would be wis
| investment for the state to erect
comfortable Workshop, provide it will
wood working tools and simple ma
| chinery, and permit the inmates to oc
cupy such portion OF their time as the!
see fit i'm useful labor for the home.
In addition TO this a simple green
house could soon be made self-support
ing and would be a source OF grea
pleasure and profit to such of the vet
erans as would be Interested I'm tn
raising of fruit and flowers.
The secretary of the board of sol
ders' relief informs me that an appro
pration of $4,000, the same amoun
which was appropriated last year, WI
be sufficient TO meet all the probabl
demands upon its fund for the ensu
ing year / respectfully recommen
that the same amount be appropriated
: FACTORY INSPECTORS. a.
I recommend to- your careful con
sideration the annual report of the fac
tory inspectors of the state, and cheer
fully indorse their recommendation tina
: the present law be 80 amended as I
: provide that no person, firm or cor
poration. who shall be deemed fac
tory. mandatory or mercantile estab
lishment within the meaning of TN
law. shall employ any child under
years of age while the public school
of the town or city where such chill
= resides are i'm session, unless furnishe
| with "A certificate from the school au
thorities of such town or city that sue
: child can read or write the Englis
, | language.
, UNIFORMITY OF LEGISLATION.
I Amasa NJ. Eaton, ESQ. one of TN
, | Rhode Island commissioners appointe
, under authority of chapter 3o2 OF th
, public laws for the promotion of uni
formity OF legislation in the Unite
e states" has forwarded To mc bri,
| Ia 4tlhispt which