The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1899-01-02

fore the city council at noon today is
as follows:
Gentlemen 81 the city Council
A reelection TO the Office OF Mayor or
this city must, of necessity. be gratify-
ing to him upon whom such honor Is
conferred. Ii therefore seems proper for
me, at the beginning Of this message,
TO declare TO the citizens of Providence
my appreciation of, and gratitude for.
the expression of continued confidence
which.was given me I'm the last election,
and TO pledge to Them an earnest desire
TO prove not unworthy of that conf1d-
ence
The experience OF the past year, while
IL has i'm nowise detracted from first
impressions of the Importance of the
duties of this Office, has made many OF
them familiar which a year ago were
new and strange, and ought 10 be OF
great advantage to the Executive in
the future performance of his work.
The majority of you, gentlemen. have
also had the advantage OF the same ex-
perience, and ought to be better quail
fled than ever before for your work. by
proper union of our efforts. theUefore,
without which little can be accomplish
ed. IL ought to be possible TO advance
our City a decisive step in the coming
year toward that goal for which we are
all striving--an efficient and economi-
cal management of our municipal af-
fairs.
one of the first. and not perhaps the
simplest of the duties prescribed 10 the
Mayor. Is To present. at the beginning
of each year, TO the City Council.
statement of the condition of the vari-
Gus departments, with such recon-
mendations as he may see fit 10 make
thereon. and | therefore invite your at
tention 10 the following:
BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS-HIGH-
WAYS.
The work of this department during
the last fiscal year has been confined
for the most part, to the maintenance
and repair of received streets. the
building of the Weybosset Street Bridge
and river walls, the layout of Exchange
Place and the construction OF main
trunk sewers. designed TO relieve the
annexed district from the town OF
Johnston, and portions of the third ana
tenth wards. But little work has been
done in the direction OF building recelV-
ed streets, owing 10 the fact that no
money was to be had for that purpose,
and no new streets have been received
because of the wise decision or the
city Council To continue no longer ac-
repting and building streets under the
old system of borrowing money. which
has prevailed so long: and which has
been instrumental i'm piling up mu-
nicipal debt largely for the beneht or
those people who had vacant land to
be developed. | do not think that the
City has suffered in any respect on this
account.
The appropriation for building.
cleaning. and repairing highways" for
the ensuing fiscal year is S225,OOO 600, a
sum which, doubtless, is amply sum-
Client. with economical management 10
keep all received streets clean and in
repair. Notwithstanding the condition
of the streets in the portion annexed
from the town of Johnston, but II
cannot do very much toward building
streets | do not think il necessary To
put all of the streets In the annexed
district, at once. i'm the condition OF
those in the centre of the city. They
should ALL of course, be made safe, Dut
further improvements upon them
should be gradual. and this is all thar
the citizens of that portion OF the CITY
at present desire or expect. They are
very sensible people. and realize that
they cannot have everything at once.
The widening of Charles street has
been approved by the city council. ano
that long-needed thoroughfare should
be widened and built as soon as pos
sible. 1t is a case OF public necessity
and the good faith of the city TO the
citizens Of the northern part Is. l be-
lcve involved. A portion OF New EX
change place has been built under the
direction of the city council, but large
part of this space still remains in an
unsightly condition. While genera
plan OF the layout has already Deer
adopted by the city council, think tina
il could be improved upon in severa
respects. and therefore recommend the
continuance of the committee in charge
xxsftb ions
further consider the subject and MAKE
n supplemental report thereon. at III
earliest convenience. a compresensiV'
plan should be adopted, which would EN-
brace the entire space, and determine
what portion should be devoted to road
ways and grass plats, and such fund
should be provided for completing TN
work as maybe needed over and aboV'
that part which may be saved from tn
regular highway appropriation. l rec
ommend that the open space in IRON
of the new station. and the slopes oi
each side OF Francis street, be place.
under the charge of the park commits
sioners for care ami maintenance.
The sprinkling of our streets durin,
the past season has been under rigi'
supervision and inspection, and the re
suit has been noticeable, both in tn
improved condition of the roadways
and freedom from muddy streets.
| am pleased. also. to state that
system OF continuous repairing of mac
adamized streets has been established
which is a radical departure OF high
way maintenance and one which II
believe will be better appreciated TN
longer the work continues.
IL gives me great deal OF pleasur
TO state TO you that | have received
communication from Mr.. Paul BaJnott
the Italian Consul General at Liver
pool. announcing his desire TO presen
To the city of Providence the sum
$4,000 for the purpose OF erecting
memoriN fountain In honor of his de
ceased wife. Carrie Mathilde. daughte
of the late Nicholas Brown Of this cit,
recommend the acceptance OF thi
Gift under the conditions named In hi
communication. and that commissio
of gentlemen of artistic taste an
training be appointed To take this mat
ter I'm charge. with power 10 receiv
designs and offer prizes for the bes
designs that may he presented. and
award the contract OF erecting th
fountain. There seems TO be no bet
ter location for this fountain than
the area ~ the New Exchange plac'
Vir communication viii be transmittc
TO YOU az an early date.
PUBLIC LIGHTING.