The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1899-02-03
Board 10 Meet Council Monday 10 Elect
Assessor and Other Officers.
THE REPORT ON LOW TENSION WIRES.
report Of Joint SPECIAL Committee Received and
Accompanying Bill For an Ordinance Passed.
Much Routine Business Transacted.

board OF aldermen yesterday afternoon.
Just as soon as the reading of the min
utos was completed, Alderman Vincent
was on his feet with the report OF the
committee that had investigated the
milk department. This report was
published in the News yesterday.
The reading OF the report was care
fully listened to and by vote the re-
port was received No action was
taken thereon nor was anything done
about the much agltated purchase OF
a $ te for a school house on Corliss
Heights. 1t is probable action on these
matters will be taken at Monday
nights meeting.
on recommendation of Chief of Po-
lice Baker. Farrel Mclaughlin, Earnest
A. Johnson and Harry B. Robertson
were appointed police constaDles 10 MI
the vacancy in the police department.
An ordinance from the common coun-
Gil directing the superintendent OF pup
lie buildings TO repair furniture IN po-
| lice stations was. on motion OF Alder
man Winship, referred TO the commie-
| tee on city property.
An invitat on 60 meet the common
council In joint session on Monday
| evening. February 6th, for the purpose
OF electlnB a TAX aS~ef~oE anu oNiSi
city officers was accepted.
Alderman Winship presented the re-
| port o. sShe Joint special committee on
| underground wires on the placing or
low tension wires underground was
| submitted 10 the board The report
| was received and the accompanying or
| dinance passed. This ordinance pro-
vides:
FIRST. That all low tension wires I'm
| the first building district shall be
| placed underground within two years.
| Second. Ii gives the companies now
| having poles and wires IN the streets
| I'm this district the right TO use the tele-
! phone subway or build their own con-
| du.ts. and provides that in case the
| parties fail 10 agree upon terms, that
| the same shall be determined by arbi-
| tration. II also provides for joint oc-
| cupancy OF man-holes and regulates
| how all the work shall be done.
Third. Provides that each company
| shall give bond to protect the city.
| Fourth. The subway system already
| built and to be constructed is placed
| under the control of the Commissioners
| of public works.
| Fifth. Permission Is granted To the
| several companies named, to place their
| wires underground in lieu of the fran
| chises they now have to use the streets
| for poles and wires.
Sixth. An entirely new provision has
| been made providing that in case any
| company shall hereafter ne authorized
| 20 carry on telephone business in the
| city OF Providence, and IL shall be
| found impracticable to place the wires
of such company underground, then,
| in that event. the wires of such COM
| petlng company may run through the
| manholes of the Providence Telephone
company upon the payment of proper
| compensation therefor. In case OF use
| or occupation by such competing tele-
| phone company of any of the manholes
| OF the Providence Telephone company.
then the special tax of 3 per cent. on
| gross earnings TO be paid by the Prov
idence Telephone company is to be
| abated by the city council.
Seventh The bin provides that the
telephone company shall pay per
| cent. to the city on It's gross earnings
instead Of 1i5 per cent. per annum.
| which il now pays. This payment Of
2 per cent. is to begin in January 1900.
| while i'm the meantime tho company
will pay the same rate IL is now pay
ing.
Eight. The remaining sections Of the
bill give the Providence Telephone
company sixty days IN which 70 accept
this ordinance and file its bond for
s25 900: penalties are also established cd
| for the violation of the provisions Of the
bill requiring wires to &c underground
and inconsistent ordinances are re-
pealcd
In closing this report ana in present
ing this bin TO the city council. your
committee desire 10 acknowledge tho
cooperation and assistance rendered
by His Honor the mayor. the city soli-
| citor and the commissioners or public
works. I'm the solution of the veNing
problems involved in this important
measure.
The following accounts We're allowed'
| bridge Sigt4940: health department
bridge. S17.149.40. health department
sS265.56. police department, S3o230i'
Charles V. Chapin. school census,
SlS447; milk inspector. slSG.y6, poor de
partment. S2S9696 sealcr of weights
and measures, SlSi96.
The following matters were passed
I'm concurrence with the common coun
eli:
order TO receive the annual report OF
the superintendent of public buildings
order TO receive the 6ith quarterlS
report Of the department of public
order 10 receive the annual report o
the commissioners Of public works or
public bridges.
Order TO receive the annual report %
the commissioner OF the North Buria
ground.
order 10 receive the annual report o
| the oVerseer OF the poor.
Resolution 20 apply for authority =
hire 100000 for highway and other pur
| poses.
Resolution 80 apply for legislation
| giving the city ambulance the right o
way.
Resolution requesting the New York
New Haven and Hartford Railroad
company 10 make certain changes %
its passenger station.
Resolution directing joint committe
on piinting 20 report what printin'
was done during tho year 1898. not CON
trsctod for ", the committee
Resolution accepting gift of Ruth a