The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1905-01-02
Mayor N||[[ER'S message 1.
AN INTERESTING DOCUMENT.

I a provision that In case the city OF
| Providence shall at any time hereafter
| he authorized 10 assess abutting owners
| for the private use and occupation OF
the public highway. the passage Of such
| a resolution shall not in any manner al
feet the right OF the city TO charge and
| collect rent for the same II would seem
| that instead of continuing FOR many more
| years 10 insert this provision in such
resolutions. some steps at once should be
taken 10 obtain the authority to make
such assessments.
A Public Market Piace--A committee
| OF the city council has now under con-
| sideration plan for establishing a public
| market place over the river between
| Market square and Crawford street
bridge. Dyer and South Water streets and
Crawford street bridge are now used by
| hucksters In the early part of the day
| for the sale of their mercha ndfse, and
] the crowding OF those highways with
| their teams and produce is a nuisanoe TO
pedestrians crossing the bridge at that
| time, and TO all having business in that
vicinity II market place were estnb-
| lished and reasonable rentals fixed for the
! spaces Of public land occupied, the city
would receive therefrom a handsome
revenue.
Public Lights-1n my message to the
! city council one year ago I called at
| tention To the fact that the cost OF
lighting our city was In excess OF that
Of most other cities in the United States
and therefore asked the council 10 con-
slider carefully all petitions for addi-
tional lights.
II is the opinion Of very many of our
citizens that much could be saved by the
| aC IN fsh ~ fCf fraI ltoat ipev
plant. This has been advocated for sew
eral years by the municipal league Of
I this city which estimates that by such
action 500. 900 could be saved annually
70 our city. This estimate Of the league
undoubtedly Is based on the experience
of cities where great savings have been
shown by the establishment Of such
plants The question OF municipal light
! ing Is one which has been broadly ais
cussed throughout the country by those
| interested In municipal affairs. and IL
is a matter which should receive your
especial attention at this time for the
reason that the existing contracts for
| lighting the city with electric lights at
the present price expire June 15 1906
and II we are to adopt the system Of
municipal lighting in 1906 II is neces-
sary that action on your part he taken
early in this year ror the franchise
/ granted to the Narragansett Electric
Lighting company by the general as
sembly provides that the city shall not
exercise the right to produce or dis
| tribute electricity for lighting its streets
| and highways until a vote that II is
| expedient so to do shall have passed
each branch Of It's city council by ma
| iority vote Of all the members elected
and received the approval Of the mayor
and thereafter have been ratified by a
majority OF the voters qualified TO elect
members Of the city council Of said city
present and voting thereon at the an
| nual election which shall he held next
after the expiration OF four months from
the date Of the mayors approval
FIRE DEPARTMENT.
! In accordance with the request of the
board of fire commissions the city
! council has authorized and directed the
board 10 purchase two new steam fire
engines and apparatus. and has appro-
! priated therefore the sum OF $40. 600
! These engines are TO replace those now
! I'm use at Station 3. corner of Hope and
! Olney streets. and at Station 10 at the
! junction of Smith and Orms streets.
! II Is the opinion OF the board that more
apparatus should be procured and that
! certain Of the hose companies should be
changed to fire engine companies. and
|
! advantage TO the service than those To-
Gated on Greenwich street and Central
street. The districts which these COM
panies Numbers II and 13) cover con-
| tain many hazardous risks. and in my
| inaugural address one year ago the at
| tention OF the city council was called
| TO the fact that In the opinion Of the
1 Are commissioners certain alterations
| were needed in the stations which these
| T1Na he
sioners now say that the necessity for
! these changes still exists and that for
| the betterment OF the Are service they
| should be delayed ,onger.
| II engines were located at the points
referred TO. not only would better pro-
lection be afforded to property in the
immediate vicinity. but they would also
CO operate with the apparatus on Harri-
| son street In giving much needed facnI-
ties for extinguishng fires in the poorly
| protected district covered by Sprague.
westield and Harrison streets.
The fire commissioners have received
| petitions from citizens. representing
large property interests requesting tina I
an engine be installed In one Of these
stations but until the necessary accom- .
IN oda tions are provided nothing can be
done BY them In this direction.
The necessity for the extension OF the
| separate water service. wherever prsc-
ticable, ts admitted. and the committee on
city engineers department has been re-
| auested. by joint resolution No ssl ap-
| proved Dec. 3D. 1901 to examine into ana
| report to the city council upon tho :
| visibility and necessity of providing an
| additional water supply for the city, and
TO report a plan for. and the estimated
cost Of. installing such additional pump
ing engines. pipes. mains and other ap-
| purtenances as shall be required for the
! extension Of an adequate water supply TO
all sections OF the city.
IL is the further opinion OF the fre
commissioners that n practice which has
been followed in this city should not be
permitted. viz. that OF giving exhibit
tons or holding theatrical performances
In large department stores: that the loss
Of life which almost invariably has at
tended the outbreak ~ FIRE in buildings
especially constructed for places OF
amusement. even when equipped With ap-
! DlfanCea designed 70 prevent the Spre ad