The news-democrat. (Providence, R.I.) 1906-1909, 1906-07-19
East Side Taxpayers Are
Growing Indignant
They See No Reason Whatever for Consulting tho Railroad
Company at Al and Insist Upon Tunnel TO Be Owned
by tho City and Used for Electric Car Traffic Upon
Reasonable Basis Of Compensation.

The East Side taxpayers. who are al
most universally IN favor OF tunnel and
opposed TO the Francis easy grade street
plans, are indignant over the reported
disposition Of q majority OF the city coun-
'cil committee TO consult the Rhode Island
company as to what It will or will not
do regarding the building Of a tunnel. One
OF the leaders Of the tunnel movement
said today:
why should the committee go to the
railroad company at all much less obtain
from ii q proposition to own the tunnel?
The city owns tho streets; and as the
owner II should dictate to the railroad
and not have the railroad people tell II
what they will do.
Another thing. the large majority Of
US do not believe that the railroad should
own a tunnel In this city any way. for
the reason that there may come a time
when the conditions might be changei or
the city might decide that II would put
such tunnel 10 other use.
Should. at some future time, another
railroad company want TO lay tracks In
this city. or should the railway company
sell its lines to some other company. II
would have the connecting link between
the two portions and II would be able TO
dispose OF the property that by right be-
longs TO the city
Another prominent resident OF the east
side who has been foremost In advocating
the building OF the tunnel said emphati-
cally:
by no means should the city sell any
tunnel II may build or the right 10 build
such a tunnel, to any railroad company
The company should only be allowed 10
lease the tunnel as is the case with the
tunuaI huilt raCenflv In Roston
There the same trouble was encounter
ed and the same hint that II would not
occupy the tunnel was voiced. Wet that
company now is very anxious for oppor-
tunity TO build other tunnels under the
same conditions
1T is evident" said another heavy tax
payer on the East side. That the major
ity in the committee still seeks to find a
way out OF its dilemma without offending
the traction company or going counter to
its wishes
THE fact simply is that I'm one sense,
the traction company isn't In this thing at
all The taxpayers who are most interest
ed in this matter demand tunnel which
has been proved beyond any chance for
argument to be the most practical and
most economical plan, and the only one
that will adequately meet the require
ments. In this / believe they are backed
Dy the sentiment or the vast majority OF
the citizens in general as they are by the
highest engineering authorities.
1T II for the city. therefore, to de-
eide what II will do. The committee
can do but one thing and properly
serve the people, and that is TO build
a tunnell for electric car traffic. No
sane man doubts that the railroad COM
pany will use II when built: and there
need be no fear that equitable mr.
rangements for it's use by the COM
pany can be made
ITO talk OF selling the tunnel to
the railroad company. OF course. is
preposcsrous and contrary to all sound
ideas OF public policy.
The tunnel has bot to come: and
II has got TO come under conditions
just to the taxpayers OF Providence.
IL the city council desires TO grant IL,
the details OF the plan will be com
paratively simple to work out; but
the first thing for the committee to do
is TO recommend the construction OF
the tunnel.
when that has been done and the city
council has definitely established the fact
that tunnel is to be built, the other