The news-democrat. (Providence, R.I.) 1906-1909, 1907-01-07

investigate and report upon such matters
I as he may deem advisable or expedient
for the public good.
EIectroIysis Damage TO Water Mains.
Currents OF electricity coming from the
street railways tracks, and other electric
ground attaclAns nts. 20 water pipes I'm
and near the highways, have Inflicted
serious injury during many years past In
1894 ] called the attention OF the common
council 10 this subject. Reports were
received by Commissioner OF Public
Works (Robert E, smjth), from the Mar
ragansett Electric Lighting company and
Union Railroad company (see city coun-
ell resolution, 1894 No. S4 pages 2S7. 400.
40 500 (See Providence Journal and
Evening Telegram. July q. 1900. and
Water mains. service pipes and fixtures
IN tho ground In several sections OF the
c1ty. have been and are now dsterloratine
from this cause. The Difficulty may be
remedied by requiring the street railway
company TO properly bond" its tracks
and also 10 require all other concerns
using or transmitting electricity 70 prop
erly insulate all their ground connections.
This should be done without delay.
The street railroad company has bond
ed" all It's recent new construction, but
has heretofore neglected TO give the sub
ject any further attention After the
original ground work has been completed.
the bonds" become defective, the cur
rent escapes. and the city is put 10 the
trouble and expense of discovering the
remedied
Tho probable expense involved I'm re-
placing water pipes and mains and the
difficulty IN placing the responsibility for
loss TO the city, demands your serious at
tention without delay. As II Is, our water
service system Is greatly injured from
this cause: the duration or lie or the
pipes Is lessened by many years. Nobody
can estimate the damage already done.
suggest that a fun report on the subject
be required from the committee on rail-
roads and the public works department
as soon as possible.
Purchase of Coal and Other Supplies.
Strange as Il may appear. il Is true that
the coal furnished for our schools and
other departments has never been weigh
ed or inspected on behalf OF the city, but
has been and Is now accepted from the
dealer, upon his own statement as u
weight, condition and quality, and paid
for without question. Dec. 81. 1894, the fol-
lowing resolution was presented by me In
the common council and was by vote re-
ferred 10 the committee on ordinances,
but no further action was taken In the
matter. 1t might be interesting 10 learn
the reason why. The committee on orcl-
nances might explain:
''Resoiyed, Thai the COMMITTEES on ordi-
nances be and II Is hereby directed TO re-
port within 81 days relative 10 the ne
oessity, or advisability OF providing
by ordinance or otherwise. for the inspec-
tion. weighing. and counting OF goods ana
supplies purchased by or for the city
also 10 state in said report the quantity
and prices of goods and supplies, includ-
ing coal, wood, hay, grain, straw, etc,
that has been bought for the city since
Jan. /, 1894, and accepted, upon the state
ment OF parties selling the same.
IL is well known 10 many city officials
OF past years. that IN New York and other
large cities, coal supplied 10 pGblic depart
ments is Inspected and weighed on por-
table scale at the time and place OF de-
During the year ending Sept 30. 1906, T.
l62 3 tons OF coal were supplied TO the pub
lie schools of this city.
In this competition / suggest, the advisa-
blhty of creating the office OF Auditor or
Supplies" whose duty IL would De 10 re-
ceive all vouchers for goods purchased, TO
Investigate and verify The same; and thus
inauguTats an economical supervising sys-
tenn.
Our public service corporations.
namely street railway, electric light
ing, telephone and gas companies, and
other concerns, are all required 10
serve and accommodate the people, ana
should be furnished with, and pro-
tected in the enjoyment OF, franchises
upon reasonable terms, TO enable them
to maintain frst class working plants,
pay generous dividends. ana perform
the functions for which they were
severally crea Ted, namely, to serve the
public adequately, at reasonable rates
and charges. in the best manner pos
sible
Prior to 1892 no tax for the use
Of the streets by public service cor
poratlons was levied by the city, al
though the levy OF such tax was eau
thoriZed by the city charter.
May 29, 1891, the general assembly
adopted an act (chapter S75, public
laws, now chapter ~, general laws,
see page l7S charter and special laws,
190l), formally authorizing the city to
levy such tax. This act was framed
in the interest OF the corporations then
ENJOYING franchises. and through their
assembly, without discussion; IT was
the first general public service fran
chise law adopted in this state and has
controlled all subsequent Legislation
relative to franchises.
You are urged to study that act and
learn how firmly and completely the
state of Rhode Island has been thereby
bound to the public service corpora
tions.
In addition to the foregoing, TO make
said franchises perpetual. the general
assembly, on the 18th of June. 1898,
adopted chapter $50, public laws, en-
titled AN Act Providing for a Tax
on Street Railways" (See charter and
special laws. page 1919 Sec. pro-
vldes that any company asserting to
the provisions OF the act, and pay
ing tax to the state ia accordance
herewith becomes party 10 a con-
tract with the state as follows:
And thereupon the provisions Of this
act shall be binding and In full force
between the state and such asserting
company, and shall not be altered or
parties, and all acts and parts OF acts
ordinances, votes and assents, incon-
sistent herewith are hereby annulled
and repealed"
Accounting for Gross Receipts.
These corporations are under con-
tract TO pay 10 the city certain pro-
portions of their gross earnings earned
within the city; thus making the city
a co-partner, with y legal right TO ex-
anime books 70 ascertain the amount
Of gross earnings. Heretofore the city
has accepted the returns made by said
corporations without question l sub
NIT that the city should investigate
and ascertain for itself The corpora
tlons render an account under the fol-