The news-democrat. (Providence, R.I.) 1906-1909, 1907-06-22

The Rhode Island company has offered
to build at it's own expense steel via
duct to carry its cars and its patrons
from Exchange place TO the summit OF
College hill
The offer was explained yesterday after
| noon by Vice President f. G.. Buckland
at a two-hours conference in the city
hall with the city council special commit
tee on East Side approach, and the COM
mittee instructed Clerk ID. +. Hayden to
call public hearing on the matter on
Monday. July I.
The plans provide for a double track
steel viaduct leading in an almost straight
line from point in Exchange place. on
the west side OF the fire station, 10 point
in Fones alley, $50 feet west of Prospect
street. with track leading thence TO Pros
pect street, and designed TO carry only
the cars OF the Rhode Island company.
From the point of operating feasibility
the new plan is declared 10 be superior
to its numerous predecessors, I'm that II
affords an almost straight line and n
grade less than that OF many of the
streets OF this city, and requires but slight
changes I'm the routes OF cars either In the
centre of the city or at the summit OF the
East Side hill.
SO PER CENT GRADE.
II is proposed to utilize the vacant space
between the fire station and the steam
railroad station. near the express build
ing, for a starting point. and ascend at
a uniform grade OF So per cent from Ex-
change place. over the river and Canal
street, along the northerly side of the pro-
posed extension OF Waterman street,
through the site OF the Arnold block, over
North Main street, and along the north
erly side OF Waterman street. adjoining
the property line of the First Baptist
church; make a iong-radius reverse curve
h. L. fA
street, passing between the supreme court
chambers and the University club. Here
the viaduct will enter Fones alley and oc
cupy the full width OF the alley over this
space until, at a point $50 feet west OF
Prospect street. the tracks will strike the
ground and proceed on the surface to
Prospect street at a point midway be-
tween Waterman and Angel streets. The
length OF the viaduct portion Is to be 149l
feet and the distance from Exchange
place to Prospect street about 1s40 feet.
EASY AND NOISELESS.
For the purpose OF comparison OF grades
IL may be mentioned that Francis street.
near the state house. is per cent grade
and that College street at It's maximum
has a IA per cent rise.
The viaduct as proposed. Is TO be made
up OF trusses of the Warren type. with
sub-verticals, carried on structural steel
columns The floor of the viaduct will he
of the ballasted trough type, the tracks
being ballasted with broken stone and the
top finished off with bithulithic pavement.
Heavy guard rails will be used to prevent
derailment II is claimed that this type
OF construction will make the operation
of the cars practically noiseless. The
trough foorHvill be thoroughly water
proofed to prevent dripping on the under
side. The structure has been designed
TO accommodate the heaviest vestibule
cars of the Rhode Island
company.
The cars at present running to the East
Side by way OF College street will proceed
from weybosset street by way of Dor
rance street and Exchange place to the