The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1909-01-15
starnation which clogged the wheels

/ IL lS lIut ludl a lSOh vi eON"'
figures for the year with those OF 1907
is not altogether reassuring. But that
is hardly fair criterion. for IT is gem
orally agreed TO be the phenomenal
prosperity of 1907 which led 10 the re-
action under which Boston suffered, IN
common with other large cities, in the
early part of 1908
In other words, according 10 those
who have their fingers on the financial
and business pulse Of the country, 1908
was compelled TO suffer for the sins OF
1907 and previous years OF unexampled
| prosperity. The crisis came IL is true
in the latter part of 1907 but its full
effect was not felt until the first few
months Of the year just closed. In
view of all the circumstances, IL does
not surprise the business and financial
world 10 learn that the value OF Bos-
| toms imports and exports has greatly
! decreased, that the railroads have car
ried much less freight and that the
volume of business generally has not
been up to that OF 1907. The surprise
would be IL the facts were otherwise
Mayor Hibbard opened his mid-term
address by showing that the gross debt
of the city had increased in the last
year by $4,751 200 and the net debt by
| $2,039 ,067. In connection with the
city's borrowing capacities, Mayor Hib-
bard said that The commonwealth has
TO such an extent paternalzed the bUr-
- IN
leave chief executive helpless In
many ways"
In announcing that the tax rate had
! increased from $3.50 to Sl650, he de-
plored that the city of Boston pays all
the expenses Of Suffolk county, and
averages more than so percent for the
various state and metropolitan taxes
and assessments. He said:
1T is my intention to petition the
legislature for relief by compelling
the three other component parts Of the
county TO pay their proper share OF the
expense"
Prefacing an encomium upon the
work OF the finance commission, Mayor
Hibbard declared ii TO be his purpose
10 advocate such measures as will give
the city a systematic accounting OF
its finances and practical consolida-
tion of its departments. OF the finance
commission he said it was deserving OF
universal appreciation.
Other recommendations included the
erection Of a new city hall, the pension
ing Of aged city employees; giving stat
utory authority to the city to assess
public service corporations for special
privileges; the building and mainten-
ance Of a public landing on the water.
front and the expenditure of upwards
of $1,000,000 on the construction OF
streets already laid out, and an equal
amount for the repairing of old streets.
According to the regulations of the
L. s. postoffice department eight hours
shall constitute a days work, but this
does not mean eight consecutive hours.
There are letter carriers in Boston,
for example who do not end their
working day until or $50 p. m. They
only work eight hours. il is true, but
the arrangement takes up practically
10 OF their hours each day, not to
mention the time necessary to reach
the postal station in the morning and
that required for them to get home at
night
The hardships that the evening de-
livery schedule has imposed upon the
letter carriers affected and their fam
lilies were described in local paper
by letter carriers wife, who told OF
her experience. She described how
these late hours have upset her house
hold and how their are affecting the
health of her husband and herself.
Letter carriers attached to the Back
Bay and Fenway stations do not live
in the district as naturally the rents in
that section are higher than their
wages will permit them to pay. They
have to live from half an hour to an
hour away from the stations.
Postmaster Mansfield admitted that
the schedule was not a very satsfac-
tory arrangement for the men, but he
said il was the only way the evening
delivery could he maintained without
additional expense. Mr.. Mansfield
agreed that II the department would
authorize an auxiliary force the noon
delivery could be restored and the
evening delivery continued under a
schedule which would give each carrier
practically eight consecutive hours OF
employment.
Heeding the thousands of requests
! from Boston theatregoers for a return
engagement of Harry Lauder, the great
| Scotch comedian, the management OF
the Orpheum theatre has arranged TO
| have Mr.. Lauder here for two weeks
! beginning January llth. His last Wis
| IL to Boston was but for one week.
and thousands were turned away from
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