Evening star., 1911-08-30
TO HAVE NEW RAILROAD
Will Garry Goods to Canada and
Bring in Foodstuffs.
FIRST TEXTILE MILL THERE
Built in 1888 by Moses Brown, One
Of the Most Distinguished of
Early Citizens.
BY WILLIAM F.. CURTIS.


Special Correspondence of The Star and the
Chicago Record Herald
PROVIDENCE, r. L., August aS 1911
The people of Providence are con-
graduating themselves upon the prospect
or having new railroad. They now
have several lines which run in every
direction, and their transportation facili-
ties are probably as many and as good as
those OF any people in the land. but they
all belong to single corporation, which
also controls the street car lines, the in
terurban trolleys, the steamboats, and
everything else upon which passengers
and freight can travel, except horses,
bicycles and automobiles
The new line is to be called the South
ern New England railroad. and it will be
part of the grand trunk system con-
Meeting with the new London and North
ern railway at Palmer, Mass, and then,
via the Central Vermont. with the Grand
Trunk Canadian system at Montreal The
GranQ Trunk also proposes to build an
OtheO line across from Bellows, Falls,
VT, to Boston. distance of 12s miles,
and thus what it claims to be the short
est route between Boston and Chicago.
Its tracks now come down to Portland,
Me-. and New London, Conn, and when
Its lines are built into Boston and Provi-
ed by the New York, New Haven and
Hartford Company. which has bought
Albany.
The new line from Palmer to Providence
passes within thirtyfour miles of Bos-
ton. through the village of woonsocket.
and 1t is likely that branch will be
built across that gap.
Agents Worked Secretly.
The terminals. docks and station
grounds were secretly acquired in
Providence by agents of the Grand
Trunk Company, who have been work
ing at it for several years, and the ad-
vance guard is now completing the right
of way down the Blackstone valley
through long string of manufacturing
towns between Palmer and Providence
a distance Of sixty miles
When this line is built the distance
from Chicago to Providence will be 1.1JO
miles, 81 to Montreal and 27S 20 Provi-
dence.
1t is worth while for any railroad to get
into Providence. and especially a rail-
road from Canada, in view Of the reci-
procity treaty, which is expected to cause
q very large Increase in trade. The dense
ly settled manufacturing districts in this
part OF New England need food and for
age and all kinds of agricultural prod
ucts. and in exchange they can send al
most everything the Canadians need to
wear and to use on their farms. in their
households and in their business. They
make everything down here that the Ca
nadians require, and the Canadians
raise everything the people OF Rhode Is
land lack. except tropical staples hSe
sugar and coffee. But this new railroad
Will serve the entire northeastern part O.
the United States as we'll as Canada anu
through trains between Providence and
Chicago will be running before the end of
next year, carrying cotton, wooiens and
other goods to the west and bringing
back produce from that section.
Market Valuable One.
You can get some idea of the value of
Rhode Island as market when you look
at the recent census report. Providence
alone does a manufacturing business of
about $50, ,Ooo,O00 a year. The exact fig
ures for 1910 have not been published,
but the total for 1899 was $12e. .32S, 600
an increase of $2s.347, coo, or 81 per cent.
from 1908. The average output per es-
tablishment in 1869 was Sill 600 and in
1904 1t was $10l.o00 The difference be-
tween the value of the raw material and
the value of the finished product in 1909
was S55.461 600. or about 4S per cent OF
the whole. The salaries and wages paid
in the factories of Providence in 1Gt3
amounted to 10000 UOO-an increase of
-
number of wage earners employed in 1909
was 46.3'9-an increase of IL per cent in
five years
Providence has what the people call
the big i've that is. five different lines
OF manufacture In which she stands first
in the country, and in three of them she
stands first in the world These are the
manufacture of worsteds and woolens,
jewelry and silverware, mechanical tools.
files and screws. The refining OF the
gold and silver sweepings from the floors
Of the largest jewelry shops in the world
is distinct industry, and its output last
year was S5.61s.2S1. Providence also is
the largest producer of jewelers. supplies
and tools. which amount to several mil
lion dollars annually.
The population of Providence in 1910
was 224,2' 'G. an increase from 1883 in
the county is 4oi,2l5. an increase from
32s.eS. in 1900. The wealth of the city is
shown by the bank deposits which aver
age $677 per capita Of the popula ton, and
IS per cent of the inha abitants have indi-
vidual bank accounts.
The textile industries Of Rhode Island
that is, cotton and wooden fabrics. hos
ieTy and silk goods-are represented by
224 establishments, employing IS, 76O per
sons. paying S24, 900 in wages, con-
Stunning $50, 600 worth of materials and
producing an output valued at $133, 363 900
last year.
First Textile Factory.
The first textile factory in the United
States was started at Providence in 17sS
by Moses Brown. descendant of Rev