Rhode Island American And Providence Gazette

Providence, Friday, June 8, 1827.

Town Meeting.—It will be recollected that the town meeting stands adjourned to Monday afternoon, at 3 o'clock. At the close of the last meeting, the business then on the table was explained by the Moderator, that the citizens might be prepared to act upon it. It stands in the following order.

1. Request of Joseph S. Cook, for continuance of a drain at the South part of the town.

2. Resolution for causing side-walks to be laid from the Goddard estate, on North Main-street, up to Dr. Thomas Greene's estate. [This resolution, it is hoped, will be carried into effect. The portion of Main-street, here mentioned, is we believe, the only section of the town where the regulations respecting side-walks, have not been complied with. Great inconvenience is experienced, particularly in bad weather, from the want of side-walks, and we see no reason why the estates on this part of the street should not be taxed for side-walks, as well as those in any other part of the town.]

3. Report of Overseer of the Poor.

4. Report of Commissioners of the Dexter Fund.

5. Resolution or paving Dunuell Gangway, near Weybosset street.

6. Letter from the U. S. Secretary of the Treasury, to Hon. Tristam Burges, stating that $5000 have been appropriated for the erection of a Marine Hospital, in this town, on condition that the town furnish a suitable site for the building. [This subject was referred to Messrs. Stanford Newel, Richmond Bullock and John H. Clark, who will report at the adjourned meeting.]

7. Resolution for altering the name of the street next west of Benjamin Hoppin's house, so that the whole street be hereafter called Abbott Street.

8. To remove a nuisance (a run of water) on South Main Street, between the estates of C. & J. Mauran, and B. G. Dexter.—(While on this subject, would it not be well to dispose of the run of water proceeding from the pump on the tavern estate, upon Market Square, owned by Gov. Fenner, and occupied by Mr. Wilder? The drain which has been laid since the April meeting, carries off all the other water, but the street is still encumbered with the water that runs from this pump, and it is very desirable that so public a part of the town should be free from any nuisance of this description. We do not know whether it belongs to the town or to individuals to make provision for carrying off this water, but, at any rate, some measures should be taken to effect it.]

9. Instructions to the Side Walk Commissioners, relative to water from College Street.

10. Instructions to Representatives in General Assembly, to procure the passage of a law prohibiting the erection of slaughter houses, in this town, except under the direction and approval of the Town Council:

11. A report from the Town Council, on the subject of Free Schools, recommending the establishment of two public schools, exclusively for females, in addition to the schools now in operation. [This is a very desirable object to carry into effect, and will obviate one of the greatest objections to the present plan of the public schools, which associates boys and girls together, without that distinction which is so proper, in every school, but particularly in those free to all classes.]

12. Treasurer's Report of the annual expenditures. This subject and the fixing of the sum for the tax to be levied this year, are highly important and should be deliberately considered. To enable the citizens to form an estimate of the sum it will be necessary to raise, to meet the expenditures, we have obtained the following statement from the report of the Treasurer.

Payments, from the Town Treasury from [various accounts, including detailed expenditures totaling $41,438 33, plus additional payments like $10,700 to Committee of the Asylum, making $52,138 33]. Since the first of April to which the above statement is made up, the Committee on the Asylum have drawn $3,750 dollars, making with the above $14,450.

The above expenditures may be assumed as the basis of the estimate for the current year, as there is no specific sum appropriated and confined to any of the usual objects of expenditure. The question now arises whether it is the better policy to pursue the system of adding to the public debt, (for which it will be seen, $3658 are now paid in interest) or to raise a sum sufficient to meet the current expenses. At the last meeting $30,000 were proposed for the sum to be raised this year. This would leave upwards of $25,000 unprovided for.—We have (and we are very sorry to say it) no pecuniary interest in this question, and we are fully aware the apportionment of the taxes falls heavily upon our wealthiest citizens, Nevertheless, the burdens of every system of Government must fall upon those whose means are the most extensive, and it is never a good policy, particularly in a small community, to accumulate a heavy debt to be provided for by posterity.

12. Report of the Town Council relative to laying out Dorrance Street. This is an elaborate view of the question connected with the title to the soil in Dorrance street, the Town Council having procured the written opinion of Nathaniel Searle, Esq. as to the title, and a full history of the case, prepared with great care, by Charles F. Tillinghast, Esq. The result of the investigation by the Town Council is, that they consider the title to Dorrance Street, solely vested in the town, and recommend that the town instruct the proper officer to remove any nuisances that are, or may be erected upon it. The subject will come before the citizens on Monday, when some decisive measures will probably be adopted.

The above is all the unfinished business before the meeting at its adjournment. Some other subjects may, perhaps, be brought forward. There is an old proposition relative to separating the probate business from the duties imposed upon the Town Council, which are becoming every year more and more burdensome; and it would be a matter of curiosity to inquire in what manner the $20,000 to be raised for clearing out the channel of our river, have been appropriated!

April 1, 1826, to April 1, 1827.
Highways and Bridges,	13,607 02
Engines and pumps,	1083 20
Town Watch,	3537 76
Lamps,	1502 74
Support of the Poor,	8666 99
Orders of Town Council,	2596 57
Public Schools,	4104 43
Interest paid,	3658 51