USA > Rhode Island > Providence County > Providence > The civic and architectural development of Providence, 1636-1950 > Part 22
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short distance west of the School of Design on land formerly occupied by the two-story Jefferds Building; and the Thayer Street portal was within Fones Alley, 200 feet west of Thayer Street. The College Hill lines were routed through the tunnel upon its completion.
Waterman Street was extended from North Main to Canal, a project involving the demolition of Arnold Block (page 124) and a warehouse behind it. When the buildings were razed their joint area, together with two flanking gangways, provided a highway 95 to IIO feet in width. Car tracks from Post Office Square were laid on the sides of the highway leading, respectively, to the tunnel on the south and Pawtucket on the north;º the remainder of the roadway provided a much-needed vehicular route from the East Side downtown, thereby relieving traffic jams on College Street and Market Square.
1914
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East Side tunnel portal, 1914, North Main Street, and Rhode Island School of Design.
Empire Street, formerly known as Walker Street, a narrow highway running from Westminster to Fountain, where Broadway and Aborn Street converged, was widened to 80 feet and was extended southeasterly, 70 feet in width, to Weybosset, opposite Chestnut Street.7 Fountain Street was widened to 80 feet from Empire to Dorrance. The opening of LaSalle Square, extending from Fountain northwesterly to Sabin, provided circulation
6. The south tracks later were abandoned and the tunnel cars routed from Market Square over North Main Street. All tracks have since been removed.
7. Among the buildings condemned for the Empire Street extension were Central Baptist Church (page 127) and Empire Theatre (page 203).
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Central Fire Station (1903-1938) left; Federal Building (1908) center. Butler Exchange (1873-1928) right.
View of Exchange Place c. 1915, showing the mall (1914) and the Soldiers and Sailors Monument as relocated 1906.
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for traffic between those highways and the west section of the city. In the other projects 64-foot widths were provided; these included the extension of Franklin Street from West- minster to Broad and the widening of Randall Street, Maryland Avenue (Narragansett Boulevard), and portions of North Main Street (Constitution Hill), Smith Street (Francis to Chalkstone Avenue), and Chalkstone Avenue.
Exchange Place Mall (illustration, page 216) was constructed in 1914 under direction of the Board of Park Commissioners and was planted with trees, shrubs and flowers. The street railway tracks were laid in a loop around the mall and a trolley shelter (Martin and Hall, architects), containing a public comfort station, was constructed at its westerly end opposite City Hall.
At this time the city had about 250 miles of received streets, of which one-quarter were paved with granite blocks, asphalt or other types of durable material, and the remainder macadamized. In earlier years some of the streets were sprinkled by watering carts and by watering cars operated by the Rhode Island Company on its lines. A more permanent method of dust control was instituted in 1908 by the application of crude oil on the surfaces of macadamized streets. Oil-bound macadam was used thereafter to a considerable extent in highway construction.
A traffic ordinance was passed in 1911 regulating the use of highways by vehicles and limiting certain streets to one-way traffic. The police established a traffic squad of 19 men to direct traffic, guard pedestrians at important junction points, and enforce the new rules and regulations. The mounted squad, which had been active at parades and other ceremonies since its origin in 1879 (page 166), was discontinued at this time and was replaced by a motorcycle squad. A new police station was built on Sessions Street in 1916 (Knight C. Richmond, architect) and continued to serve the East Side until its abandonment in 1947.
The last gas lights (page 201) were removed from the streets of Providence, in 1913, when the Narragansett Electric Lighting Company was granted a five-year exclusive franchise by the city to provide highway illumination. Under terms of the contract magne- tite arc lamps with opalescent globes were installed on the principal highways and tungsten lamps on the other streets. The new system, including a total of over 9000 units, was completed in August, 1914.
Motorization of the fire department was commenced in 19II and the last piece of horse-drawn apparatus was withdrawn December 9, 1920. During that period the engines were replaced by pumpers. The system of bell-ringing (page 166) in the towers of fire stations was terminated for fires in January, 1909 but was continued for "time" and "no school" signals until 1917 when all outside bells were removed. A new fire station was erected on Franklin Street in 1915 (Jackson, Robertson and Adams, architects).
During the years following its grant of an exclusive franchise the Rhode Island Company encountered a loss of patronage on its lines as a result of the increasing use of private automobiles. That trend was aggravated in 1914 by an invasion of hundreds of "jitneys" on the highways of Providence, providing transportation to all parts of the city at a nickel a head, a movement finally curbed by an ordinance enacted in August, 1915, requiring each operator of a jitney to file bonds to the amount of $500 for each seat in his car. On January 20, 1919, the Rhode Island Company went into receivership and, after a reorganization effective July 8, 1921, its system was operated by the United Electric Railways Company.
The complexity of the problems disclosed by the Arnold and Freeman reports (page 213) demonstrated the need of coordinating all public improvements into a master plan. This program was advocated by a number of civic organizations and was championed
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City Hall, 1878, showing upper story as remodeled 1914.
1910 - 1920
by Mayor Joseph H. Gainer (1913-27), resulting in the creation by the City Council of a city plan commission December 2, 1913,8 41 years after such action had been recom- mended by City Engineer Charles E. Paine (page 143). The commission enumerated various problems including highway changes, river and harbor improvements, bridges, tunnels, parks, playgrounds, subdivision platting, civic center developments and public building sites, as well as proposals for new legislation.9 Among specific proposals was a plan for improving the approaches to the State House from the Union Station by changing the lines of certain highways, eliminating a portion of the freight yards, creating a monument- plaza, and providing a landscape treatment for the Public Garden.1º A joint commission was appointed by the General Assembly in 1915 for executing the project, but the plan ultimately was nullified both by the assembly and the council; its defeat proved to be a prelude to an attitude of apathy displayed by legislative bodies with respect to city planning in spite of public interest in the subject. The City Council gave little heed to the commission's subsequent plan for the development of 250 acres of vacant land in the northwest section of the city for a high-grade residential development.11 A proposal by the commission for the enactment of excess condemnation legislation, however, was approved by the council and was adopted as an amendment to Article 17 of the State Constitution by vote of the people November 7, 1916.12
The shipping interests of Providence were stimulated by cooperative action on the part of the city, the state, and the Federal Government, which agreed upon definite harbor improvements in 1910. The ship channel was enlarged to a width of 600 feet and a depth of 30 feet from Fox Point southerly to Narragansett bay, a project involving the elimination of a sharp point of land which jutted into the river at Field's Point. The city extended its Field's Point properties in 1911 by purchase of about 23 acres, northward along the harbor line,13 and erected a quay wall, 3000 feet long, for a municipal wharf. The state acquired 17 acres of land east of Allen's Avenue, some distance north of the quay wall, and built a state pier, 120 feet wide, extending 600 feet to the harbor line. Allen's Avenue14 was re-paved and improved from Eddy Street to New York Avenue and spur tracks were laid, connecting
8. C.O., 1913, chapter 599. The membership of the commission included the mayor, the presidents of the Board of Aldermen and Common Council, the commissioner of public works and four citizens appointed by the mayor. The citizens first appointed were Eleazer B. Homer, chairman, Henry A. Barker, secretary, Theodore Francis Green and Thomas F. Farrell.
9. City Plan Commission, First Annual Report for the Year 1914, p. 14.
IO. Ibid, p. 26.
II. City Plan Commission, Fourth Annual Report for the Year 1917, P. 34. Nearly all of the land subse- quently was developed for three large estates, namely, Triggs Memorial Park, Mount Pleasant High School, and LaSalle Academy. See pages 241, 264, and 245.
12. Under the original state constitution the state and its cities and towns were authorized to condemn for public use only such private property as was actually needed for specific projects. By that limitation of authority no public control of property bordering the improvements could be exercised. Detrimental results had been observed in Providence in the widening of Dorrance Street in 18 55 (page 166) and Empire Street in 1914 (page 215) which left, in each case, a width of only a few feet to the next street, on which a narrow building was erected. Under the amended legislation the city was given authority, in its highway and park projects, to condemn sufficient excess land to control the development of each project.
13. Properties already owned included the 34-acre Field's Point estate (page 147) and the 46-acre sewage disposal works (page 201). The new north boundary adjoined the Providence Gas Company's land at Sassafras Point, acquired in 1900. See map, page 220.
14. Allen's Avenue, a straight thoroughfare, 80 feet wide, extending two miles from Eddy Street to New York Avenue, was platted about 1880, to follow the approximate shore line, crossing Hawkins, Burgess and Corliss coves (see map, page 220). The water areas were filled and the highway laid out about 1895.
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1910 - 1920
the Harbor Junction branch railroad with the state and municipal piers. The State Pier, including a steel shed, was financed by a bond issue and was dedicated May 21, 1914.13 The first steamer to use the pier was the Venezia on December 17, 1913, commencing Fabre Line service to Mediterranean ports.16 The Municipal Wharf was ready for commercial use in 1916 and was leased to lumber, coal, oil, and other concerns.
In 1915 the metropolitan terminal development commission was organized under the auspices of the Chamber of Commerce17 with the cooperation of the United States Engineer's office, the state harbor commission, the state harbor improvement commission and the Seekonk River commission, with the objective of coordinating their respective activities for the improvement of the port of Providence. Their projects were crystallized in a plan for the development of Providence harbor made by O. Perry Sarle in 1915. The westerly side of the harbor was to have a row of docks and slips, built to the harbor line as in the harbor commissioners' plan of 1891 (page 181) and the easterly side was to be similarly developed as far south as Kettle Point. The plan included also the widening of the mouth of Seekonk river and the construction of a railroad tunnel under the river from the Harbor Junction branch to the East Providence shore. The proposal failed to meet the approval of the various transportation companies and was discarded. The Chamber of Commerce, characterizing Providence as "The Southern Gateway of New England," sought to extend the revival of foreign commerce, instituted by service on the Fabre line. Failing in this, it succeeded in inducing several large oil companies to establish plants on the harbor front in Providence and East Providence. To the waters of the harbor and Narragansett bay, already polluted with sewage and mill waste, oil leakage now became an added factor to the discouragement of the fishing industry and yachtsmen.
The Southern New England Railway, a branch of the Grand Trunk system, received charters in Massachusetts and Rhode Island to extend the Central Vermont Railroad to the Union Station in Providence with a branch to tidewater at the municipal dock. The line was planned to approach Rhode Island by way of Webster, Massachusetts, pass through the northwesterly part of the state, and enter the city from North Providence 600 feet west of Charles Street. From that point the terminal line was to extend in a southerly direction, with grade separations at highways, to the New York, New Haven and Hartford roadbed near Acorn Street, and the branch line was projected through the west part of the city and a portion of Cranston with a swing easterly to join the Harbor Junction branch north of Roger Williams Park and across Allen's Avenue to the harbor. By the year 1914 property rights had been acquired over most of the route and shortly afterwards grading operations were commenced and some of the abutments were constructed. Various obstacles hindered the progress of the work, scheduled for completion in 1917, and the project ultimately was abandoned.
Frederick C. Green was appointed superintendent of parks July 1, 1909, with oversight of 31 park estates aggregating 640 acres in area, two-thirds of which were included in Roger Williams Park (pages 147, 184). Tockwotton Park (page 165), Hayward Park (page 165), City Hall Park (page 200), Blackstone Boulevard Parkway (page 203), Dexter Training Ground (page 147) and nine small neighborhood parks were landscaped and developed. Blackstone Park (pages 147, 203), Davis Park (page 185) and Neutaconkanut Hill Park (page 203) were
15. The pier and shed were destroyed by fire February 25, 1931, and rebuilt.
16. The Fabre liner Providence, launched at Toulon, France, August 3, 1914, made her first appearance at the state pier June 17, 1920. The line was later removed from Providence.
17. A reorganization of the Board of Trade (page 150) in 1913.
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partially improved, and the other park estates were awaiting development. During Mr. Green's twelve years as superintendent18 five parks and twelve playgrounds were added to the park system and two estates already owned were enlarged, increasing public recrea- tional lands by a total of 81 acres. Tockwotton Park was extended easterly to Ives Street in 19II; a field house was erected on the estate in 1914 and a ball field and children's playground were laid out. Neutaconkanut Hill Park was enlarged between 1910 and 1918 by purchase of five tracts of land aggregating 37 acres, a part of which were located in the town of Johnston; two ball fields were laid out at the foot of the hill, near Plainfield Street, and a driveway was constructed from Sunset Avenue to the summit. A tract of about seven acres in Johnston, adjacent to the southern portion of the park, was bequeathed to the city by Abby A. King who died in 1915, and was named King Park.19 In 1919 the city re-annexed about 45 acres from Johnston, including the park properties.20 This increased the area of Providence to the present total of 18.91 square miles.
Rochambeau Park, a small lot on Summit Street, was given to the city by J. L. Kehoe, in 1911, on which a boulder monument was erected by the Rhode Island Society, Sons of the American Revolution (page 54). Fort Independence Park was established in 1915 upon transfer to the park department of 472 acres of city-owned land on Robin Hill, near Field's Point (page 147); this spot, affording a fine view of the harbor and Narragansett bay, was the site of a Revolutionary fort.21 Gladys Potter Garden, a 13/4 acre tract on Humboldt Avenue, came to the city in 1917 as a gift from Josephine E. Potter in memory of her daughter. Among Mr. Green's early activities at Roger Williams Park were the layout of a speedway, a ball field, a children's playground and tennis courts, and the erection of a field house. In 1915 an addition was made to the Natural History Museum (page 184) in which was installed the Manly Hardy collection of North American birds, presented to the city by the Rhode Island Audubon Society in memory of Mrs. Henry T. Grant. In the same year a band stand (Cady, architect) was erected on Crystal Lake with an open terrace serving as an auditorium. New driveways were laid out, winding through wooded scenery and landscaped areas, and flower gardens of great beauty were developed.
The playground movement in Providence had its origin late in the 19th century in the maintenance of supervised summer playgrounds in certain of the school yards. Several sites were made available for playfields in 1906 but were unimproved for lack of funds. In 1908 the Providence Playground Association was organized and was active both in the conduct of playgrounds in congested districts and in arousing public sentiment in favor of municipal acquisition, development and maintenance of a comprehensive system of recreational areas. A board of recreation was created by the City Council in 1912 with authority to administer the playgrounds and other social centers included in the park and school systems. Joseph J. McCaffrey was appointed superintendent of playgrounds in 1913 and continued in that position 27 years. By the year 1921 all but ten of the playground estates included in the park lands had been graded and developed, many were furnished with playground equip-
18. Mr. Green died in office April 21, 1921.
19. This was a part of an original 200-acre estate acquired by Clement King after he had settled in Providence in 1687. It extended from Ochee Spring on Hartford Avenue to Pocasset river, including Neuta- conkanut Hill. A portion of the land bequeathed by Miss King, on which were located a house built by her father, William Borden King, in 1815 and a little gambrel-roof house of early 18th century origin, were subject to the life interest of Louise E. Blankenburg. Following her death in 1953 the city came in full possession of the estate and subsequently caused the demolition of both houses.
20. A.&R., January session, 1918.
21. See page 52. The park was abandoned and the hill leveled in 1942.
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ment, some had field houses, ball fields, tennis courts and wading pools. A bath house was built at Franklin Square (page 147).
In addition to the city park system several reservations were maintained in Providence by the Metropolitan Park Commission. That state agency, appointed by act of the General Assembly November 15, 1904, acquired 1,216 acres of reservations in Providence, East Providence, Barrington, North Providence, Pawtucket, Cranston, Johnston, Warwick and Lincoln between 1909 and 1917.22 The Providence reservations included Merino Flats in Olneyville, Metcalf Field on the shore of Leonard's pond (given by Jesse H. Metcalf, 1913), Canada Pond Parkway (given by Mr. Metcalf, Sarah Greene and Clarence Greene, 1914-15), Mashapaug Pond (1915), Corliss Park (1916), and West River Reservation (1916).
A growing consciousness that sub-standard housing conditions were prevalent in certain sections of the city led to the organization of the General Committee on Improved Housing in 1915. Under its sponsorship a survey was conducted by John Ihlder of New Rochelle, New York,23 which disclosed elements of land overcrowding, fire hazards, inadequate sani- tation and low standards of living. Pursuant to recommendations included in the report an act in relation to the housing of people in cities was introduced in the General Assembly the following year, but failed of passage.
Public school enrollment increased, during the first 20 years of the century, from 23,000 to 35,000. The school committee consisted of three men elected from each of the ten wards by general vote. Walter H. Small succeeded Horace S. Tarbell as superintendent in 1902 and was followed, succesively, by Randall J. Condon in 1910 and Isaac O. Winslow in 1913. During that period several of the older schoolhouses were enlarged, ten of the more obsolete were vacated, and 17 new buildings were erected.24 Typical of the latter was Veazie Street School (Clarke, Howe and Homer, architects, 1909), a two-story brick building with flat roof and parapet, a Classic center entrance, a first-story assembly hall and six class rooms.
By the year 1915 schoolhouse plans had become somewhat standardized, varying principally in exterior design. Each standard building was of brick construction with three stories and a basement and contained an assembly hall and about 16 class rooms, and was provided with wide corridors for circulation and means of egress. Grammar schools con- forming to that type included Laurel Hill School (Clarke and Howe, architects, 1915), Beaufort Street School (Murphy, Hindle and Wright, architects, 1916, now George J. West Junior High School, illustration, page 224), Charles Street School (William R. Walker and Son, architects, 1917, now Esek Hopkins Junior High School), and Cole Avenue School (Stone, Carpenter and Sheldon, architects, 1917, now John Howland Primary School). The Courtland Street School (Hoppin and Field, architects, 1915, now Samuel W. Bridgham Junior High School) was larger, having 30 class rooms; a six-room addition was built in 1928.
In 1920 there were in operation four high, 19 grammar, 71 primary, and three fresh- air schools. The primary schoolhouses also provided quarters for 40 kindergartens and 14 schools for backward children.
22. The membership of the commission included Dr. Fenner H. Peckham (chairman of the Providence park commissioners), chairman, Alfred Stone, vice chairman, Henry A. Barker, secretary, Edward F. Ely, assistant secretary, Augustine Jones, Amasa M. Eaton, John R. Freeman, and various ex-officio members. A metropolitan park plan, made by Mr. Barker for the Public Park Association in 1903, provided a basis for the system later put into effect. The Metropolitan Park Commission was abolished in 1935 and its properties placed under jurisdiction of the State Division of Forests, Parks and Parkways. The park estates are shown on a map accompanying the Sixth Annual Report of the Metropolitan Park Commission, 1910.
23. John Ihlder, The Houses of Providence, a Study of Present Conditions and Trends, Providence, 1916. 24. All except five of these schools were still in operation in 1955.
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New buildings were erected for two private schools for girls, namely, Mary C. Wheeler School at 216 Hope Street (Franklin J. Sawtelle, architect, 1911) and Lincoln School at 301 Butler Avenue (Eleazer B. Homer, architect, 1913), the former designed in the Eliza- bethan style with brick walls and the latter stucco-coated, with Colonial details. Wheeler School was established at 26 Cabot Street in 1889 and Lincoln School was opened in 1884 at the corner of Brook and Waterman streets and subsequently was housed at 59 Angell Street and 223 Thayer Street. Dr. Helen W. Cooke opened Gordon School for children in 1910 at her residence, 405 Angell Street (Hilton and Jackson, architects, 1905), and erected an open-air school in the rear of the house in 1915.
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George J. West Junior High School, 1916, Beaufort Street.
The estate of the Rhode Island School of Design was enlarged by the acquisition of land on North Main Street upon which a Textile Building (Day and Klauder of Philadelphia, architects) was erected in 1915, the gift of the Metcalf family.25 The school also acquired the Carr house (page 170) at 29 Waterman Street for a girls' dormitory and the Providence Gas Company building at the rear of 20 Market Square (page 124) for the mechanical arts department.
Providence College was founded in 1917 through the efforts of Bishop Harkins of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Rhode Island, and was granted a charter in that year "for the
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