This Week In Island History
The news of 10 and 15 years ago is from the Jamestown Press. The news of 100 years ago came from the collection of the Newport Historical Society.
100 years ago
From the Newport Journal, Dec. 19, 1913
There was a large gathering at the dance given by the Jamestown Brass Band in the Gardner House hall Friday evening. Peckham’s orchestra furnished the music.
A new cottage for Mr. Santos is nearly covered in and the concrete building for the Bay State Company on a lot adjoining has been completed and the forms taken down.
Keeper Wales at Beavertail Light states that the tautog have struck off from the rocks, after remaining much longer than usual, good fish having been caught until about a week ago.
75 years ago
From the Newport Daily News, Dec. 16, 1938
Steamer Beavertail, which was stranded in the September hurricane on the Jamestown shore, will be sold in its present condition, according to officials of the Jamestown & Newport Ferry Company.
From the Newport Daily News, Dec. 17, 1938
As the two busses on the ferryboat Hammonton are bound to be inadequate to accommodate the traveling public to and from Jamestown and Newport, two large cabins, one at each end of the boat, are now under construction.
From the Newport Daily News, Dec. 20, 1938
Bids for the construction of the main span, the principal contract in the erection of the proposed Jamestown Bridge, were opened today in the office of the Jamestown Bridge Commission, and proved well within the estimate. The low bids for the sub-structure and the super-structure totaled $2,228,100.42.
From the Newport Daily News, Dec. 21, 1938
Members of the Jamestown Bridge Commission, together with its attorneys, were in Providence today to confer with representatives of banking interests on completing details relative to private financing of the span. Besides the PWA grant of $1,404,000 toward the estimated $3,100,000 cost of the bridge, the remaining amount will be raised by revenue bonds. Engineers have estimated that an average of 177,000 vehicles will cross over the bridge for the first five years, which is three times more the average of the vehicles using the west ferry during a similar period.
50 years ago From the Newport Daily News,
Dec. 19, 1963
Jamestown’s Christmas lights along Narragansett Avenue and in the East Ferry business section were turned on Tuesday night by Terrence F. McGaughan, Jamestown Rotary president, and Ernest R. Vieira, chairman of the Rotary Club decorations committee.
A holiday dance for young people in the 10th grade and up will be held in the Jamestown Recreation Center on Dec. 28. Only couples may attend. Music will be played by Bob Amour’s Orchestra for dancing from 8 to midnight.
25 years ago From the Newport Daily News,
Dec. 14, 1988
Despite objections from Jamestown’s attorney, the Public Utilities Commission Tuesday allowed Newport Electric Corp. to air a new plan to increase the size of the Clarke Street substation. From the Newport Daily News,
Dec. 20, 1988
Renovation of the police station and recreation center will cost more than $600,000 and take a year to complete, the town’s architectural consultant said Monday night.
Construction of a new wastewater treatment plant should begin in March.
15 years ago
From the Jamestown Press,
Dec. 17, 1998
Residents from the north end of the island continue to voice concerns about the status of the town’s former landfill located at the transfer station and closed 16 years ago.
On Christmas Eve, Jamestown’s 24th annual Christmas pageant will be presented on the Shoreby Hill green, and everybody is invited.
The Harbor Management Commission will soon submit a proposed budget to the Town Council that will be based on an acrossthe board 20 percent increase in mooring fees.
10 years ago
From the Jamestown Press,
Dec. 18, 2003
The School Committee on Dec. 11 unanimously approved a 16-month budget in the amount of $13,738,275 for the period of March 1, 2004, to June 30, 2005.
In a presentation by Numi Mitchell, the Harbor Management Commission listened to the results of a pilot study to determine if it would be worthwhile to locate the island’s moorings using global positioning systems and the ArcView software recently donated to the town.
The 30th annual Jamestown Christmas eve pageant will take place on Wednesday, Dec. 24, beginning at 5 p.m. on the Shoreby Hill green.