King's Pocket-book of Providence, RI

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from "King's Pocket-book of Providence, R.I." Moses King, Cambridge, Mass., 1882 Tibbitts, Shaw & Co., Providence, RI

The interesting and most important public features of the City of Providence, Rhode Island, in 1882

KING'S POCKET-BOOK OF PROVIDENCE - B

Copyright, 1882, by Moses King.

OAKLAND CEMETERY. -- See Cemeteries.

OBSERVATORY, THE PRIVATE., of Frank E. Seagrave, 119 Benefit St., contains the finest telescope in the city. It is a Clark instrument, with 8 1/4-inch object-glass, and a focal length of 9 feet.

ODD FELLOWS' BENEFICIAL ASSOCIATION of the State of Rhode Island was org. in 1868, for 'the creation and perpetuation of a fund for the widows and orphans of its members.' It is composed exclusively of Odd Fellows, who must have attained the third degree, but who may be residents of this or any other New-England State. It numbers over 1,000 members, and pays a death benefit of $1,000. Its management is intrusted to a board of directors elected annually, representing each lodge in the State of Rhode Island. Sec'y, Wm. F. Whiting, Butler Exchange.

ODD FELLOWS, INDEPENDENT ORDER OF. -- There are 15 lodges in the city, besides one in E. Providence and one in Olneyville (Johnston), numbering in all some 2,200 members. They have an invested fund of more than $86,000. Friendly Union Lodge No. 1, received its original charter in 1829. Although its charter has been twice revoked and renewed, it may justly claim to be the oldest in the State of Rhode Island, in which there are 43 lodges, 17 encampments, and nearly 4,800 members. In addition to the lodges, there are in Providence 6 encampments, and 6 degrees of the Daughters of Rebekah.

The Grand Lodge holds its annual meeting the first Tuesday in February, its semi-annual meeting the first Tuesday in August. R. W. G., Sec'y, Allen Jenckes, 97 Weybosset St. The Grand Encampment of Rhode Island meets annually on the first Wednesday in March. R. W. G. Scribe, Allen Jenckes, 97 Weybosset St. Both Grand Lodge and Grand Encampment meet in Odd Fellows' Hall, 97 Weybosset St.

6 Lodges and 2 encampments meet at 97 Weybosset St. The lodges are: Eagle, No. 2; Roger Williams, No. 3; Hope, No. 4; Conanicus, No. 9; Franklin, No. 23; and Olive Branch, No. 37. The encampments are Narragansett, No. 1; and Moshassuck No. 2. The other lodges meet as follows: Manufacturers', No. 15, in Iron's Hall, Olneyville; Swarts, No. 18, at 207 Westminster St.; Pilgrim, No. 19, at 373 High St.; Unity, No. 20, at Unity Hall, Ocean St.; Crescent, No. 24, at 346 High St.; North Star, No. 25, in Headly's Block, Charles St.; Westminster, No. 27, 188 Westminster St.; James Wood, No. 30, at 441 Cranston St.; Mayflower, No. 31, at 346 High St.

The other encampments meet as follows: Woonasquatucket, No. 10, at Iron's Hall, Olneyville; Plymouth, No. 11, at 373 High St.; Mazeppa, No. 12, at Unity Hall, Ocean St.; Uncas, No. 14, at 188 Westminster St.; Mennehaha, No. 16, in Hedley's Block, Charles St.; Fraternity, No. 17, in Ray's Block, Watchemoket. The D. of R. Lodge meet as follows: Charity, No. 3, at 217 Westminster St.; Dorcas, No. 7, in Unity Hall, Ocean St.; Ruth, No. 8, in Hedley's Block, Charles St.; Rose Standish, No. 9, at 373 High St.; Rachel, No. 15, in Odd-Fellows' Hall.

OLD BRICK HOUSE, An, stands at Nos. 537 and 539 N. Main St. It is a three-story structure, with a gambrel roof, and was built in 1752 or 1753, by Elisha Brown. About one-third of its length on the north side has been taken down, and a wooden cottage built on its site. The central window of the three now remaining on the north side was evidently the original centre of the building.

OLD BURIAL-GROUND. -- See Cemeteries.

OLD STATE PRISON. -- See Prison, The Old State.

OLD STREETS. -- The first street, at the first, was merely a shore road, on the east side of the Providence River, running along in front of the 'plantations', or 'home lots', afterwards called the 'Towne Streete', now known as S. and N. Main Sts. It led from Fox Point up into the country. Gradually lanes, finally widened and fenced as streets, were opened eastward, such as 'Olney's Lane', now Olney St.; Power's Lane, now Power St. Roads were opened to the ferries on the two rivers, Seekonk and Blackstone, leading to Massachusetts. After the building of Weybosset Bridge (Great Bridge), in 1704, roads were opened westward, now Weybosset St., Broad St., and High St., leading to Pawtuxet and Johnston. Westminster St. was opened in 1763, when a movement was proposed to establish a new township on the west side named Westminster. Streets were gradually opened in every direction as the town grew till it became a city. -- Frederic Dennison.

'OLD TOWN HOUSE', THE, stood at the cor. of College and Benefit Sts, where the Court House is now located. A plain wooden structure, it was built for a church in 1723, and seventy years later purchased for a townhouse. It was taken down in 1860.

OMNIBUSES AND STAGES. -- In the times before the introduction of railroads, the stage-coach was an important institution. During the summer of 1829 there were 328 stage-coaches a week running bet. Boston and Providence, besides the local stages running to points within a dozen miles of the city. The contrast bet. those days and these is well illustrated by the small number of such conveyances at present in use, and especially when the population has since then increased more than five times. At present there are not more than a score of stages running from the city, and these only to places comparatively near. The longest route run by a stage out of the city at present is to Danielsonville, Conn., a distance of about 25 miles. The following are the chief points to which stages are run: --

• Centredale. -- See Georgiaville.
• East Killingly. -- See Danielsonville.
• East Providence. -- Omnibuses leave Arcade, Weybosset St., Providence, for East Providence and Rumford. Frequent trips are made.
• East Providence Centre. -- See East Providence.
• Foster. -- See Danielsonville.
• Danielsonville. -- Stage leaves Shattuck's Exchange, 45 Washington St., daily at 11 A.M., for Danielsonville, via North Scituate, Foster, and East Killingly.
• Geneva. -- See Woodville.
• Georgiaville. -- Omnibuses leave Butler's Exchange, Exchange Place, several times daily, for Georgiaville via Olneyville, Manton, Centredale.
• Manton. -- See Georgiaville.
• North Scituate. -- Stage leaves Shattuck's Exchange daily at 4 P.M., for North Scituate and Saundersville. See also Danielsonville.
• Rumford. -- See East Providence.
• Saundersville. -- See North Scituate.
• South Rehoboth. -- Stage leaves Post Office every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, at 5.55 P.M.
• Wanskuck. -- See Woodville.
• Woodville. -- Omnibuses leave Market Sq. for Woodville, via Wanskuck and Geneva, several times daily.

Note: -- For time of omnibuses and full particulars, consult the latest number of J. A. & R. A. Reid's Railroad Time-tables and Handy Reference Book.

OPERA HOUSE. -- See Low's Opera House, Music Hall, and Providence Opera House.

ORPHEUS CLUB, org'd in 1860, was strictly a musical society until 1879, when it became a Masonic lodge. It has about 45 members, active and honorary, all of whom are professional musicians.

OVERSEER OF THE POOR, Charity Building, 3 North Court St. Hours from 9 A.M. to 12.30 P.M. George W. Wightman has been the Overseer of the Poor since June, 1858.