Page:Collier's New Encyclopedia v. 07.djvu/442

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PROVISIONAL ORDER 366 PRUDPEN streets, of which 74 miles are paved; a system of waterworks, owned by the city, that cost nearly $8,000,000, with 437 miles of mains; and a sewer system cov- ering 252 miles. The streets are lighted by gas and electricity, at a cost of over $245,000 per annum; the police depart- ment costs annually about $700,000, and the fire department about $575,000. There is a public school enrollment of over 40,000 pupils; and an annual ex- penditure for public education of over $1,400,000. The cost of maintaining the city government exceeds $7,000,000. The death rate average 15.47 per 1,000. The city of Providence is the seat of Brown University. La Salle and St. Xavier's Academies (R. C), Lin- coln School, Academy of the Sacred Heart, Rhode Island School of Design, etc. The charitable institutions include the Rhode Island Institute for the Deaf, Dexter Asylum for the Poor, Home for Aged Men, Home for Aged Women, State Home and School for Indigent Children, Rhode Island Hospital, Butler Insane Asylum, orphan asylums, dispen- saries, etc. There is also the Rhode Is- land State Prison. There are about 120 churches, and several beautiful parks, the most important being the Roger Williams. History. — In 1636 Roger Williams, a Baptist clergyman, was exiled from Massachusetts because he opposed its theocratic laws. He first settled at What Cheer rock, on the Seekonk river, and later at the head of the Providence river, where the Indian chief, Canonicus, granted him a piece of land. In 1643- 1644 local government was formed under a royal charter. In 1675, during King Philip's War, the city was partly burned. Providence received its city charter in 1832. Subsequently Cranston and North Providence were annexed, and a part of Johnson in 1900. Pop. (1890) 132,146; (1900) 175,597; (1910) 224,- 326; (1920) 237,595. PROVISIONAL ORDER, an order granted, under the powers conferred by an act of Parliament, by a department of the government, by the Secretary of State, or by some other authority, where- by certain things are authorized to be done which could be accomplished other- wise only by an act of Parliament. The order does not receive effect, however, till it has been confirmed by the Legisla- ture. Till that time it is purely pro- visional; and even after it has been so confirmed and is in reality an independ- ent act, it retains the title of a provi- sional order. Provisional orders are most useful in facilitating the modifica- tion or extension of the provisions of general acts, so as to adapt them to the special necessities of particular districts. They may be obtained with much greater expedition and less cost than a private bill; the confirmatory act when unop- posed may be obtained in a week or two, and has all the facilities of a government measure. PROVO, a city of Utah, the county- seat of Utah CO. It is on the Provo river, and on the Denver and Rio Grande and the San Pedro, Los Angeles, and Salt Lake railroads. It is the center of an important agricultural, fruit-grow- ing, and cattle-raising region. Its in- dustries include the manufacture of woolen gpods, flour, iron and tin roofing, etc._ It is the seat of Brigham Young University, a Mormon tabernacle. Proc- tor Academy, a public library. Federal building, the State Insane Asylum, etc. Pop. (1910) 8,925; (1920) 10,303. PROVOST, the heads or principals of several colleges in the English Universi- ties of Oxford and Cambridge; the prin- cipal of the University of Dublin. Also in England the chief dignity of a cathe- dral or collegiate church. In Scotch burghs, the chief magistrate, correspond- ing to the mayor in English boroughs. The provosts of Edinburgh and Glasgow are styled lord provosts, as the provost of Perth formerly was; the same title is popularly given to the provost of Aber- deen. PROVOST MARSHAL, a commission- ed officer specially appointed, at great permanent camps or in the field on active service, to carry out sentences of mili- tary law. Formerly they had powers of immediate punishment on the commis- sion of offenses against published orders; but now they can only arrest, and detain for trial, offenders, and carry the pun- ishments awarded by court-martial into effect. PROXY, the agency of another who acts as a substitute for his principal; agency of a substitute. The person who is substituted or deputed to act for an- other. A writing by which one person authorizes another to vote in his place. In English law, every peer, spiritual or temporal, can constitute another lord of Parliament, of the same order with him- self, his proxy, to vote for him in his absence ; but proxies cannot be used when the house is in committee, nor in any judicial cause. PRTJDDEN, THEOPHIL MITCH- ELL, an American bacteriologist; born in Middlebury, Conn., July 7, 1849. He was Professor of Pathology in the Col- lege of Physicians and Surgeons, New