Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1859-02-14
MASSACHUSETTS LEGISLATURE.
III. I

/ oENAI
Mr.. Odiorne of Suffolk, from the COMMITTEES
on Railways and Canals, reported bill to al
low the Boston and Maine Railroad to wider
! their bridge over Charles River. Also, a bill
in addition to an act authorizing loan of the
| State credit, to enable the Troy and Greenfield
Railroad Company to construct the Hoosa6
| Tunnel
The present law provides for the prompt
construction of the railroad from Greenfield to
Shelburne Fails, distance of IL miles. This
| portion of the road will cost per mile nearly
double that of the balance of the road to the
mountain 1t will also be made available as a
source of income. The balance OF the road
from Shelburne Falls to the mountain is not
required to be built before the tunnel is COM
pleted, but if this portion of the road should
not be built, then portion of the funds under
the loan act are to be retained in the treasury
to the amount of about S500,00O which will
be more than sufficient to build the road. By
the new bill the payment or advance upon the
tunnel work is $4,000 per 1000 feet; by the
old bill it is about S67 900. There is retained
by the new bill 100000, to be paid only when
the work is thoroughly completed; by the old
act, only 100000. There is also proviso,
requiring that the tunnel shall be made IA feet
wide and Is feet high, and finished where nee
essary with substantial stone or brick mason
ry; by the old bill the tunnel was required to
be suitable for one or two railroad tracks, and
nothing is said about the finish or any definite
directions given
The orders of the day were taken up, and
two bills and resolve were ordered to third
reading.
The bills to incorporate the Massachusetts,
Universalist Convention; the resolve in rela-
ton to repairs in the State Prison; the bills to
authorize William Parsons and another to
extend their new wharf in Gloucester; to au-
thorize Fits E. Riggs and another to extend
their wharf in Gloucester; and to incorporate
the Suffolk Fire Insurance Company, were or
dered to be engrossed.
The resolve amending the Constitution in
respect to the power of the Commander-in-
Chief over the military forces of the State, at
ter debate, was rejected by the following vote !:
YEAS Messrs. Atwood, Bowerman, Boynton,
Framing, Brooks, Conn, Il. L. Davis, Evans, Field,
French Hotchkiss, Metcalf Merton, Odiorne, H. Il.
Parker, Sawin-16.
NAYs-Messrs, Bacon, Bigelow, Cornell Daggett,
r. T. Davis, w. T. Davis, Fisher, Frost, Goddard,
Knight, Luce, d. f. Parker Rich, TiltOn, Upham,
Walker, Williams-17.
Mr. Upham of Worcester, from the Commit
tee on Claims, to whom was referred the peti-
ton of John Hector, for aid in establishing his
claim to certain lands in Paxton and Winches-
ter, asked to be discharged from further con-
sideration of the subject. The report was ac-
cepted
HOUSE.
Petitions presented and reterred.-Of Leonard
Burrage and others, of Leominster, for an asy-
lum for the deaf and dumb; of Lyman Reed,
for the appointment of commissioners to make
microscopic investigation relative to the potato
blight.
On motion of Mr.. Rice, of Worcester, or
dered, that the hall of the House be granted to
the Committee on Federal Relations, for hear
ing on the petitions for law prohibiting the
rendition Of fugitive slaves, on Thursday, the
18th inst, at 10 o'clock, A. NJ.
Orders Of the Day.-The bill to provide for
the change of the names of corporations by
judicial process, was debated, and then, by a
vote of "a to SO, refused third reading
Reports dccepted.-Inexpedent to legislate on
orders relative to authorizing towns to elect
street commissioners; limiting the number of
surveyors of highways, and their election by
ballot; repeating section u, chapter l. Revised
Statutes, relating to the assessment of poll
taxes; leave to withwraw, on the petitions of
Solomon H, Dodge and another; Dexter Hen
shaw.
Passed to be EngroSsed-Bill in addition to an
act concerning the Brush Hill Turnpike Cor
poration. Adjourned