Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1862-02-04
AEa,smchusett, Legislature.

rears Of salary and cash expended as superin-
tendent of Rainslord Island Hospital; select
men of Williamsburg, that said town may be
authorized to subscribe for stock on the Will
liamsburg and Shelburne Falls railroad.
Messrs. RICHARDSON OF MiddeseX, Plum
kett OF Berkshire, Whitney of Hampden and
Babson OF Essex, were joined to the house COM
inittee on The removal OF the police justice Of
Taunton.
On motion OF Mr.. WAKEFIELD OF Middlesex,
ordered that the committee on manufactures
consider the eXpediency OF repeating chap.
los, acts OF 1861, in relation TO the inspection
of gas meters.
On motion Of Mr.. CRoCKER of Worcester,
authorizing the committee on the order rela
tive to abUIisnng state almshouses, to send
for persons and papers.
Orders Of The Dug.-The bill making appro-
priatons from the moiety of the income OF The
schoo, found applicable TO educational pur-
poses, and the bill relating to the form and eX-
ecution of certain warrants, were ordered to
their third readings.
The report of the committee on the order
relative to the execution OF warrants for COM
mitment to the state reform and industrial
schools, aud leave to Withdraw on the petition
OF Sarah &. Wall, were seYeray accepted.
The resolves making appropriations to pay
under chapter l54 Of the acts OF 1861, and the
bill relating 10 lunatics in the state prison,
were passed 10 be engrOssed.
The bills making appropriations for mileage
and compensation of members Of the legisla.
ture, and establishing the terms of the probate
court in the county of Bristol, were passed TO
be enacted. Adjourned to Tuesday, clock.
HoUsE.-The following petitions were pre-,
scented and referred OF Alfred w. Pau OF
Dighton, that certain acts of his as justice
of the peace may be made legal, and the re-
monstrance Of Thomas G. Davenport aud 43
others of Westhampton against any alteration
OF the law concerning reading the Bible in
public schools, was laid OH the table.
The committee appointed to attend the
funeral OF Mr.. Stebbins, late member of the
house from Springfield, reported that they had
attended to the duty assigned them, accom-
panied by the sergeant alarms; and further
reported the grateful sense, expressed by the
immediate friends of the deceased, OF the SYM
pathy manifested by the house OF representa-
tives, and the acknowle Judgements of the NUM-
clpal authorities OF Springfield.
On motion Of Mr.. KING of South Danvers,
II was ordered that the committee on the iu-
dietary consider the expediency of amending
chapter l3l OF the General Statutes, so that
coverture shall be no objection to tie compe
tency OF a witness in any case, but as is pro-
vided in sections IA and Is Of said chapter.
AT . O'Clock the matter OF the Back Bay
enterprise was taken up, with the amendment
pending, to substitute the bill originally re.
ported by the committee Oh finance.
MI. WARD Of Falrhaven described the To-
cality of the Back Bay lands at length, with a
history OF the enterprise, showing in detail
what inducements the commonwealth had to
assume the filling of these lands.
Mr. p nf Rrool,I;no
to the prosecution of the work, but he was
opposed TO issuing scrip us provided in this
bill He compared the anticipated revenue of
these lands in 1858, with their present value,
and proceeded to speak of the gifts from those
lands to various educational institutions. He
expressed himself as warm friend 10 the en-
terprlse, and did not believe the passage of the
bill us originally reported, would cause sus-
pension OF tie work He looked at the mat
ter III financial point OF view, and would only
advocate that legislation on the subject which
would be for the best interests of the common
wealth in the present critical state OF affairs.
Mr.. PIERCE OF Dorchester, said the decision
OF this matter would have an important infiu-
ence on the financial policy Of the common
wealth, at a time when its first and best ener-
gles are concentrated in a vigorous prOsecu.
ton of the war in which the country is now
engaged He desired to trace, concisely, the
contracts and operations in this enterprise from
lis beginning. The original act expressly
provided that the expenditures should be paid
tor the sale of land, and not from the public
treasury, and, IN brief it appears that there
are seventeen acres on hand, not loot of
which is hargained for, and the proposal now
! is to fill twenty-five additional acres, the inter.
| est on the cost of W hich would amount to $1,000
| per acre per annum. 1t is a question of facts:
| twenty-five acres OF land to be filled and not a
| dollars worth sold to meet the expenditures.
| He regarded the action of this house as a test
of its financial Motley for the current year, and
| respecting the necessity for immediate action,
he added that it was but ten months to the next
| legislature, and that by that time, the course
Tor the state to adopt would more plainly APP
pear. But while the country is "in agony
tor victory" shall we needlessly eXpend
| S25O,OO0, a sum sufficient to raise, ,quip and
forward to the national capitol three regi.
ments? Shall we sink this sum in these Back
Bay lands when we may need it, we know moi
how soon tor this very purpose.
Mr.. CHEEvER Of Chelsea, said that all en-.
terprlses, however good in themselves, were
subject to calumny and suspicion from some :
and this Back Bay enterprise was such case.
1t is due TO the honor of the commonwealth
that it keep god faith not only with the con.
tractors but with the purchasers OF land lor
Gov. Banks, at the time when the lands were
offered at auction, urged upon the auctioneer
the necessity OF making the people under
stand that the work would not be allow
ed to cease but that the commonwealth
would keep good faith with all interested
MIR. CHEEvER gave the following figures -
Whole number of feet, including streets, &c.
4lO4 03l square feet exclusive of streets, sc.
2736,52l square feet land now for sale, 1888,
4S2 square feet; land already sold, 730 84l
square feet whole amount filled up to Jan
l, 1862, exclusive of streets, ,595S44 square
feet amount 20 be filled, exclusive of streets
l,l40,67 square feet; money received from
the faes, 81 ,073, 904 AS of which sum nearly
$500 900 remains in the treasury. The ne
cost OF filling the saleable lands, including al
expenses Of streets, drains, &C., will be abou
fifty cents a loot The whole net cost of the
same at the end of the enterprise will be 1907,
544, and at that time, it no land is sold prev
ousy, there will remain TO be sold 1874, IA
square feet The passage OF the bill woulC
not prove injurious to the public interests, bu
rather tend to confirm the credit and goot
faith of the commonwealth
Mr. BRAsTow of Somervie spoke of the ne
cessiy of forwarding the work and keeping
the faith Of the commonwealth in this matter
He related the circumstances under which thu
matter had been first brought before the egis
lature and the inducements for its aid, anC
followed by advocating the course of the com
mlssioners on this work. in response to the
gentleman from Brookline.
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YOUNG MEMS RHETORICAL socrErr.-sublect for dis
cussion at the meeting this evenings Resolved that An
tsayery socciesare detrimental the public welfare
igp of ntu