Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-05-18
From the State House.

BOSTON, Wednesday, May II, 1871.
Notwithstanding the opposition of Senators Col
Inns of Boston and Willcomb of Ipswich the motion
to reconsider the vote whereby the bill to authorize
the Boston, Barre and Gardner railroad corporation
to extend its railroad to extend the time for locat
ing and constructing the same, and to change the
name of the corporation was refused third
reading, carried in the senate to-day. Senator
Bartholomew of Southbridge, who moved the re-
consideration said that there ought not to be any
objection to granting certain portions of the BILL
and proposed a substitute bill, which was adopted
extending the time for the construction of the road
portions Of it in two and another section in three
years, with change of name to the Worcester and
Gardner railroad company. The bill was placed in
the orders of the day for tomorrow.
The senate committed itself to Mr.. Cranes scheme
of state ownership of railroads by passing bill
looking to the immediate assumption of the Boston
and Albany railroad its management through pub
lie trustees, the accumulation out of its receipts of
sinking funds with view to ultimately pay off
their purchase money, and then finally leave the
road in the hands of the commonwealth as a free
public thoroughfare, to be operated at cost. The
argument of the opponents of this scheme was that
it is at variance with the cardinal principle Of our
political system, that government should interfere
in the least possible degree with the industrial
functions Of the community; that it looks to in
volving the state In enormous financial OPP
erations, complicated by an elaborate system
of sinking funds and annual payments and
purchases, the trial of which would involve
financial and political risks, which ought never to
be assumed except under the pressure of extreme
exigency. Senator Stearns of Chicopee opposed
the bill extraordinary In its character, radical
subversive, and destructive of all legislation in rea
tn "a Thu vau orU tod htrAT
Clark of Orange and Goodman or Lenox and Cd
posed by Mr.. Bird because he believed the plan to
be impracticable. This extraordinary bill was
however adopted as a substitute by vote of 20 to
IA, as follows:
bartholomew, Boardman, Bradley Cas-
well, Clark of Orange, Collins Fletcher, Frost,
Goodman, Greeley, Long, Monroe, Park, Rhodes
Stafford, Stickney, Tenney, Thayer of North Adams,
Whiting, Willcomb.
:, NAYs-Bird, CLARK Of birmingham, Crosby, e.
lot Halves, Kimball, Packard, Pierce, Richardson
Stearns, Thayer of Worcester, Wakefield, Whitney,
Wood
The committee on the state police made a report
this afternoon in the house, the various matters
referred to it. The majority report states that the
investigations while 1t showed that some of the
deputies had been false to their duty did injure
the mass of the force. w11le the chief constable.
Major Jones, stood indicated as an honorable and
faithful officer, deserving the public confidence
The efficiency and necessity of such force as the
state police had been fully demonstrated as a most
important auxiliary in the preservation of peace
aOd good order, and in the detection and
punishment OF crime. The continuance of
such system was, therefore, recommended
and bill was submitted designed to reconstruct
the force, and furnish remedy for any evils or ir-
regularities which may have been apparent in the
present system. The bill provides for board of
commissioners thereby relieving the chief of the
force of the great responsibility Of the appointment
and removal OF his subordinates and leaving him
more at liberty TO devote his time and attention 10
the discharge of the more appropriate duties of his
ONCE. The commissioners, three in number are to
be appointed by the governor with the consent of
the council and to hold office three years and are 10
appoint one hundred constables see that they faith
fqy execute the laws, hear complaints against them
cue. Inc compensation of the commissioners to be
five dollars day when employed in the discharge OF
their duties, with their actual travelling expenses
They shall appoint chief of the force whose sal
airy shall be $1,000 per The force to have ali
the powers Of the present force Each constable
shall be paid at the rate of 1920 per annum TO.
gns w teo n a S aveng and all
shall be paid into the treasury of the Common
wealth. The commissioners shall report yearly tho
shall have power TO assume the command of the
force at all times Whoever shall corruptly give
offer promise to any officer, appointed under the
pioS 40 81 ms act any GUT or grauit whatever
perform his duties shall be punished by imprison-
ment in the state prison not exceeding five years,
or by fine not exceeding three thousand dollars
and imprisonment in the Jail house of correction
not exceeding one year. The punishment for an
officer who receives bride is to be imprisonment
in the state prison not exceeding ten years or bv
fine not exceeding 5000 and Imprisonment in the
jail or house Of correction not exceeding two years
All acts inconsistent with this act to be repealed.
so much OF the act relates TO the appointment of
commissioners shall take effect upon the passage of
the act and the act shall take effect the first day OF
The chairman Of the committee, Mr.. Fox, made
report IN which be said that the question Of brbs
ery ano corruption needed no comment, as the ties.
b1n0ny CHARGING il and the reference was spread
Wpsa Dol tne public and must be familiar to all
Much OF 1t was disproved and exnlained II anv
OPln n wa given II would be against the present
R ~ system and not against the men Composing
ani.,ee, ano their manner and bearing when hinder
d1s snrdar their proved efficiency in qneiline
tha9r san ana detecting crime, the testimony IN
tne commonwealth and their former Food
teputa1Sn, both as soldiers in the field and cit