Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-02-25
From the State House.
BosroN. Friday. Feb. d. 1871.


The petition of the New England hospital for
women and children for an amendment of their
charter came up from the house to the senate
this afternoon, and the chair ruled that it came
under the 18th joint rule, and must be referred
to the next general court A motion to suspend
the rule was debated, and lost by vote of Is
TO II. Several petitions from lodges of Good
TemplaTs for the re-enactment of the prohibito-
ry law were presented in the house.
bill was introduced, on leave, in the senate,
to provide for the security of passengers on rail-
roads, and referred to the committee on rail-
ways. In the house, bills were introduced to
amend an act for the abatement OF nuisance
in the city of Boston, and in relation to the
county law library association, both of which
were referred to the committee on the judiciary.
Bills were reported to incorporate the Hyde
Park savings bank, aud the Millbury building
company, with a capital of $4,000; also the bill
in relation to widening Beacon street in a new
draft.
The following orders were passed: That one
hundred copies of the message of the governor
transmitting copies of the DEGREES of the supreme
judicial court relating to the Boston, Hartford
and Erie railroad, to be placed at the disposal
of the attorney general. That the committee on
the judiciary inquire whether further legislation
is necessary in regard to the powers and duties
of county treasurers. That the committee on
mercantile affairs inquire whether any further
legislation is necessary in regard to the meas
urement and sale of grain and meal. That the
committee on public charitable institutions in
quire as to whether any charitable institutions
are now holding more real estate than allowed
by their acts of incorporation, and, if so, what
legislation, if any, is necessary.
The bill to authorize the formation of rail
road companies, similar in character to the leg
islation recommended by the railroad commits.
sione.s, was farther discussed in the house.
With the exception of a speech in favor of
adopting general railroad law by Mr.. Tarbox,
the discussion was of very tedious character,
illustrating the fact that but few men are born
orators, and that when man does not under
stand his ground thoroughly he will do best to
keep his seat. Messrs. Sanford, Adams and
Towne, who spoke so well yesterday, were 81
lent to-day, but will probably discuss this i'm
portaDt bill next Tuesday, to which time
further consideration Of the matter has been
postponed.
The most interesting debate sprung up late in
the afternoon on appropriatin9 $4,000 for the
benefit Of disabled soldiers home in RoXbury,
to be expended under the superintendent of
the surgeon general. Mr.. Hovey, of Boston,
proposed q substitute bill, appropriating
$4,000. to be expended by the com
missioner appointed in 1870. Rev. DR.. Putnam
plead eloquently for the prompting of the heart
to govern the house in this case rather than the
Judgment of the head. Hon. L. H. Kellogg,
Rev. DIR. Hill, Mr.. Stedman, and Hon. Moses
Kimba, spoke with earnestness and force on
the side of the smaller appropriation and the
proposed change. And Col. Hovey's substitute
was lost by 81 to Go. The small vote is to be
accounted for by the fact that many members
had left for home. The resolve of the commit
tee was then ordered to a third reading.
A bill was offered in the senate as a substitute
for the report OF the committee on the judiciary
inexpedient, on the order relative to the better
protection of travellers from dogs, but the bill
was rejected and the report accepted. The bills
to authorize the Vermont AMI Massachusetts
railroad company to lease part of its railroad,
and providing Tor the erection of hospital at
Tewks1ury, were ordered to be engrossed The
engrossment of the bill to incorporate the West
field water works was reconsidered, and the bill
was laid on the table.
The committee on education have given a
hearing to the Lancaster people, who desire to
have the proposed Worcester county normal
school located in their beautiful town, several
prominent gentlemen of that place appearing as
advocates of the measure. To-day this commit
tee spent the morning visiting the state museum
of comparative zoology at Cambridge, Prof
Agassiz, who desires an appropriation, dcscrib-
ing the development and needs of the institu-
ton with characteristic earnestneSs and elo-
quence.