Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-10-31

MEEIING Ot TIE Ol11 AOuNClLs- ut T6p-
ular meeting of the city council was held last
evening, and the following business was trans
acted: The petition from JAS. Terney and 9th
erS, for widening and putting in order Foyle
street, was referred to the committee on high
ways; from I. L. Nelson and others, for a sewer
on Lynde street, to the committee on sewers;
of j. b. Lyon and others, for lamps on Austin
and other streets, to the committee on lighting
streets; of Dennis Mahoney and others, for wa
ter on Canterbury street, and Ashworth and
Jones, asking an investigation into the matter
of Noncompliance with bond of agreement
on the part of the city to maintain Il hydrant
near the establishment of the petitioners, and
for the proper indemnlfication for damage
done the petitioners on account OF the city's
failure 10 comply with the terms OF the bond,
TO the committee on wafer
DEGREES laying out and locating Coral and Dix
streets and portion of Union avenue were
adopted and sent down for concurrence; DEGREES
laying out and locating Penn avenue and Tat
muck street between May and Chandler, and
widening Cedar street. were accepted and placed
on file; orders establishing the location of the
sidewalk on Chatham and Quincy streets were
adopted and placed on file in the city engineers
office; and orders establishing the grade of
sidewalk on Belmont street and the location of
the sidewalk on Church street were taken from
the files and adopted.
Orders were also adopted prohibiting the use
of the council chambers for any purpose ex-
eepring meetings of the city council, school
board, and board of oyerseers of the poor; and
requesting the joint special committee on re-
numbering streets to report at the next meeting.
The highway committee reported upon the
petiuons To have Farewell street made public,
TO have Elliott from Edward to Wilmot graded
and made public, and to have Lancaster street
made public, recommending the reference of
each 10 the board Of aldermen with the favora-
bic consideration of the committee; upon the
petition for the suitable grading of Carol
street from Laurel to Prospect, the committee
recommended that the highway commissioner
be Instructed to grade the street so it will be
safe and convenient for the public travel The
report was accepted and recommendations
adopted.
The following communication was read in the
board of aldermen and releuedto the committee
on finance with instructions TO report what
action should be taken. 1t did not, however,
reach the common council last evening
COMMISSION OF SHADE TREES
EAND PUBLIC GROUNDS.
To The Honorable city Council:
The matter of the incumbrance fthe common
by the Westinghouse of the First Parish has
been heretofore seaSOnably brought 10 the atten-
ton of your honorable body, with more or less
formaity, by this commission. 1t is unncces.
Sary, for the purposes of this communication, to
recite in the alternative the remedies proposed
for this great public inconvenience or the
measures that actually commended themselves
to your deliberate Judgment. 1t is not believed
that anything has OcCarred to alter or modify
your settled resolution TO adopt whatsoever
methods may soonest and most cttectually restore
TO the whole people the absolute and unrestrict-
cd use and enjoyment of Il pleasure ground,
which is none the less public property that it
mas not always been guarded with misery pro
vision from private encroachment or corporate
greed.
1t is most certain that you will not deduce an
argument for the interminable occupation of
the most conspicuous and eligible portion of the
common by the First Parish in tasteless inno-
Natlons upon venerable architecture, or in the
Scant courtesy which youchsafed such queerly-
Christian treatment of your most generous offer
to submit all veXed questions to impartial arbi-
tration. Were there no other and higher reason
OF abstract right, you would not be justified in
the light OF recent events, were YOU TO tolerate
for one unnecessary moment, the existence Of
an edfce that would he sure to defeat the arrest
Of disastrous cou1agration by its tenacious
retention of the broad open space which would
otherwise be presented TO the flames.
The First Parish has exhausted the public
bounty; it presumes upon the general indliIer-
ence of liberation; and needs TO be taught that
the meIcenary sefShness of few cannot
longer he suffered TO curtail the rights nor inter
lere with the enjoyment of the vast majority.
At the hearing before the legislative commit
tee, in the matter of union passenger station.
it was stated in your behalf, by your counsel
that the removal of the railroad tracks would
undoubtedly be followed by the school-house
and lookup, and by the purchase of the old
Westinghouse. Ofthe removal of those tracks,
however retarded by legal article and chicanery,
no one can doubt who has ever observed the
summary manner in which our people are
wont to brush away the obstacles in their path
Of progress.
Aud that the expenditure of time, labor, and
money so freely contributed during the past
year, may not be more than wasted; and in or
der that further steps may bc taken towards the
ultimate complete exclamation and improvement
of the common, this commission most earnestly
advises and requests your honorable body to
make seasona6le application 10 the general
court for leave to resume possession of that