Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-04-20
From the State House.

BOSTON, Wednesday, April 49,
The Boston park bill was before the senate to-day,
and was amended by the restoration of the original
provision of an annual expenditure by the park
commissioners of only $50 900. Senator 1Iunroe, of
Roxbury, spoke earnestly for the measure and
against the "two-thirds" provision proposed by
Senator Halves, which was carried by q small ma
jority. The bill was then ordered to be engrossed
by vote of Is to g. The friends Of the bill desired
very much to retain the provision requiring simply
majority OF the voters for the acceptance of the
act 1t will be unfortunate if the splendid improve
ments projected for the Boston public are retarded
or defeated, against the desire of majority
of the citizens, by the failure to get
two-thirds vote. The bills concerning nom
acceptance and non-payment of negotiable in-
struments in the city of Worcester and to incorpo-
rate the Ashburnham savings bank, were ordered
to third reading. The bills to incorporate the
Stockbridge savings bank, to incorporate the
Plymouth and Sandwich railroad company, and the
resolves relating to the claims of the county COM
missioners of Berkshire county tor extra services,
were severally ordered to be engr0ssed.
In the house the resolve giving SO 900 to the Bos-
ton North End mission was discussed at consider
able length, and finally rejected by vote of 40 to
80 The bill concerning the assessment of land
damages in the city of Worcester, which does away
with sheri's juries ana makes proper provision for
Jury trial to revise the doings of the county COM
missioners, or of the city council at any time,
was ordered to third reading with the addition of
section providing that all applications for sher
IFS jury now pending, shall be transferred into the
superior court to be tried according to the pro-
visions of the act
Committees reported to-day as follows: Leave to
withdraw on the petition of the industrial aid So
ciety for the prevention of pauperism; for the
Enlistment of technical schools for unruly boys;
leave to withdraw on the petition of Sumner Rich
ardson and others, authorizing the town of
Winchester to purchase certain water
rights; leave, t, to Withdraw on the pc
of educating young men in colleges; and also on
the petition of Jacob Sleeper and Others TO change
the name of the Lassell female seminary to Auburn
dale female college; inexpedient to legislate the
order relative TO the repeal of section 81, of chapter
5S of the general statutes relating to fire insurance
companies. The committee on prisons reported
resolve increasing the salaries of officers of the
state prison, as follows: Warden $500, clerk
$1,000, turkeys $780, watchmen $780, assistant
do $500 each. The petitions presented to-day were
of VIM. S. Shurtle for pay for services judge of
probate in Franklin county; of citizens of New
Marlborough for incorporation of the konkapor
Valley railroad company, from Canaan, Connectl-
cut, to Mill River; OF the town of Sturbridge and
Southbridge tor confirmation Of a new boundary
line, Mr.. McKinstry of Southbrdge barely getting
the latter in under suspension of the l1tn JOINT
rule other members not being successful in their
subsequent attempts to introduce new business The
divorce bill was taken up, and Mr.. Woodbury. made
| long and well-considered argument to show that
| there need of radical modification of our di-
vorce laws Further discussion of this interesting
question was deferred until tomorrow.
Mr.. Town of Fitchburg, who, apparently, is not
wholly satisfied with his management of the unfor-
tunate Bolton railroad project, entertained the
house by rising to question of privilege. He called
attention to an article which appeared in the Wor
cester Spy of the 18th inst, in which an alluson
was made to him as follows: "The Fitchburg MEM
Der apparently is not wholly unused to ways that
dark and tricks that vain. ," Mr. Towne, who
showed very foolish sensltiveness about this Bret
Harte phrase said that the spy hada large circula-
ton in his district and the imputation affected him
personally, He thought the legislature should not
be insuted in the person of any of its members He
then stated the facts in connection with introduce
ing the bill referred to. He said there was nothing
irregular or underhand, any attempt to take adj
vantage in any way of the house. He introduced the
bill with the full understanding Ofthe railroad COM
mittee, although the committee took no action on it,
and with regard to the bill assumed no RESPONSE
bility in regard to it. He protested in. his be-
half, and in behalf of the members of the house
against this fragrant breach of privilege in thus
characterizing the proceedings of a member of the
house.
Mr.. Putnam, of Worcester, made humorous re-
ply, which caused considerable merriment He said
ne was sorry that anything should have been done
in the city of Worcester which should do harm to
the gentleman from Fitchburg, but he did not feel
called upon to apologize; if anybody felt they ought
to, they undoubtedly would The object seemed to
be to introduce discussion of the little railroad
which up the other day. So far as he could find
out, the road his friend asked for ran through q
tract of country where there was a poor-house,
saw-snill and eider-mill. He recollected that at
the committee hearing on the matter, one good
rubiGund old gentleman said he wanted to get his
cider to market. He saw the gentleman from
Fitchburg taking note of this and from the gentle
mans wel-known position on the subject of the
prohibitory law, SHOWN by the bill he offered,
and his explanation of the "factious OPP
position" of the house. with his we'll
known principles in his heart and his resolution in
his pocket Mr. Putnam thinks he would oppose a
railroad which should carry cider to market. What
was his surprise to hear that he had reported bill
here covering only portion Of that road, up as far
other way to Ftch6urg The chairman OF the
railroad committee arose the next day after the
bill introduced, and the ntimation that
the bill an illegitimate affair. He had not sup
posed that his friend would vote for road that was
going to run cider train. For, so far as the con-
sIstency OF the gentleman was concerned, no one
had anything to complain o.. He had looked upon
him as a model in that respect, coming from
Worcester north as he did When he came from
home, inexperienced as he was in legislation, he
was told to take somebody he knew was right and
then follow him.
The speaker, interrupting Mr.. Putnam, said there
was nothing before the house which would make
discussion in order. Mr. Woodbury., of Boston,
then submitted a resolve follows to Obyiate the
difficulty:
Resolved that the article in the Worcester Spy of the
18th instant read by the clerk rejecting upon Tie char
acter of the member from Fitchburg, is entirely unau
thorized by the facts"
Mr.. Woodbury. thought it unfair to impugn the
motives of the gentleman from Fitchburg. Mr..
Adams Of Quincy said he present at the meeting
of the railway committee when the subject of in
Producing the bill referred to was proposed by Mr..
Towne. The committee declined to report in favor
of the granting charter to the Bolton and WOrces-
ter railroad, and gave the petitioners leave to with
draw. MIR. Iowne asked that he might have per-
mission for the committee to introduce bill for
portion OF the route, but the committee declined.
Then the gentleman from Fitchburg stated that he
desired to introduce such bill his own account
and there was no objection made. The gentleman
understood that the committee had nothing to do
with it; he offered the bill his own responsible
ty So far any charge ofiudirectness or fraud on
the part of the gentleman concerned in regard
to the action of the committee, he thought it was
without foundation.
Mr. Muligan, of Paxton, said that when the gem
tleman from Fitchburg introduced that bill he
stated the facts in such terms to give the house
to understand that he had the sanction of the rail-
road committee. He so understood it and he knew
more than twenty members of the house so under
stood it. Further speeches followed by Messrs.
Bailey of Charlestown, Putnam of Worcester Bow
man of Somerville, and Cogswell of Yarmouth The
last named gentleman thought the house was giving
altogether too much Of its time to a discussion of
newspaper comments. The gentleman from Fitch
burg having called attention to the paragraph had
accomplished all that was necessary. He had too
much confidence in his good sense and temper to
believe that he desired the passage of the resolu-
uon. Mr.. Towne said he was abundantly satisfied,
as much so as If the resolution had been passed. and
~ hopea ~ would be withdrawn. Mr.. Woodbury.
men wilhaIew the resolution, and the curtain fell
COMMODORE SCUDDERIg Sropv - ,,,o,. ,,,,4