Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-04-11
From the State House.
RecOnsIderatiOns-R Rejection Of the Gem
craI street Railway BiII-NOre Liquor
Legislation.
BosroN. April 10. 1872.

and assayer were "pitched into" and declared
to be useless officials. Mr.. Ely asserted that the
commissioner is virtually but a clerk for whole
sale liquor dealers; that he receives $4,000 for
doing $500 worth of work, and that the assayer
gets $4,000 for doing $500 worth. Another
member went further, and said the commission
er was paid for doing nothing, and the assayer
for helping him to do it. The bill in question,
it may be remembered, provides that the com
missioner shall receive his remuneration wholly
from the profits of his sales, but that it shall
not exceed $4,000. The remuneration of the as
sayer is to be one per cent Of the value of the
liquors assayed. After talking three-quarters of
an hour the house ordered the previous ques-
ton Just as Mr., Newell of Boston was about to
make speech. This action cut off the question
of reference to the next general court, and the
bill was ordered to third reading.
Once more a motion was made to reconsider
the action of the house on the bill to authorize
the Old Colony railroad company to change the
location of portion of its road which was so
quietly rejected yesterday, and after some dis
cussion the motion prevailed by a vote of rs to
40. Debate was continued on the question of
ordering the bill to third reading, the MEM
bers of the railway committee opposing it. The
whole case was stated tersely by Mr.. Goldman,
who said the people of Holbrook wanted the
bill, the people of Randolph were opposed to it,
and the railroad company was neutral. Under
these circumstances the committee decided
unanimously that legislation was inexpedient
and so reported, the bill being subsequently re-
ported only under instructions from the senate.
Nevertheless, the discussion was carried on until
the house ordered the previous question, when
the bill was again rejected.
Nine matters on the table were taken up and
placed in the orders of the day. Among them
were the bills TO incorporate the Peoples club
of Worcester, to amend the charter of the trus-
tees of the Worcester academy; and the bill to
require druggists authorized to sell under chap
ter 3S9, acts Of1S71, to keep record of all their
sales of liquor, There are now on the table
only half dozen matters, none of them of gen.
era importance, excepting that omnibus report
of the committee on state commissionerships
with its two dozen bills, many of which, how
ever, have already met with their fate.
The only other business done in the morning
session was to adopt Mr.. Washburn's resolu-
tons on the death Of Professor Morse, and 10
dispose of the dozen unbeatable matters in the
orders of the day, including the bill to establish
a board OF public works in Springfield, which
was ordered to a third reading.
The afternoon session vas opened with a re
newal of the debate which dwindled the house
below a quorum yesterday afternoon, being on
local issue involved in the bill for the protec-
ton of the New Bedford water works. Whit
field of Falrhayen had got in an obnoxious pro-
yiso allowing certain parties to fish in the stor-
ing reservoir, and Mr.. Perry of New Bedford
wanted to get it out. After half an hour had
been wasted the previous question was ordered,
on which the amendment was struck out, and
the bill ordered to be engrossed.
As soon as this matter was disposed of, the Or
1ers were tabled, and Moses Kimball offered an
order limiting the time of speeches to ten min
utes. 1t was readily adopted, Mr. Cogswell
took advantage of this interval to put in an or
der for the committee on the judiciary to con.
slider the expediency of providing that drunken
ness may be punished by Imprisonment in the
workhouse, as well as in the house of correc-
ton.
The bill concerning personal recognizance in
"frst offence" cases under section 50 of chapter
AS of the acts of 1869 iquor sellers, of course)
was debated about twenty minutes and then or
dered to third reading by yea and nay vote
of 81 to rs. The bill decreases the sum in which
the offender must recognize from $1,000 to 500,
but adds with sufficient sureties," which NAV
al 10
cussion added nothing new TO the literature of
this question, unless you choose to except a
prophecy by Q. K. Shaw that if the bill is pass
ed 1.-TWO democratic congressman will be sent
from this district next election"
Next came the general street railway bill. Mr.,
Cornell of New Bedford spoke for the minority
of the horse railway committee in favor of the
bill as it stands, and Mr.. Hobbs of Uxbridge
representing the majority, opposed the enact.
ment of any general law Then Messrs. Ely OF
Newton, Cochran of Melrose, Loring of Fitch
burg, Palmer of Boston, and the only Shaw at.
tackled the bill, some of them pretty viciously.
Mr.. Ely declared that the Metropolitan
railroad company own the streets and city ROY.
eminent of Boston and would prevent any rival
Mr.. Loring threw out insinuatiOns concerning
the influence of special considerations in the
production of the bill, while Mr.. Shaw declared
emphatcally that the bill was Conceived in sin
and brought forth in iniquity." Mr.. Cogswell
of Yarmouth moved an amendment to section
seven, providing for an appeal TO the railroad Oh
! county commissioners. A motion for the pre-.
vious questions brought this unequal debate tc
close, and on division, which was called fol-
| by the eXultant enemies of the bill, il was re-
| fused a third reading. This seemed TO nut the
house in a killing mood, for it Immediate,
| 'put to DEATH the bill TO authorize the warden
| of the State prison to allow convicts portion Of
their earnings, and soon aiterward the bill re
lating to attendance upon teachers Institutes.
The friends of the bill to supply the town o.
| Winchester with pure water, were considerabl,
stirred up by two restrictive amendments pro
ceeding from the Cbarlestown delegation. Ont
of them was to prohibit the town from selling
water to any other place, which, in view Of tn,
fact that Charlesown is the largest water ped
dler in the state was very thin indeed. Boil
amendments were rejected and the bill was or
dered to third reading. The house then adj
journcd, having listened during the day to sixt,
| speeches from thirty-six different members.
The senate had quite busy, but not lonl
session. Mr. Whituey's bill to make uniform
the taxation of reservoirs was ordered to a tlirt
reading. There was debate on the bill to ex
tend the Nashua, Acton and Boston railroad
and to authorize its other roads, which ended il
the rejection of the bill by vote of 10 to IA
The adverse report Of the committee on mer
camille affairs on the petition for the incorpora
ton Of the Massachusetts abattor associa
ton" was recommitted with view to the hear
ing of more testimony, and the committee will
again listen to the dulcet tones of Mr. Dean.
voice.
The bill to authorize the city Of Springfield tC
subscribe for and hold shares in the capita
stock of the Athol and Enfield railroad wa,
ordered to a third reading after the rejection Of
an amendment offered by Mr.. Smith, OF lamp
den, adding the aldermen, with the mayor, as
] the parties TO make the subscription.