The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-03-10
4 iWOMAN'S WORLD.
WOMEN OF BOSTON DEFEND THE
BREATHING PLACE OF THE PEOPLE.

Supporting Woman sunrnge-womcn
Dentists mt the Fair.
The women of Boston entered n pro-
test against the surrender of Boston
common to the West End Street railway
for tracks and storage purposes Thurs
day morning ut the statchouse and they
did SO with vigor. The historic protest
of the Boston boys against British inter
ference with their coasting was nothing
compared with tho present agitation.
Two days ago tho women of Boston be-
gan to SEQ that tho proposed rapid tran
sit scheme included taking part of the
common, and since then 500 of them
signed Il remonstrancc. Mrs. Julia Ward
Howe's name headed this list, and it was
followed by that Of Mrs. Mary Hemen-
way. Then came an army of women's
signatures such as was probably never
before presented to tho legislature in be-
half of any object
Preserving the old common is exclu-
sively woInan's movement On tho
petition are tho names of the Lowells,
the Sears, the Amorys, the Winthrops,
tho Cabots, the Coolidges, the Paincs,
the Peabodys, the Bigelows, the Hoopers,
the Yields. tho Quincys, the Warrens,
the Appletons and hundreds of others Of
high degree. This is what tho women
said:
1--WE plead for the preservation of Bos-
ton common i'll its entirety. We hold
that the trust committed to us must not
be betrayed; that the silent but powerful
plea OF the poor of Il large section of our
city must for humanity's sake be regard
ed; that this one source of healthful life
for all those who live and toll within its
reach must not be cut off. Grateful for
what it has been to us and to ours in
daily ministering to mind and heart, we
would perpetuatc its blessings unstinted
to future generations"
The green room at the statehouse was
packed. Hundreds of women were there.
Mrs. j. z. Brown superintendent matters
for the sgners.
whats this documcntl" she ex-
claimed in answer to an inquirer's ques-
ton. ''Well, it's remonstrance from
over 1900 women against taking the
common. We mean to show that some
one has an interest in this matter besides
the men and the big corporations. Just
look over this list and SEQ who these wo-
men are. Here, beg pardon, but you
. can't sign. she said to an anxious young
man DESTROYS of subscribing his name.
This is confined to the women. We arc
going to see what influence we have of
our own accord"
Senator kittredge opened proceedings
10y explaining the different schemes pro-
posed. involving taking a portion of tho
common for rapid transit purposes. Tho
women were all eXpcctant Judging
from the number of persons present."
said Senator Kittrcdge, lone might think
that there was petition here to sell tho
common, but such is not the case"
There were several feminine Kisses at
this statement. Then there was n spicy
passage in attempting to limit the time
of the speakers. Senator Kittredge sug-
gested five minutes. Senator Leary didn't
want to shut the ladies off like that. He
thought they ought to have 10 minutes
each. III. q. Allen, who led tho women's
forces and was to open the discussion,
protested against such limitation and
said that Mayor Matthews talked two
hours yesterday on his side of the Ques-
ton and no limit was suggested.
But he represented the whole city of
Boston," Chairman Kittredge said
This remark created considerable in
dignation NO! Mol Mol" punctuatcd
with misses and other expressions Of dis
approval, came from various parts of the
room. Ten minutes was finally put to
the limit of speeches. There were so
many remonstrants who desired to be
heard that the hearing was continued to-
night. When the morning session broke
up, the members of the committee and the
remonstrants were engaged in a heated
wranslc over the propriety of allowing
the remonstrants to express sentiments
antagonistic to the West End Street rail
way officials. These officials had been
Missed away every time their names had
been mentioned, and great disorder was
created. Mrs. Roger Wolcott, wife of
the lieutenant governor tried to stop
the torrent of misses. but could not
Boston Letter.