Worcester morning daily spy., 1898-02-18
GRADE CROSSINGS.
Petition of City of Worcester
Before Railroads Committee.
Towns of Clinton and Lancaster Before
the Committee on Drainage -Investiga-
ton of Military Affairs Asked.
lspeeIaI DIspatch 10 Lhe snrl

petiuon of the city of Worcester for ar
extension of the time for which the civ
IS exempted from the operations of the
grade crossing law, by two years, was
heard this morning BY the committee or
railroads. Mayor Rufus B. Dodge. Jr.
City Solicitor Arthur p. Rugg and CITY
Engineer f. a. Mcclure appeared before
the committee. The statement by the
city solicitor was clear and convincing
as well as interesting. The, committee
was satisfied with Mr.. Riggs explana-
tion of the case, and voted immediately
AFTER the hearing that the bill be report
ed 1t was reported at the afternoon
session of the house
Representative Charles G. Washburn,
who introduced the bill for the city was
present to open the case for the city
ana to present the Worcester delegation
TO the committee. There was no opposi-
ton TO the bill. Mr. Rugg briefly re-
viewed the grade crossing agitation in
worcester and the satisfaction with
the report of the superior court commits
SLOT 1t was felt by the representative
men of Worcester that the abolition of
the grade crossings by the plan pro-
posed by the commission would work
serious and lasting evil to the business
and future interests Of Worcester While
the city had not been very active under
the exemption act of 1893, there were
active and definite steps being taken
now for a solution of the problem that
would be agreeable to the city and the
railroads. But it was impossible to ar
rive at this plan in the time allowed I'M
der the act of 1888 Hence the petition
and bill for further time
The towns of Clinton and Lancaster
were before the committee on drainage
this morning on the petition of Clinton
for legislation providing for the taking
of land in the town of Lancaster for the
purposes of establishing sewage dis
posal plant. The petitioners We're rep
resented by Judge John w. Corcorau,
Representative Howard of Clinton and
eX-Representative w. E. Farkhurst Of
Clinton. The Lancaster interests were
in the hands Of Herbert Parker, counsel
for the town, and Harold Parker, rep
resentative from that district. The plea
of Clinton was for delay, as the report
of the experts considering the Clinton
question of sewage disposal had not yet
been made Engineer Snow, in charge
Of the engineering work connected with
the establishment of a sewage disposal
plant, was present. and, called upon to
testify. held that the objections of Ian
caster We're purely sentimental. Cross
examined by Herbert Parker, Mr.. Snow
admitted that he proposed some time
ago to use a part of the town of Easton
for a sewage DISPOSAL plant for Brock
ton and that the legislature had refused
the petition Of Brockton for authority
to take the necessary land. The hear
ing was continued until the 25th.
Representative Russell, Carberry and
Mclaughlin of Worcester appeared be-
fore the committee on military affairs
this morning to advocate the petition
of Representative Macken of Hinsdale,
for legislation allowing independent ca
Diet companies, whose members are I'M
der 20 years of age, to carry arms. The
Worcester delegation, with David M
Goggin and ]. j. Rogers, also from Wor-
cester. represented the total abstinence
societies Of the city, and were in favor
of the bill. The committee, in executive
session, voted against the petition, and
the report will be presented tomorrow
IN THE SENATE.
In the senate today Representative
Callender's bill to further regulate the
smoke nuisance, was rejected on the
first call of the calendar
A resolve for a committee to report
on armories and state ranges was en-
crossed, as was the bill to incorporate
Walter Baker & Company.
The adverse report on a petition for
protection of orchards against peach
yellows" was accepted
Leave to withdraw was reported on the
petition of the trustees of the Boston
Public Library, that the state be au-
thorized to purchase from them the
court Book of the Government Society
of the Massachusetts Bay"
n IL ,Ef1 aga1 an
order expressing the sincere thanks of
the senate to Mrs. Elizabeth G. Clapp,
for. the Gift of a framed portrait of her
husband the late E. Herbert Clapp,
formerly clerk of the senate. The order
was adopted
Leave to withdraw was reported on
M. j. Doyle's petition that courts may
be authorized to admit to the bar all
nersons who were examined under the
provisions of law during 1897, but were
lnreported on until after IAN ], 1898.
The committee on printing reported
fayorably on bills for illustrations to
the annual report of the state board OF
health; for extra copies of the annual
report of the attorney-general, for illus
trations of the new library building ir
the report of the free public library
commission; for $500 copies annually Of
tine attorney-generaIs report. for pub
LEGATION of special laws and for 500 extra
copies of the record commissioners re
port
Senator Rourlxes bill to provide for g
majority vote in securing nominations
by ballot in political conventions, was
favorably reported This repeats the
criticised portion of Col. Clarke's law
passed last year.
When the Boston and Maine state
purchase bill was reached, Senator Har.
wood of MiddIesex reiterated his argu
ment at the former debate. that amend,
ments offered by Senator Morse Of the
Cane would defeat the purpose designed