Worcester morning daily spy., 1898-03-25
THE GAS FIGHT.
Move in the Contest
Initiated in the House,
House Ways and Means Committee Re-
ports Favoraby on S29, 900 Appro-
prlaton for Worcester Lunatic
Hospital.
Especial Dispatch to The spy)

Especial Dispatch to the spy
Boston, March 24-There was further
development in the gas situation in the
legislature this afternoon. The house
committee on rules without a dissenting
vote voted in favor of the admission of
the two bills, one for the repeal of the
charter of the Massachusetts Pipe Line
Gas Company, and the other for the re-
peal of the charter of the Boston Gas
Light Company. This report was pre-
sented in the house this afternoon and
was ACCEPTED, and now goes to the sem
ate rules committee for it's action and
recommendation to the upper branch.
If the senate concurs in the suspension
of the rule the bills will be referred to
the committee on manufactures. The
idea of those interested in the matter
is to frame bill for the repeal of the
charters Of these two companies, condi-
ti0naily, that the repeal shall take ef-
feet, say on the first of January, 1899,
unless in the meantime the 50-year con-
tracts between these companies and the
New England Gas and Coke Company,
for the supply by the latter to the form
er companies of gas, are cancelled.
There was no discussion in the house
this afternoon on the question of sus-
pending the rules.
IN THE SENATE.
Bills to authorize the Rockland and
Abingdon Street Railway Company, the
Hanover Street Railway Company, the
Greenfield and Turner's Falls Street
Railway Company, the Worcester and
Marlboro Street Railway Company and
the Woronoco Street Railway Company,
severally, to act as common carriers of
small parcels and the United States
mail, were engrosSed.
Bills to facilitate the inspection Of
wires in Boston buildings, to change
the harbor lines and improve South bay
In Boston, and to authorize Lynn to
borrow money for new school house,
were engrossed, as was one to authorize
Gloucester to borrow money for street
improvements.
Senator Moran, for the committee on
labor, reported a new draft of his bill
to reduce the hours OF labor of women
and minors in mercantile establishments.
1t limits the time to So hours a week,
except between Dec. Is and Jan. l, in
cities of 10000 inhabitants or over.
A bill for water supply for Hunting
ton was engrossed, and also bill for
the employment of prisoners at the Con-
cord reformatory on state land and
buildings.
Leave to withdraw was reported on
the petition of S. L. Jewett for legisla-
ton to give one-half the fines for viola
ton of the fish and game laws to the
person making the complaint.
A bill was favorably reported to pro-
vide for the payment of the expenses of
the state board Of bar examiners on
approval of a justice of the supreme
court.
Senator Dallinger of Middlesex ia
vored concurrence with the house in
amendments limiting to $500,000 the
amount which Boston may spend out
side the debt limit for park purposes.
The senate refused to concur without
division.
Senator Quirk had the adverse report
on the proposition that organized
bodies of cadets may carry arms put
over. Senator Gallivan persuaded the
senate to table the bill to authorize cleo
trio light companies to furnish gas.
Adverse reports on menhaden fishing
in Buzzard's bay. and on convict labor
on the proposed, Cape Cod canal, were
accepted.