Worcester morning daily spy., 1898-01-12
A BUSY SESSION.
Boston and Maine Railroad Bill
Introduced in the House.
Representative lowell Resigns-several
House Committees organized-s
ator Fairbank Interested in Cape
Cod Canal Project
Especial Dispatch to the spyl


Boston, Jan. 1.-THE legislature is
fairly underway Although the sessions
of both branches were brief today, there
was considerable business introduced,
and several of the committees met after
adjournment TO organize and prepare for
the hearings. The most important bust
ness introduced was offered in the
house. 1t was the Boston and Maine
Railroad bill allowing this corporation
to purchase and hold the capital stock
in roads operated or leased by the petit
TONER, in which it already has a major
| ity of the capital stock. The bill differs
from the measure introduced last year,
only in that it asks for special legisla-
ton this year. Last session the bill
introduced provided for general legisla-
tion.
The house lost one of its leading men,
hers today in the resignation of Francis
c. Lowell of Boston, who has just been
confirmed as Judge of the United States
district court for the district of Massa-
chusetts The resignation was accept
ed with regret. The two branches adopt
ed an order for sessions at l o'clock I'M
III further orders. and adjournment at
unless sooner reached. This is to al
low Tor committee meetings in the af-
ternoon-another measure for facilitat-
ing the transaction of business.
At the close of the session several Of
the committees met and organized. The
committee on metropolitan affairs chose
Mr.. Mead of Lexington as clerk; liquor
law chose Estes of Brockton, public
charitable institutions chose Sisson OF
Lynn, street railwaysS Anthony of Adj
ans; insurance, Perry Of Natick; water
supply, Bartlett of Haverhill. cities,
Cole of Beverly
me house Judiciary committee ad-
JUuNiIeo without organization, some of
the members being absent.
The people of Massachusetts have
heard so much about the construction
OF canal across Cape Cod, and have
seen so many enterprises launched for
this work which have amounted to
nothing that there is not much credence
given to any scheme now for the realiz-
auon of this mighty project But there
IS more danger of canal lighting strik-
ing the doubling people of the sandy
cape TINS year than ever before The
suggestion by Governor Wolcott in his
inaugural address, for the construction
OF the water way by convict labor, has
set many of the daring men of the leg
lslature thinking, and there is a strong
probability of the reference of this sug-
gestlon very shortly to the committees
on harbors and public lands, and fed
eral relations sitting jointly.
Senator Fairbank of Warren has
taken hold Of the matter, and believing
the suggestion of the governor to be
good thing, he proposes to push it along.
The idea of the senator is to frame leg
islation for the construction of the
canal by the United States and the Mas
sachusetts state governments. The ma
Itional government is to furnish all ma
terial, and the state will supply the
labor. Senator Fairbank argues that the
work is of national Importance, and that
the enterprise can be successfully
launched by the combined efforts of the
state and federal governments. The cost
to the state, if convict labor is employed,
will be a mere trif1e compared to the
cost if undertaken by private corpora
ton. The suggestion from the governor
for the employment of convicts upon
this and other works of a similar nature,
meets with general approval at the state
house.