The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-04-21
Mr.. BATES SPEAKS
Representative Gath
ering Of Worcester
Citizens.
GRADE CROSSINGS.
How Mill Brook Sewer Can
Be Eliminated From the
Equation.

Hon. Theodore c. Bates addressed ona
of the most representative audiences Of
Worcester citizens ever gathered in
Mechanics Hall, last night.
Professional men, manufacturers and
representatives. of the municipal gov-
eminent were there and listened with
close attention to the able and interest,"
ing address.
| Nor was the audience confined to
Worcester men alone. Suburban towns
were represented, especially those along
the Blackstone valley.
The questions dealt with were of in-
terest to all, and the speaker was lis
tened to with rapt attention for two
hours or more.
Ladies were there as well, and
good-sized delegation occupied seats in
the gallery.
! Mr.. Bates wonderful acquaintance
with matters of state and municipal in
| terest, an acquaintance that places the
minutest details of what appear to the
| ordinary observer as immense problems,
at his tongues end, gives him an
| immense fund uDon which to draw for
/ the edification of an audience.
Not the least interesting part of the
Evenings address were the views
| thrown on a canvas stretched across
the stage by aid of the stereopticon.
The views served as an excellent OBJ
1ect lesson, and gave the audience a
| chance to observe the exact location
OF the proposed new channel for Mill
brook sewer.
These views of course came in for a
| good share of the attention of Worces-
ter people, and if anything may be
Judged from the expressions of indi-
/ viduals in the audience as they hled
out of the hall, many of them may be
counted on as supporters of the de-
pressed track proposition.
Other views shown gave an idea of
the metropolitan system of sewage, in
and about Boston, which discharges
it's immense quantities of sewage
into the Atlantic ocean.
Still others gave an excellent idea Of
the construction of the new Union sta
ton in st. Louis, Mo. Mr. Bates char
acterized st. Louis as up-to-date while
| Worcester is thinking of such things.
| When Mr.. Bates and E. H Waugh
an, Esq, came upon the stage, shortly
| after O'Clock, it was the signal for an
! outburst of applause, which was re-
peated from time to time throughout
! the address.
In introducing .the speaker, Mr..
| Vaughan said he was pleased to note
the response made to the invitation
which had been sent out, to listen to a
man who has the best interests of the
| city at heart. He referred to the series
of public questions which confront ev-
| cry municipality. which should be de-
/ cided by the taxpayers, or, as he char
acterized it, proprietors of the city.
| He referred to Mr.. Bates as one of
the proprietors, one who from study
and investigation knows whereof he
speaks.
Mr.. Bates then addressed the audi
| ence.
THE CITY AND THE RAILROADS.
Mr.. Bates at the outset sketched at
some length the conditions that have
contributed to Worcester's growth
from a town of 2111 in the year 1900 to a
city of 10000 in 1899.
The impetus to this enormous growth
was given by the construction of the
Blackstone canal, which made Worces-
/ ter the great business town of central
Massachusetts. Then came the rail-
roads, which were assisted by Worces-
/ ter capital and commerce, and in turn
contributed toward the city's expan-
| sion.
Coming to the matter of state taxes,
which people are obliged to pay, and
which are so light that they pass unno-
ticed upon the tax bill, he said:
How many Of the inhabitants of the
towns of Worcester county, or of the
two cities of Worcester and Fitchburg,
4 realize that they have already actually
paid for the states contribution to the
Hoosae Tunnel railroad system two
million dollars in their state taxes?
| Let it be remembered that not only
has the city of Worcester contributed
$1,000,000 of this large sum, but that
1t also paid in money raised by direct
taxation, upwards Of S250,0O0, toward
the construction of the Boston, Barre
G. Gardner railroad, which is now
part of the Hoosac Tunnel route.
For the Boston, Hartford & Erie rail-
road, so called, running through the
southern tiers Of towns of Worcester
county, including Blackstone, Douglas,
Webster, Dudley and Southbridge, over
$100,O00 has been paid by Worcester in
state taxes.
In view, therefore, of the actual
money that has been paid by the tax
payers of Worcester toward the cost
to the state of the Hoosac Tunnel rail-
road, including the city's contribution
to the cost of the Boston, Barre &
/ Gardner railroad, now a part of the
Hoosac Tunnel route, and also the city's
payment in state taxes, toward the cost
/ to the state of the Boston, Hartford &
Erie railroad. is there any doubt that
when the equities of the case are prop
erly presented to the general court.
there will be no opposition to propo-
sition being favorably entertained by
the commonwealth, to reimburse the
city of Worcester for the money which,
under direct orders of the general
court. it has expended for the purpose
of establishing an object lesson for the
benefit of all the inhabitants of the
state. in the attempt to purify the
sewage Of the city, before depositing it
/ in the Blackstone river.
SEWAGE PURIFICATION.
The act Of the legislature compelled
the city of Worcester to attempt by
some means or method not specified, to
purify its sewage. before letting it run
\ into the Blackstone river, notwith-
standing that right had been given to
the city BY a previous legislature.
Moreover. the acts of 1856, chapter 33l,
section 5, pros ids that Nothing in thla
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