The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-04-21

Coming to the matter Of sewage MI
Bates said:
The peremptory order for Worcester
to purify its sewage came so long at
ter the general court had granted the
CITY the concession and right to permit
IFS sewage to flow into the tributaries
of the Blackstone river that it was
believed by our best attorneys that the
commonwealth could not order the city
to remove it's sewage from the Blaak-
stone river which wsS the naturm
channel to reach the sea. and INTO
which channel the sewage OF
the city was being emptied by author
ity granted by the legislature in 1851,
unless with the consent of the lnhabl-
tants of Worcester, and even then on y
by the commonwealth assuming ana
paving all costs, damages and expen-
SEES thereby incurred by the city.
Many disinterested men admitted
that the legislature was attempting 10
compel the city of Worcester TO enter
upon an enormous expense to purify
its sewage. and that it's experiment to
find, if possible, some method Of puIl-
flying. sewage, might only prove TO ne
an object lesson for the benefit OF all
the inhabitants of the cities and towns
in the commonwealth az to the treat
ment of sewage.
Hence the often expressed opinion
that the entire cost, damage and eX-
pense connected Herewith should have
been borne by the state, and not py
the citizens of Worcester alone.
BY the provisions of the act of the
legislature of 1886, Worcester was re-
duired to purify it's sewage, Wlthlh
four years from the passage of the act,
and before that time arrived, an ell
fort should have been made by Wor-
cesters members of the Legislature to
secure a repeal or some mobilization
of that act
AN UNJUST BURDEN.
There should have been no cessation
of the endeavors until success was at
tanned. Our senators and representa-
tives should have acted in this matter
as did Hon. Alvah Croker OF bltch-
burg, who kept at the legislature year
after year, with never abated osteIInl-
nation, until he succeeded IN geltihs
the state committed to the promotlon
of the great and famous commercial
scheme of the Hoosac tunnel, Whlcn
has cost the state of Massachusetts the
magnificent sum of S23,0OO, OOO-
Worcester should no longer delay ae-
ton on this claim ..,.....
Nv the provisions Of this compulsory
act of 1886, the members Of the genera u
court clearly expressed tnelr pelieA
that they were imposing an UNJUST Luz
den, in the following:
"NJothing in this act, nor the compli-
ance with its provisions by the city OF
Worcester. shall be constructed as an
estoppel or waiver of any claims thal
the citv might otherwise legally OF
eouitably make upon the common
wealth for compensation or relel, OF
assistance. because of injury suffered
ar of benefit directly or indirectly con-
ferred Inv said city upon the common
wealth resulting nom the action mere
by required"
The act itself thereby provides a
remedy nv which Worcester might have
been reimbursed for its enormous eX-
penditure in connection with the dis
posal of its sewage, and why may not
worcester now avail herself of this
remedy
county should be encouraged and Guilt
waited from this time forward, and q
proper distribution of honors and po-
iitical preferment in this county will be
productive Of most desirable results fol
the city Of Worcester and for the peo-
pie of the entire county. The repuDi-
can party has for 80 years, or ever since
its organization, held political control
for one term only had democratic
sheriff. but there has never been a
democrat elected county commissioner,
county treasurer, district attorney, reg
lister of deeds. register of probate and
insolvency. or to any other county Of
fee.
Let the honors be passed around, and
let Worcester be recognized as the
heart Of the county. the centre OF in
7uence. actuated by unselfish motives,
and then there may be a united orga-
nization for the promotion Of those
things and measures that viii best con-
serve the public welfare Of not only
the citizens Of Worcester. but also Of
an the towns which have so many years
stood Loyalty by whatever the people
Of the city have wanted. Let reei-
procity be cultivated between the
towns Of the county and the city of
Worcester and between the citizens Of
Worcester and those of the eastern p0r-