The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-05-16
The CITY COUNCIL.
Many Surprises in
Store For the
Members.
T. C. BATES TALKS.
Committee Reported 'Inex-
pedient to Act' on the
Recommendation.

T
Several surprises were sprung at last
nights meeting Of the city council
Matters which, taken in connection
with an unusually long calendar, kept
the members busy until after midnight.
In the first place. when members of
the council assembled. they noticed
that outside lights about the municipal
building were lighted in accordance
with The Spy's suggestion, and remarks
of approval We're heardon all sides, for
this was sign that something out of the
ordinary was taking place in the mu-
nicipal building. 1t was stated last
night that the outside lights will be
turned on hereafter whenever there is
to be a meeting Of the city council
1t became noised about the streets
yesterday afternoon that an effort was
to be made to railroad the report OF the
grade crossing commission through, IN
spite of thu rei onstrants, and that ar
arrangements had been made with SEN
ator c. G.. Washburn to introduce bill
in the legislature which was to be re-
ferred to the next Legislature, to abol-
ish grade crossings in Worcester by
elevating the tracks.
This rumor was sufficient to set the
opposition to elevated tracks in motion,
and shortly after the upper board came
TO order, Alderman O'Connell presented
the following petition signed by Ran
som c. Taylor for the citizens commit
tee. asking for a public hearing in the
matter of elevating tracks:
ITO the Honorable City Council;
Respectfully petitions the under
signed, a resident and tax payer of the
city of Worcester for a public hearing
in the matter Of the elevation of the
railroad tracks in the city of Worcester
above the present grade of the streets.
Your petitioner also demonstrates
against the adoption of the report of
the expert engineers, appointed by the
mayor to consider the abolition of the
grade crossings and petitions for a
hearing in the above permits.
"One of and for the citizens commit
tee. Ransom C. Taylor"
Alderman OConnell accompanied the
petition with q motion that the petit
TONER be given a public hearing before
the city council in joint convention
May 81, at 7:45 o'clock. The motion was
lost. the republicans voting solidly
against the motion.
Later in the evening Alderman
O'Connel introduced an order that
Temonstrants be given hearing before
the joint convention of the city coun-
ell Monday night May %, at 7:45 o'clock.
which was carried unanimously.
Another matter not down on the
calendar was the presentation of a
petition by Alderman Barrett asking
that the city council meet in Joint con-
vention to hear what Hon. T. c. Bates
had to say regarding what action Wor-
cester might take in connection with
reseTving certain rights in the sewer to
the sea problem. The petition was
granted and after listening to Mr.
Bates the matter was referred to the
Joint committee on legislation with
permission to sit during the session. Mr..
Bates also appeared before the commit
tee and explained parts of his address
that were not quite clear to some of the
members. The committee reported I'm
expedient to act" in view of the fact
the time was too short to consider the
matter as thoroughly as was wished
Readers of The Spy were cognizant
or the fact that the fountain question
was TO come up at last nights meeting,
but others were surprised when they
found an order on the calendar author
izing the committee on mayors in
augural and unfinished business to re-
port on matters relating to drinking
fountain.
When the order was reached, Alder
man O'ConnelI moved that It be laid
over until later in the evening. and in
consequence it was almost the last
matter to be considered although pre-
vious to this time the chair, thinking
business was finished, aside from the
order, took 1t up and something of a
breeze was occasioned, during which
Alderman O'Connell took exceptions to
the ruling of the chair. and for a few
minutes a tilt seemed inevitable It
seemed as though all the members
We're talking at once, but order was
finally restored and the matter laid
over until later.
When the order finally came up AL
derman Back moved for its adoption
and in spite Of an eloquent appeal on
the part Of Alderman O'Connell. that
the question be allowed to die a nat
ural death in the committee instead Of
being reiuyenated to cause more hard
feeling, the motion was carried by
vote Of to 3.
Alderman Barrett then moved the
adoption Of the following resolutions:
Whereas, the city of Worcester is All
American city and its citizens, whether
native born or naturalized are Ameri-
can citizens. and
Whereas, all of the citizens OF Wor-
cester, from the earliest days in the
history Of this community have enjoyed
equal rights and equal privileges in the
use Of the old common, which WAS con-
seerated by the revolutionary patriots
in the sacred cause Of American liber-
ty and American nationality:
Therefore, be it resolved that the
preservation of the rights and privi-
leges Of all the citizens of Worcester
and loyalty to the principles of Amerl-
can liberty and American nationality,
forbid the erection upon any part Of
the common Of anS monument, memo
rial or entablature excepting such as
may commemorate American ideas or
American institutions"
The motion to adopt the resolutions
was lost, and then Alderman OConnell