The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-01-12
THE SENATE.

The Senate met at O'Clock.
Senator George of Essex introduced
the petition of John b. Gordon, chief of
the Haverhill fire department and
others, for an amendment fraternal
beneficiary of the act of last year, so
that firemens relief and other similar
organizations may not be limited as to
the amount of funds held by their or
ganizations.
The bill filed by Senator George pro-
vides that certain lines in the act of
last year. which prohibited the holding
| of such gifts, and providing that such
associations Shall not be subject to
the foregoing limitations as to the
amount Of funds to be held for the pur-
poses of its organizations and may ac-
! cept and hold gifts, legacies or other
contributions therefor and any corpora
| ton so limiting it's membership chat
is TO employees of cities, towns and
| the commonwealth, and not paying
death benefits, may pay annuities or
| gratuities, contingent upon disability or
! long service and fix the amount Of as
sessment yearly for such purposes"
| This, it will be noticed, will apply to
/ StHOOL lGdClGfS anu SlllllldI DuDllt ser
wants who may form organizations, and
it offered with the full concurrence of
| the insurance department, which sees
| no objection to it,
The state board of health sent in it's
bulky report on water supply and sew
erage under the act TO protect the puri-
| ty of inland waters.
| There have been more applications
| from cities and towns, individuals aSd
corporations than in any previous year.
AS to ice supply, the board says ice
| from some streams and ponds, II unsafe
for drinking, may be used for ice sup
ply, if the first inch that forms is re-
moved and only the clear ice is re-
| tanned for use. Some ponds have been
found so polluted as to be unsafe for
ice supply.
The board is continuing its investiga-
| lions as 10 poisoning from the use of
lead or other service pipes for water
supply, but is not ready to report.
During the year public water suprries
have been introduced in North Ando-
yer and Billerica, and are nearly COM
pleted in Huntington.
All the 80 cities and 1870 of the 321
towns now have public water supplies.
The total population with public
water supply is 2,257, $685. or 9O.3 per cent
of the total population. The popula-
ton with no supply is 242,52O. Black
stone and Barnstable each with a popu-
lation Of over $500, have no supplies.
Boston, Chelsea. Someryille. Everett,
Maiden, Quincy, Melrose Belmont and
Watertown are now supplied wholly by
the metropolitan water works, while
Medford, Revere and Winthrop are sup
piled in part. Mystic Lake has been
abandoned as q source of supply. The
Nashua river water Is much better than
that supplied Boston previously, while
the average color is reduced from 0.65,
1897 to 0.41, 1893
Sewage disposal systems have been
constructed in Andover, Longmeadow
and at three large state institutions, IA
cities and towns, total population 112.-
667, purify sewage by liberation
through beds Of sand and gravel.
Senator George of Essex offered an
order, which was adopted, that the
joint ways and means committee ex-
anime the securities in the state treas
ury.
Senator Sargent Of Essex secured the
adoption of an order permitting the
committee on prisons to travel.
On motion Of Senator Washburn of
Worcester the time for taking the vote