The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1901-12-31

on Dec "a, 1900 and IA days later-on
Jan. Z, 1900, it had been fully argued
and ultimate decision rendered by the
highest court in the commonwealth. So
far as | am aware, no case has ever,
in so short a time passed through all
possible stages of court procedure.
The decision of the Board of Regis
trars of Voters was held to be correct.
Under the provisions of chapter 1857
of the laws of 1900, which is the grade
crossing act requiring in Worcester the
abolition of crossings between Union
Station and Cambridge Street James
r. Dunbar of Brookline, formerly
judge of the Superior Court Henry p.
Moulton of Salem, present United
States district attorney for this dis
trict, and George +. Swain, professor
of engineering in the Institute of Tech
nology, and also advisor to the rail-
road commissioners as to bridge con-
struction. have been appointed a COM
mission, and protracted hearings have
been held before them, which are not
yet concluded and no decision has yet
been reached. The hearings have now
reached the consideration of the altera-
lions in Union Station to adapt that
structure to the requirement of the
traffic upon the elevated system of
tracks, an elevation of the tracks of
II feet above their present level in
Union Station being made compulsory
by this act The plan presented by the
representatives of the Boston & AL
bany Railroad Company contemplates
the removal of the southerly trainshed
and the substitution of shelter sheds
for the roof which at present protects
passengers from the inclemency of the
weather, and the reaching of elevated
tracks by stairs through arched pass
ageways under the masonry and en-
bankment which supports the tracks
1t is of vital Importance to the travel
ing public that the changes at Union
Station should be such as to furnish
the highest degree of convenience
which can reasonably be obtained, and
as the changes are necessarily of a
permanent character, they should be
made as nearly right as human skill
judgment and foresight can obtain
The subject is one which demands the
most careful investigation and DELHI
Grafton of the officers of the city and
the earnest effort to procure a suitable
structure for city of the present i'm
portance and possible future greatness
of Worcester.
1t is said that the general appropria-
ton provided for by the statute of 1900
for the payment of the expenses appor-
toned to the commonwealth has been
exhausted, and, therefore, some new
legislation granting a further appro-
priat for the commemorative share
Of grade crossing expenses may be nee
essary before the provisions of our
statute can be fully carried into effect
1t is likely that the Legislature for
1902 will make some provisions of this
nature
The form of locations to be granted
to the public service corporations,
which include the street railways, gas.
electric light, telephone, telegraph
companies and other corporations APP
propriating parts of the public streets
and for the prosecution of their bust
ness, has received prolonged and care
full study. The Board of Aldermen Of
1900 and 1901 have given solicitous at
tention to the subject No subject IL
lustrates better than this the progress
sive character of the science of the law
of municipal corporations.
Several special acts of Importance to
the city were passed by the General
Court of 1901, and at the instance Of
representations of the city, several
important acts Of general character
were also presented and passed.
l believe it to be very desirable that
the City Council grant an appropria-
ton sufficient to provide for the col
lection and publication in a separate
volume all special acts relating to the
city of Worcester. There exists at
present no such compilation.
There are now 70 cases pending in the
courts to which the city is a party
One report gives each case with an alb
stract of the cause of action.