Merrimack

Valley Horse
Railroad

Company.

Uniformity

of legislation in the United States.

Civil Service
Commissioners.

Refunding of certain taxes

savings banks.

By Mr. Richardson of Newburyport, from the committee on Street Railways, on a petition, a Bill to change the name of the Merrimack Valley Horse Railroad Company. Severally read and ordered to a second reading.

By Mr. Ladd of Boston, from the committee on Finance, that the Bill to establish a board of commissioners for the promotion of uniformity of legislation in the United States ought to pass.

By Mr. Kilmer of Somerville, from the same committee, that the Bill to authorize the Civil Service Commissioners to summon witnesses and take testimony ought to pass. Severally placed in the orders of the day for to-morrow for a second reading.

By Mr. Converse of Winchendon, from the committee assessed against on Banks and Banking, on a petition, a Bill to provide for refunding certain taxes assessed against savings banks. By Mr. Dyar of Boston, from the committee on Military Affairs, on a petition, a Resolve in favor of William Emerson.

William Emerson.

Message from the Governor, gypsy moth.

Bills enacted.

Severally read and referred, under the rule, to the committee on Finance.

Discharged from the Orders.

On motion of Mr. Wardwell of Haverhill, the motion to reconsider the vote whereby the House, yesterday, referred to the joint committee on Rules the message from His Excellency the Governor, concerning the Gypsy Moth Commission, with a letter from a committee of the State Board of Agriculture, was discharged from the orders of the day, under a suspension of the rule. The motion to reconsider prevailed. Pending the recurring question on the reference of the message, with the accompanying letter, to the joint committee on Rules, it was, on motion of Mr. Rosnosky of Boston, referred to the committee on Agriculture and sent up for concurrence.

Bills Enacted and Resolves Passed.

Engrossed bills :

Concerning the salary of the late Richard F. Tobin of the Board of Fire Commissioners of the city of Boston; To authorize the proprietors of the New Mattakessett Creeks in Edgartown to fish by means of seines in Katama Bay;

Relative to preserving ornamental and shade trees on the highways;

To authorize the Proprietors of the First Universalist Meeting-house of Salem to hold additional property;

To authorize the consolidation of the Fitchburg and Monadnock Railroad companies;

To amend an act relating to the printing and distributing of ballots for town elections at the public expense, so as to provide for the appointment of additional ballot officers; To incorporate the Harwich Port Cemetery Association in the town of Harwich; and

To change the name of the George F. Littlefield Shoe Company of Turner's Falls;

(Which severally originated in the House);

Relating to administering the oath of office to tellers in town meetings;

To authorize the Trustees of the Smith College to hold additional real and personal estate;

To authorize the city of Boston to pay the widow of John T. Kilty, late an employee in the bridge department of said city, a sum not exceeding $1,000; and

Relating to the amount of money to be advanced to the disbursing officer of the Board of Lunacy and Charity; (Which severally originated in the Senate);

Were severally passed to be enacted, signed and sent to the Senate.

Engrossed resolves:

In favor of Mary Briggs;
In favor of George Hayden;
In favor of George P. Guerrier;

In favor of Charles A. Dearborn;

In favor of the estate of the late William Washburn ; Providing for the printing of 500 extra copies of the report of the State Board of Arbitration; and

Relating to the transfer of certain military property to the Massachusetts Agricultural College;

(Which severally originated in the House); and

In favor of the Trustees of the Soldiers' Home in Massachusetts (which originated in the Senate);

Were severally passed, signed and sent to the Senate.

Resolves passed.

Orders of the day.

Orders of the Day.

The report of the joint committee on the Judiciary, leave to withdraw, on the petition of the selectmen of Watertown for authority to take real estate along the line of Treadaway Brook, so called, in Watertown, was accepted and sent up for concurrence.

Bills:

To amend chapter 84 of the Public Statutes relating to the support of paupers by cities and towns;

To amend section 90 of chapter 167 of the Public Statutes so that it shall apply to the district court of Hampshire;

To authorize the Salem Building Association to issue preferred stock;

To incorporate the Pentucket Savings Bank of Haverhill;

To amend section 21 of chapter 86 of the Public Statutes relating to the State almshouse and State paupers; and

In addition to an act authorizing the Boston, Revere Beach and Lynn Railroad Company to unite and consolidate with the Boston, Winthrop and Shore Railroad Company; and

Resolves:

In favor of Hiram N. Denham;

In favor of Sarah E. Geyer;

In favor of Gideon M. Morley; and

In favor of Joseph Fernald;

Were severally read a second time and ordered to a third reading.

The report of the joint committee on Rules, inexpedient to legislate, on an order relative to the enactment of such laws or the making of such regulations as shall prevent corporations, associations or individuals interested in matters to be acted upon by any State, county, city or town officials, or by the Legislature, from offering or having offered in their behalf entertainment to such officials or members, and to prevent its acceptance by them, was considered. Mr. Powers of Hyde Park moved to amend by the substitution of aBill to protect and purify the public service," which was read. Pending the amendment, and pending the main question on the acceptance of the report, Mr. Quincy

of Quincy moved that the further consideration thereof be postponed until to-morrow. After debate, the motion. prevailed by a vote of 96 to 69.

The Bill to incorporate the Winthrop Loan and Trust Company was read a second time and considered. After debate, the previous question having been ordered, on motion of Mr. Lane of Springfield, the bill was ordered to a third reading by a vote of 100 to 48.

The Bill to prevent the entertainment of members of the General Court by persons and corporations interested in certain legislation was read a second time and considered. Pending the question on ordering the bill to a third reading, it was, after debate, laid on the table, on motion of Mr. Wardwell of Haverhill.

The Bill to incorporate the Waushacum Lake Company was read a second time and considered. After debate, the previous question having been ordered, on motion of Mr. Emery of Taunton, the bill was ordered to a third reading.

Bills:

To incorporate the Weymouth Agricultural and Industrial Society; and

To establish the salary of the justice of the second district court of Bristol;

Were severally read a third time, passed to be engrossed, and sent up for concurrence.

The Bill to prevent deception in the manufacture and sale of imitation butter was read a third time and was passed to be engrossed, in concurrence.

The Bill to provide for licensing conductors, drivers and despatchers of street railway cars in cities was read a third time and considered. Pending the debate, the Speaker ordered the doors to be closed, and called for a count of the House, and it appeared that 103 members were present. Mr. Lomasney of Boston moved that the doors be opened, which motion was lost. After further debate the bill was passed to be engrossed and sent up for concurrence.

On motion of Mr. Lomasney of Boston, at twenty-eight minutes before five o'clock, the House adjourned.

Committee on Public Health,stenographer.

Contested

election, James D. Doherty,

FRIDAY, February 27, 1891.

Met according to adjournment, at one o'clock P.M.
Prayer was offered by the Chaplain.

Orders Adopted.

Ordered, That the committee on Public Health be authorized to employ a stenographer in the hearings upon legislation relative to the sale and use of arsenic.

Sent up for concurrence.

On motion of Mr. Bacheller of Lynn,

Ordered, That the committee on Elections be authorized to send for persons and papers in the matter of the "petiseventh Suffolk tion of James D. Doherty for a recount of the votes in the seventh Suffolk district, and that he may be declared to be the representative from that district."

representative

district.

Constitutional amendment,

division of towns.

Hampden
County,- trout.

Petitions.

The following petitions were referred, as follows, as recommended by the committee on Rules:

Petition, presented by Mr. Fletcher of Lancaster, of the selectmen, chairman of school committee, overseers of the poor and other citizens of Boylston, for an amendment to the Constitution requiring the consent of inhabitants to the division of towns. To the committee on Constitutional Amendments.

Petition, presented by Mr. Dickinson of Springfield, of W. F. Sturtevant and 63 others, in aid of the order relative to amending the law as to the taking of trout so that trout may be taken in Hampden County between April 1 and September 1. To the committee on Fisheries and Game.

Severally sent up for concurrence.

Mr. Quincy of Quincy, from the committee on Rules, to whom was transmitted on February 2 a petition of the Nationalist League of Massachusetts, asking for legislation