518 



MASSACHUSETTS. 



ments of the State Government, it was voted 

 to take a parcel of land adjoining, known as 

 the " Reservoir " lot, and a sum not exceeding 

 $500,000 was appropriated for payment of 

 damages to the owners. This sum is to be 

 raised by an issue of four-per-cent. scrip, pay- 

 able in July, 1901. 



Two new cities, Quincy and Woburn, were 

 incorporated at this session. The population 

 of the former, by the census of 1885, was 12,- 

 145 ; of the latter, 11,750. 



A woman suffrage bill and a resolution for 

 biennial elections of State officers were de- 

 feated in the Lower House. 



The following general laws were also passed : 



Authorizing the Boston and Providence Railroad 

 corporation to lease its road to the Old Colony Rail- 

 road Company. 



Erecting the town of Avon out of a part of the town 

 of Stoughton. 



Increasing the number of associate justices of the 

 Superior Court from eleven to thirteen. 



Increasing the range of legal investments for sav- 

 ings-banks. 



Providing for the registration and licensing of 

 plumbers. 



To authorize the incorporation of labor or trade or- 

 ganizations. 



To cause proper sanitary provisions and proper 

 ventilation in public buildings and school- houses. 



Prohibiting railroad corporations from requiring 

 women and children to ride in smoking-cars. 



Extending to the first day of October the time in 

 which persons may apply for assessment of taxes, and 

 providing for evening sessions of the assessors. 



Eegulating the sale and purchase of poisons. 



Providing for the free instruction of deaf mutes or 

 deaf children. 



Authorizing the Boston and Maine Railroad to pur- 

 chase the franchise and property of the Eastern Kail- 

 road Company, and the Eastern Railroad in New 

 Hampshire, and the Portsmouth, Great Falls, aud 

 Conway Railroad. 



Providing a bounty of one dollar each for the de- 

 struction of seals. 



To regulate the sale of commercial fertilizers. 



Requiring the equipment of fire departments with 

 apparatus for the saving of life at fires. 



To punish the sending of women and girls to houses 

 of ill-tame and their detention therein. 



Requiring the plans of all public buildings, and of 

 private buildings more than two stories in height, 

 having above the second story accommodations for tea 

 or more employe's, or having ten or more rooms for 

 guests above the second story, to be submitted to the 

 inspector of factories and buildings of the district and 

 approved by him, and making certain rules to be ob- 

 served in the construction of such buildings. 



To prevent encroachment upon or obstruction of 

 the waters of great ponds. 



Authorizing towns to regulate the catching of pick- 

 erel. 



To establish a naval battalion to be attached to the 

 volunteer militia. 



To protect the purity of inland waters, and to re- 

 quire consultation with the State Board of Health re- 

 garding the establishment of systems of water-supply, 

 drainage, apd sewerage. 



Authorizing cities to indemnify police officers for 

 injuries received or expenses incurred in the discharge 

 of their duties. 



To provide for the final determination of contests 

 concerning the election of electors of President and 

 Vice-President of the United States. 



To provide armories for the State volunteer militia. 



Regulating mortgage, loan, and investment com- 

 panies. 



Amending and codifying the statutes relative to the 

 collection of taxes. 



Raising the age of consent in females from thirteen 

 to fourteen years. 



To prevent the desecration of graves by the re- 

 moval therefrom of flowers, flags, or other memorial 

 tokens. 



Providing for the appointment of a State agent 

 whose duty shall be to assist citizens of the State in 

 the presentation and settlement of pension, bounty, 

 or back-pay claims against the Federal Government. 



Defining the duties and liabilities and regulating 

 the business of safe-deposit, loan, and trust com- 

 panies. 



Regulating the weight and measure of cider-apples, 

 beans, and peas. 



Making an appropriation to be expended in aiding 

 discharged female prisoners. 



Changing the procedure in poor-debtor matters. 



Making further regulations as to means of egress 

 and of escape from fire in buildings. 



Providing for the organization of fraternal benefi- 

 ciary organizations. 



Providing for a new division of wards in cities. 



Providing for the public support, in cases of neces- 

 sity, of soldiers or sailors of the late war and their de- 

 pendent families, without requiring them to go to an 

 almshouse. 



To regulate the holding of caucuses or public meet- 

 ings of voters hi cities or towns for political purposes. 



Finances. The general financial statement of 

 the Treasurer for the year is as follows : Cash 

 on hand Jan. 1, 1888, $3,743,536.59; securities 

 on hand, $27,845,153.35; receipt?, $23,546,- 

 078.11; securities purchased, $2,496,225.15; 

 total, $57,630,993.20; payments, $22,970,003.- 

 17; securities withdrawn and sold or paid, $4,- 

 468,931.95 ; cash on hand, $4,319,611.53 ; se- 

 curities on hand, $25,872,446.55 ; total, $57,- 

 630,993.20. 



On Dec. 31, 1887, the funded debt was $31,- 

 429,680.90; the reduction for the year amount- 

 ed to $2,578,061.25, leaving $28,851,619.65 on 

 Dec. 31, 1838. During the same period the sink- 

 ing-fund was reduced from $25,151,516.78 to 

 $23,235,608.84, a decrease of $1,915,907.94. 

 The following loans composed this debt at the 

 close of the year : Boston, Hartford, and Erie 

 loan, $3,618,729.40; county fund loan, $8,- 

 402,148.90; coast-defense loan, $6,000; Dan- 

 vers Hospital loan, $1,500,000; harbor im- 

 provement loan, $300,000 ; State House loan, 

 $500,000; State Prison loan, $1,299,355.50; 

 Troy and Greenfield loan, $11,219,966.95; war 

 loan, $1,505,418.90; Worcester Hospital loan, 

 $1,100,000. The total amount paid for interest 

 on these loans was $1,458,729.46. 



During the year the United States Supreme 

 Court decided the law of the State taxing the 

 stock of national banks to be constitutional, 

 and the sum of $465,131.41, which had been 

 paid by the banks under protest and was held 

 by the Treasurer to await the decision, was dis- 

 tributed to the various cities and towns entitled 

 thereto. 



The actual expenses of the State Government 

 for 1887 were $5,028,385.98; for 1888, $4,- 

 985,135.47. For 1889 the estimated revenue 

 is 5,087,606.82, and the expenditures $5,930,- 

 606.16, leaving a deficit of nearly $850,000. 



The limitation of time for the payment of 



