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THE LEGISLATURE
... Debate on the Meigs Elevated Railway Bill.
... "The first matter the House considered yesterday
after the transaction of routine business was the report of the Committee on
street railways on the Meig's petition for an elevated railroad. The first
speaker was Mr. Sprague of Boston, who said that the bill before them was a bill
to build an elevated railroad in the streets of Boston. He then proceeded to
discuss the bill and showed wherein it was defective; that it did not provide
for the damage done by the road while it pretended to do so; that it had been
said, let the bill in and then perfect it. We have had the friends and enemies
of the bill perfecting it for a week, and this bill is the result. Mr. Muzzy of
Cambridge said the entire opposition to the bill, with one exception, came from
the Boston members, and he for one, speaking for the people of Cambridge,
thought the bill ought to be admitted; that it was only a permissive bill, and
the gentlemen from Boston, by their remarks, showed that they were afraid to
trust the aldermen that the people had elected. It had been said that the
introduction of an elevated road would debauch the politics of Boston. Would not
a little healthy competition with the monopoly of horse railroads cause a little
purity in Boston politics? He then referred to the change that had taken place
in his own convictions, and said that the bill was a just one. Mr. Shephard of
Boston was the next speaker, and said it was time that the opposition came from
Boston, and very properly, for it was Boston that would suffer if there was any
suffering. He then opposed the bill, as being in the nature of vicious
legislation, and and as giving too much of a monopoly to one man. Mr. O'Neil of
Boston said that much had been said in regard to the different bills that had
been presented to the House, but he thought that that showed the good intentions
of the friends of the bill, and at the their desire to please all parties, and
no matter what kind of bill he offered it would be opposed just as this one is
opposed. Mr. Reed of Taunton said he was in favor of Mr. Meigs and also in favor
of the people who thought they would be injured by the elevated railroad. He
then proceeded to tear the bill to pieces, and to show that too much power to
one man would be given by its provisions, and that it was not drawn in
accordance with the general railroad laws. Mr. Leonard of Somerset followed, and
favored the bill, while Mr. Brown of Boston opposed it. A vote was then taken,
and Mr. O'Neil's bill, allowing the building of an experimental road, was
substituted for the committee's adverse report by a vote of 133 to 62.
The House then adjourned."
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