AN ACT TO FIX THE TIME OF FILING THE ANNUAL STATEMENTS OF Be it enacted, etc., as follows: Chap.217 the annual state ance companies. The annual statements of insurance companies doing Time of filing business in this Commonwealth, which are now required ments of insurto be filed before the fifteenth day of January may in cases where good cause is shown be filed within a date not later than February fifteenth by the consent of the insurance commissioner. Approved May 8, 1884. AN ACT TO CONFIRM THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE LAST ANNUAL Be it enacted, etc., as follows: Chap.218 the annual town SECTION 1. The proceedings of the annual town meet- Proceedings at ing of the town of Otis, held on the first Monday of March meeting conin the year eighteen hundred eighty-four, shall not be firmed. invalid for the reason that the tellers appointed to aid in checking the names of voters and in assorting and counting the votes were not sworn; and the election of the town officers at said meeting is ratified and confirmed. SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon its passage. AN ACT RELATING TO DIVORCE IN CASES OF LONG AND UNEX- Be it enacted, etc., as follows: Chap.219 Divorce for any withstanding libellee as would raise pre legal cause, not such an absence of SECTION 1. A divorce from the bond of matrimony may be decreed for any of the causes allowed by law notwithstanding the fact that the libellee has been continuously absent for such a period of time and under such circumstances as would raise a presumption of death. death. SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon its passage. Approved May 8, 1884. sumption of AN ACT TO ESTABLISH THE SALARY OF THE JUSTICE OF THE FIRST Chap.220 DISTRICT COURT OF BRISTOL, HOLDING COURT IN ATTLEBOROUGH. Be it enacted, etc., as follows: tice. SECTION 1. The justice of the first district court of Salary of jusBristol, who holds sessions of that court in Attleborough under the provisions of chapter one hundred and eightynine of the acts of eighteen hundred seventy-seven, shall be paid at the rate of eight hundred dollars a year. SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon its passage. Approved May 8, 1884. Chap.221 AN ACT TO ESTABLISH AND INCORPORATE THE MASONIC EDUCATION May institute a board of trustees of the funds. AND CHARITY TRUST. Be it enacted, etc., as follows: SECTION 1. The corporation known as the Master, to have charge Wardens and Members of the Grand Lodge of Masons in Massachusetts, established by chapter seventy-three of the acts of the year eighteen hundred and fifty-nine, shall have authority to institute a board of trustees, as hereinafter provided, to receive, hold, invest, re-invest and manage all gifts, devises and bequests made either to said board or to the grand lodge upon trusts for educational or charitable purposes and relief connected with the families of deceased or living members of said grand lodge and its subordinate organizations, or for the relief of distressed freemasons, their widows or orphans, of this or other states or countries, and also for the promotion of its library and collections relating to art, architecture and antiquities; and it may also accept and hold in trust such funds as the said grand lodge may from time to time give to it upon specific trusts for any of the above named charitable or educational uses: provided, however, that the whole amount of funds and property so held shall not exceed one million dollars. Funds and prop erty not to ex ceed $1,000,000. Trustees to become a corporaof the Masonic Education and tion under name Charity Trust. Trustees to hold office for eight years. SECTION 2. When said board of trustees have been elected and shall have organized by electing a president, treasurer and secretary, the board shall report its organization to the grand lodge, and the master thereof shall report the same to the secretary of the Commonwealth, under the seal of the grand lodge attested by the grand secretary, and thereupon said board shall be a corporation by the name of the Masonic Education and Charity Trust, with the same powers and subject to the same restrictions and liabilities as provided by general laws relating to corporations for similar purposes, but shall have none of the powers described in sections eight, nine and eleven of chapter one hundred fifteen of the Public Statutes. SECTION 3. The said grand lodge shall elect eight trustees who shall hold respectively for terms of one, two, three, four, five, six, seven and eight years from the first day of January in the current year, and thereafter shall elect one trustee annually to hold for eight years, and may fill any vacancy that shall arise by death, resignation or removal by the board of any member for infirmity, neglect or other sufficient cause. A trustee may hold over after his term expires till his successor has been elected and No loan of trust to any member funds to be made of the board. to be made to the grand lodge. SECTION 4. No loan shall be made of the trust funds to any member of the board, nor shall any member be surety for such loan. The trustees shall annually report Annual reports the condition and investment of all the funds entrusted to them, to the said master, wardens and members of the grand lodge, whose directors shall cause the accounts of the said board to be examined at least once a year and oftener should they deem it necessary, and certify the result. Approved May 8, 1884. AN ACT REQUIRING RAILROAD COMPANIES TO USE SAFETY COUPLERS Chap.222 ON FREIGHT CARS. Be it enacted, etc., as follows: SECTION 1. Every railroad company operating a railroad or any portion of a railroad, wholly or partly within the state, shall place upon every freight car hereafter constructed or purchased by such corporation, and upon every freight car owned by such corporation, of which the coupler or drawbar is repaired by it, with intent to use such car, such forms or form of automatic or other safety coupler at each end thereof as the board of railroad commissioners may prescribe after examination and test of the same, and the railroad commissioners may annul any recommendation made by them. Safety couplers freight cars. to be used on Provisions may be enforced by SECTION 2. The provisions of this act may be enforced by the supreme judicial court on application of the attor ney-general. SECTION 3. So much of this act as relates to the ex- To take full amination and test shall take effect on its passage, and the 1885. same shall take full effect on the first day of March next. Approved May 8, 1884. effect March 1, Chap.223 AN ACT RELATING TO SAFETY APPLIANCES IN HOTELS AND PUBLIC Certain hotels, etc., not re tain more than BUILDINGS. Be it enacted, etc., as follows: SECTION 1. All hotels, boarding and lodging houses, quired to main- subject to the provisions of chapter two hundred and fiftyone watchman. one of the acts of the year eighteen hundred eighty-three, adopting a system of electric watch-clocks, that shall register at the office the movements of the watchman throughout the house, or adopting in the rooms any system of thermostats, or fire-alarm bells that shall be approved by the inspector of factories and public buildings, or in the city of Boston by the inspector of buildings, shall be exempt from maintaining more than one watchman, in addition to the regular night clerk and porters. Provisions to apply to family hotels. SECTION 2. The provisions of this act and of said chapter two hundred and fifty-one of the acts of the year eighteen hundred and eighty-three shall apply to family hotels. SECTION 3. This act shall take effect upon its passage. Chap.224 AN ACT TO AUTHORIZE THE TOWN OF BEDFORD TO AID THE EX May raise money to aid in railroad. TENSION OF THE BOSTON AND LOWELL RAILROAD. Be it enacted, etc., as follows: SECTION 1. The town of Bedford is hereby authorized construction of to raise by taxation or otherwise a sum of money not to exceed two thousand dollars, and to pay the same to the Boston and Lowell Railroad Corporation as a contribution in aid of the construction of the extension of the railroad of said corporation through said town: provided, that the inhabitants of said town, at a meeting duly called for that purpose, by vote of two-thirds of the legal voters present and voting thereon, shall vote to make such contribution. SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon its passage. Approved May 8, 1884. Subject to a two-thirds vote of the town. Chap.225 AN ACT TO AUTHORIZE THE TOWN OF BILLERICA TO AID THE EX May raise money to aid in TENSION OF THE BOSTON AND LOWELL RAILROAD. Be it enacted, etc., as follows: SECTION 1. The town of Billerica is hereby authorized construction of to raise by taxation or otherwise a sum of money not to exceed forty thousand dollars and to pay the same to the Boston and Lowell Railroad Corporation as a contribution railroad. thirds vote of in aid of the construction of the extension of the railroad SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon its passage. AN ACT IN RELATION TO BETTERMENTS FOR LOCATING, LAYING OUT Chap.226 AND CONSTRUCTING STREETS, WAYS AND PUBLIC PARKS. Be it enacted, etc., as follows: taken for streets ities may agree assessed upon SECTION 1. Whenever the authorities empowered to when land is locate, lay out or construct streets, ways or public parks or parks authorin a city or town, shall take by purchase or otherwise any to assume any land therefor, such authorities may make an agreement betterments in writing with the owner of such land that the city or owner's lands. town shall assume any betterments assessed upon the remainder of such owner's lands or any portion thereof, for such location, laying out and construction, and such agreement shall be binding on such city or town: provided, Owner to resuch owner shall, on such terms as may be agreed upon damages. with said authorities, release to the city or town all claims for damages on account of locating, laying out and constructing such street, way or park. SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon its passage. Approved May 8, 1884. lease claims for AN ACT TO AUTHORIZE THE TRUSTEES OF THE SIGMA PHI SOCIETY Chap.227 OF WILLIAMS COLLEGE TO HOLD ADDITIONAL REAL AND PERSONAL ESTATE. Be it enacted, etc., as follows: tional real and SECTION 1. The trustees of the Sigma Phi Society of May hold addiWilliams College, incorporated by chapter one hundred personal estate. and thirty-five of the acts of eighteen hundred and seventy-three, may for the purposes authorized by its charter hold real and personal estate to an amount not exceeding sixty thousand dollars, which shall not be exempt from taxation. SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon its passage. |