The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-02-14
Records Of The Days When Our Progressive
City Was Borough.
MEN WHO were At The HELM
Interesting Information Cleaned from
Record in the Possession of the
City Clerk-The Borough History
of Scranton-Men Who We're in
Charge in Earlier DaYs-Some Able
Scrantonians We're Secretaries.

containing the records of the Citys
early history, when the Electric City
was but u borough The records begin
March 81, 1856. and continue till MAY
IL. 1868. or more than two years after
the city was Incorporated.
The first councilmcn the city ever
had were James Harrington, j. C.Platt,
John Niuceholssr, d. X. Kressler and
William NJ. Ward. The first burgess
was Joseph Slocum, ii. l.. Marvine
was the first secretary OF the council.
Burgess Slooum, Councilman Platt and
Secretary Marvine. in conjunction with
John Brisbiue. were appointed COM
mittee to draft by-laws for the gov
ernment of the borough.
The first work of this committee was
to draft an ordinance. the first section
of which provided that cattle were not
to run ut large and in case any were
impounded the high constable was to
give personal notice to the owners,
The fines for impouuding were rs fol-
lows: horses, COWS, swine and dogs %
cents each, geese. sheep and other
mischievous animals cents Any ami
mai not redeemed in three days was
ordered sold. A tax of s. was imposed
on dogs, and they had to wear u collar
bearing the owners name, Vehicles OF
all kinds for obstructiug cross walks
were ordered seized and the penalty
varied with the articles found in the
vehicles, Circuses and theatrical com
pauiss had to pay \ license fee OF Sl5,
Ball playing was prohibits in the pub.
lie street and fine of $2 was imposed
for flying a kite and for using indecent
or protans language, the ranged from
81 10 $40
SMALL PAY FOR OFFICERS.
The assessors salary WAS fixed at
$40 per snnum. but later was reduced
So, and the street commissioner got
50 = day for every day employed A
safety committee of two was appointed
10 examine every stovepipe and chin
ney in the borough twice a year, and
their pay was fixed at 81 80 per day for
every day employed.
For dlscharging a irsarm in the
borough limits save on the Fourth of
| July or without the permission Of the
| burgess tiGe of So was imposed. and
for the same offsnse on Sunday the fine
was s..
On May 70. 1856. W. P. Carling, as.
SCISSOR, presented his list aud the vaus.
| tion amounted to 1853 2S0. A 5-mill
tax was ordered leyied for street. and
and additional j.mill tax was ordered
for borough purposes.
y. B. Hutchinson was the first stree t
commissioner and he expended in MAY,
1856. 500 A gentleman named Jones
was the first attorney of the board.
| Francis A. Page was the frat high
constable, but not attending to the du .
ties the place was given to NJ L. New
| man.
SPECIAL POLICE APPOINTED.
On Oct l3, 1856. the chief of police
recommended the appointment of the
following persons as policemen; John
Grisr, Captain John L. Travis, John
Beekhorn, Simon Jones, Francis Qlick.
Warren Slocum, Richard Sti iwell,
Samuel Virgins, Thomas Besscksr,
John Nape, Ezekisl Fisher, Warren
Tewskes bury, Sesley Niver, Patrick
Blewitt, Edward Leonard and Reuben
Heffsrfngsr. Mr.. Leonard refused to
serve.
There is no record Of where tho frst
meetings were held, but on Monday
! Oct, 20, the meeting was held in tine
office of the railroad company. A week
later some fire company applied for al
engine but was turned down, the Dor
ou9h having three at that time. Or
Nov Mr.. Black was given permission
TO erect hay scales.
On Feb. 8, 1857, an ordinance was
passed compelling the laying of side
walks; hags, planks or bricks to b.
used, aud at the sams nesting Attorney
Jones gave an opinion adverse to IN,
taxation Of monsy that was drawing
interest. On March Joel Amsdsr
WAS appointed borough engineer. The
salary Of the clerk was fixed At $40 pc
annum and the borough treasurer wa
to receive 2t per cent, Of the funds h
handled
NEW BOARD ELECTED.
A new board of town councilmen wa
elected and took their ssats ia March
1851 They were g. Schl4ger w. A
Rogers, J. s. Fuller, j. X Wllliam
and John Bsckhorn, with George San
dsrson as burgess. James G Wright
was chosen secretary. Mr.. Wright
was succeeded as secretary on Oct. 1!
by Edward Kingsbury. and at tina
meeting J. S Fuller and w. s. Roger
we're appointed committee to devise
means for relieving the poor. and at
future meeting it was agreed that thu
revenues OF the board for tho next ysai
should be anticipated aud pledged TO
the alleviation Of the hungry and dsst
tute
The next board took the rsinI Of gov
ernmsnt March 81, 1853, and was made
mp as follows: Burgess, George w
Scranton; councilmen, Thomas Dick.
SOD, Samuel DoIpn. J. J. Albright
Philip Robinson and Frederick Sohro
der. George B Chase was secretary
On April 4, 1859. constitution and by
laws for tho government OF n frs de
partment were adopted.
| G. g. Carpenter was elected higl
constable May 3, 1859, and A. A. Ar
mold was elected chief of police Z. {
Morgan snccesded MIR. Chase as secre
tary. w. Fl. Pier was burgess aud \
j. Leavenworth. II, Schrader, jaime
Mullin, William Kama and N. 9. Nor
ton counoilmen. Daniel Lundy VIA
elected tax collector. The next yea
Il. N Willard was secretary, and tn
minutes are written with margina
notes. He retained that position Ill
1864, when s Sherrerd was chosen.
w. Roseler was elected chief @
police Judge Hand was secretary /
1865. and he was succeeded by u. M. S
Hill. who afterwards became the frs
mayor of the city.
MAKES A vALUALE HIS TORY,
The above is only very incomplet
resume OF the history Of those earl
days, but 1t is as long as a nswspapa
article will permit. The seeker afte
information will be edited by perusa
I II Ia. l. II - 4