The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-03-16
POLE TAX IS killed
Tie Vote OF Nine and Nine Relieves Electric
Companies Of Taxation.
EXIT OF BROWNING ORDINANCE

Polling of Names Received in Silence
of flushed ExpectancY-President
Chittenden and Member Sanderson
Did Not Vote-Competitive Plans
for Proposed Bridges Meeting of
Common Council.
At last nights meeting of the select
council the pole tax ordinance was
killed and the electric companies OF
the city relieved OF taxation by tie
vote Of 0 for aud 8 against. The par
ticulars of tho vote are as follows:
Yeas-Miller, P. sKoly, Bevan, Roche,
Schwenk, Manley, Clemons, Conuell and
\ Lauer.
Maya Williams Koch, McClnn, Eel
lows, Kellow, j. Kelly, Westpfahl and
Fer6er.
Not votiug-Chlttonden and sauderson.
Absent olden.
When thu ordinance was read by City
Clerk Layello for action. the interest
IN proceedings was apparent, Conver'
sation ceased, and every one assumed
an air OF hushed expectancy. President
| Chittendsn. before tho members names
were read for resp )nsive vote, al
nounced that by law ho was debsrred
from voting. When Mr.. Sand-rson's
mans was reached that gentleman
arose and asked the privilege of ex.
planning why his vote could not DO re-
corded. He said his interests in the
matter were personal and pecuniary,
and vote by him would not b. legal,
NO DEBATE NOR ARGUMENT,
Contrary to expectation. there was
no debate nor argument preceding the
vote. The report of the taxes commit
tsS who heard arguments Tuesday
night pro and con by representatives Of
the electric companies ani Mr. Paine,
Of the board Of trade. AMI returned the
ordinance to the council without rec
omHendatiou, WAS accepted.
The bills providing for approaches
and abutments os the Linden street
and Roaring Brook bridges wsrs passed
on third and final readings.
The communication from Mayor
Connsll with the letter of w. w.
Scranton attached, Offering to sell the
city the electric plant Of the Scranton
| Electric Light company, was read. The
mayor recommended that the matter
be given the councils special attention
and that a committee be appointed TO
carefully investigate the value, cost of
maintenance. etc, of the plant and re-
turn a full and detailed report as early
ss posi- Die.
Mr.. Sanderson reminded the council
Of its proximity to the end of the term
and said he hoped no action would be
taken to have the matter referred to its
| proper committee. In such y case the
committee could only report mesgerly
ard unsatisfac'orily and the matter
was too important to be killed by being
| brought up too late for action by the
present council. He moved, therefore,
chat the mayors communication be re-
ceived and placed on file. The motion
was carried.
W ". sCRANTON's LETTER.
Ir. Scranton's letter was as follows;
OFFICE OF
| $ lANTON ELECTRIC LIGHT & HEAT Co.,
SCRANTON, March l5 1894.
don. William L. Connell, Mayor:
DEAR SIR:-As our year for lighting the
city streets closes April l, 1 suggest
whether, instead of renewing the con-
tract, it might not be for the advantage OF
the city to buy our plant.
| Our works, Of the most solid and sub
stantial character, were built expressly TO
| light the city streets. together with such
| private custom as might DO obtained along
| these lines As is we'll known, our lines
extend throughout the city in all directions
from the Notch to Minooka, from Little
England to West Mountain, wherever
the councils have ordered lights. We
have on hand, in good condition, the boil
ers, engines, dynamos aud lamps for $40
lights OF these We are running at pres
ent about 100, Of which 300 are commercial
and 40 arc city lights, leaving consider
ably more than 100 which the city could at
once without extra expense, erect at such
points as il saw fit. We have one spare
engine which can run 12O lights in addition
to the above, and we have under roof the
foundations completed for still another
engine and two dynamos, good for still an
other 100 lights We have also one spare
dyaamo on hand, good for sixty lights.
Our system, the Brush, believe to be the
| simplest, most satisfactory and most easily
maintained at least expense Of any. In
short for city arc lighting purposes it ia
difficult to see how our plant could well
be improved,
This plant has cost as something over
$3.50, 900. We offer it to the city for $50
600 the city, OF course, TO assume pay
ment of principal and interest Of our out.
standing 5000, 900 five per cent. debenture
bonds, which, however, are not due TIL
1898, though they can, II desired, be called
10 twenty years sooner.
The cost OF Lighting to the city would
then be $4,000 interest a year, together
with such extra expense rs the profit in
commercial lights might not defray. We
siould, OF course, turn over to the city
fred Of charge, all material of every kind
we might have on hand, betting, Carbons
oil lamp globes, ETC., and would be
pleased to help in every way such officers
as the city might place in charge OF their
operations.
To those who believe it desirable for n
city to own its lighting plant aud TO have
1t as widely extended as possible thii
would enable tho experiment Of ascertain
ing whnt economies lie In municipal own
ership to be tried at comparatively small
expense. II your honor concurs in thes'
| VleWS, IespeCJl uI'J AepuoSt thhv Jou OVni
municate this letter tn the councils fol
their consideration. Yours truly,
W. w. SCRANTON, President.
PLANS FOR BRIDGES.
Anent the construction Of thu two
proposed bridg's the following resolu-
tion was adopted:
Resolved, BY tho select council Of tn
city OF Scranton, tho common council con
curing, that the city clerk be instructe,
to solicitcompetitive plans from at least siI
reputable bridge companies for the sub
structure of tho proposed bridgss over tn,
Lackawanna river at Linden street and
over tho Roaring brook from Platt place
TO Front street, the furnishing and use o.
said plans to be Of no expense to the city
CT Scranton The city engineer shall fur