The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-03-14

''NFNNNSid OA''Ol N'S"Ss
Every member of the tax COMMITTEES
Of the select council met last night at
the city clerks office to hear petitions
for aud against the taxing of poles
owned by the Scranton Traction com.
pany. the telephone and telegraph
companies and other electric corpora
tions in the city.
After hearing the arguments pro and
con the committee went into secret
session and after less than AN hours
deliberatlOn decided to refer the nat =
ter to the council without rscOmmen.
datiop.
Members Bevan, Westpfaul. Ross,
Kelly and Roche. comprising the full
committee. were present. General
Manager Ii. II. Archer, of the Scran-
ton Traction company; Richard
O'Brlsn. vice president OF the Central
Pennsylvania Telephone company aud
local manager of the Western Union
Telegraph company; H. f. Paine, rep,
reSenting the board Of trade; f. L
Platt, OF the Suburban Electric com.
pAny. and DR.. b. IL Throop, of the Ii.
luming Heat and Power company. ad-
dressed the COMMITTEES.
Mr.. Paine said the peoples object in
seeking to place tax on poles was not
for the purpose of revenue, but was
practically TO rid the streets OF as many
Of the unsightly objects as posi- ble and
still leave sufficient number to enable
the corporations to conduct their sew =
eral businesses in \ manner safe aud
satisfactory to the public. Hs claimed
that but 3. so Of thA 1000 were necsS-
sary, aud a tax OF 50 800 would bs but
"a small item on the 50. 900. 900 invested.
DR. THRooP'S STATEMENT.
Dr. ..Throop said that the stosk of the
company he represented could be bought
at par OF a shade less. and that no di =
yidend could be paid; the committee
could understand what difference a
tax would make with the value OF
stock
Mr Archer presented petition for
the Scranton Traction company, which.
after some Introductory statements.
set forth the following:
When the writer assumed rhe manage
ment Of the compauy's property in this
city l particularly noted the apparent
liberality upon the part of the city author
tiles, which | am free tO say was one OF the
reasons which made il desirable to accept
the property. / reported to my directors
the fact that there was no pole license tax,
and no license required for running the
cars, both Of which freely admit are in
vogue in a number OF cities. | must say,
however, that these cities ars much larger
than our own. When l made my repor
my instructions were TO pursue liberal
policy in the management Of the property.
Whether this has been done or not leave
to your committee and the public 10 Judge.
The first move upon our part, and which
occurred in less than two months after
taking charge, was the matter OF trans
fers, and within twelve months there have
been l, OS5, 472 people carried free. Shortly
after was instituted cheap fare for the
working class, and in the same length Of
time, there was 2O7, lS0 people carried for
three cents might al'o add that this in
cluded O transfer, and frequently pss5en-
yer will ride from the north end Of Provi-
dence TO either Dnnmore or South Side, a
distance Of from Ave to six miles for the
three cents. Again, a little later on, there
was also placel on sale still cheaper
ticket at two and one-half cents, for school
children and teachers; since which time
there have been carried 80, $40 passengers al
this rate.
MORE OR LESS BUSINESS MATTER.
THIS saving in its entirety to the public
amounts to $50, 905.7O. This, Of course, will
be met by saying that 1t was simply a
matter Of business for the company to
make these concessions and am free to
admit that it was more or less matter OF
business and the result has been that the
graaping corporation by reason OF thess
deductions has earned less than three.
fourth OF per cent. upon It's capital stock,
leaveit to you to judge whether the public
or the company received the most benefit
from this policy. During the year there was
expended over $3.50, 000'ln reconstruction, ex-
tensions and improvements Of the property.
OF this amount over 60 per cent. was ex-
pended in this city. During that time We
had upon our pay rolls over $50 men. aud
there are more than 200 upon the rolls at
the time Of this writing. As a further
evidence of this liberal policy l might add
that the company has recently offered to
contribute $40. 900 toward the construction
Of n yiaduct over West Lackawanna
avenue. Last year we also offered to con.
tribute $1,000 toward the widening Of
Mates street, aud the reconstruction OF
the abutments and bridge az that point;
we also offered to assist in the removal OF
the piers and in the reconstruction OF the
bridges on Carbon street.
We are at this time and have been for
some months past, perfeoting a plan
which will do away with at least half the
poles, by erecting q large pole and all the
the different companies combining. In
the cass OF Lackawsnna avenue alone II
will reduce the poles over IS per cent. For
some time past we have been investigat-
ing the matter OF safety tenders for the
cars, and just az soon as 1t has been deter
mined which one is the best, it will neces
,itate an expenditure Of several thousand
dollars In this alone. A great outlay OF
money will be made during the coming
year In further extensions and improve
ments and our object in giving you these
facts is simply for the purpose OF your con
siderinQ whether or not 1t Is justice to i'm
pose tho tax at this time. With your per.
mission 1 will further add that our taxes,
most Of which goes to the state, are al
ready about $4,000, or the interest OF
600, 600
NUMBER OF POLES IN CITY.
As near as | can tell at this time we have
about 2, 800 poles in tho city, and as we are
constantly extending, this amount, oi
course will materially increase. Frankly
| am opposed to the passage Of this ordi
nance / believe that the imposing and
collection Of such tax at this time would
not only prove a serious matter 60 the
company, one that would have to be mel
by recalling the cheap fares alluded to, bu
it would also seem to indicate that th'
policy OF the company had not been sulfi