The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-11-17
THAT Veto OF The mayor
Reasons Why Hc Would Not Sign the
Niaduct Ordinance.
THEY ARE ALL WELL GROUNDED
of the City. Mayor Connell Says lie
Would BE Compelled TO With.
hold His Approval.

The action of Mayor Connell in veto
ng the viaduct ordinance caused much
comment yesterday. especially on the
West Side of the city, but in the shape
in which the measure is at present it
does not appear that any other course
was open to the mayor His conmuni-
cation to councils in full is as follows:
While | believe we all fully realize the
necessity and importance of vladuct
over West Lackawanna avenue 1t is
matter of SO great consideration to the
city from financial standpoint that we
can well afford to make haste slowly. |
therefore desire to call the attention OF
your honorable bodies first to section ].
This section of the ordinance refers 10
the plans and specifications thereto at
tached." There is in fact only attached
blue print, the ground plan and sec
tion of the proposed viaduct, and In view
of the argument OF counsel and the opin-
ion of the court upon the application of
the city for viewers, this involves an or
dinance or resolution duly passed and ar-
proved defining the character of the I'M
provements proposed and naming such
details and specifications as will fully in
from the officers and agents of the city as
well as the property owners affected of
what is to be done and how 1t is to be ac-
complshed." ! think the honorable coun-
ellis will agree with me that the blue print
does not show with sufficient fullness and
exactness the work which the city pro-
poses to do and to enable the viewers TO
ascertain with certainty the damages
which would be occasoned thereby to ad-
joining property.
Exactness Is Important.
The city solicitor informs me that COM
pleteness of plans and specifications are
comparatively unimportant In cases
where the damages are TO be assessed al
ter the work Is done, for In such cases the
city pays for what has actually been done,
whether more or less than the plan called
for, but eXactness in these particulars is
Of the utmost Importance where 1t is
provided to assess the damage before any
thing had been done.
To specify few of the things that are
lacking there might be mentioned the ma
terial of the structure, the location and
the size of the supports, the character and
extent of the masonry, etc, all OF WHEN
particulars are very material facts Tor
the consideration OF the viewers In the as
sessment of damages and none of them
can be supplied by evidence outside of the
ordinance
We must also bear in mind that the
city's Indebtedness is at It's limit, and
that we cannot pass an ordinance con-
templating an expenditure that will eX-
ceed this amount without vote of the
people.
l therefore most respectfully return file
of select council, No. 49, without my ap-
proval.
In conversation with a Tribune re-
porter, concerning his veto, last night,
Mayor Connell said:
I'm the interest of the financial stand
ing of the city, If for no other reason,
l would be compelled to veto the meas
ure, for we know not what this i'm
provement would cost us for damages
to property. There is nothing to pro-
vide for the payment of these damages.
If the money was taken out of the reve-
nues of the city, it would render impos-
sible any other improvements in the
city, no matter how urgently needed.
The city cannot be bonded to raise the
money, for we have now reached the {
per cent. limit, and no more bonds can
be issued without the consent of the
voters of the city until after the city
redeems 100000 of its outstanding
bonds in 1895. New bonds for viaduct
or other purposes could then be floated.
"To go and construct the viaduct and
let property owners secure such judg-
ments as they could against the city
and let thm pile up and accumulate in
terest would ruin our credit and we
would return to the era when city or
ders were peddled about the city and
disposed of at discount. While l am
mayor of this city would never give
my approval to any measure thatwould
tend to thus endanger the financial
standing of the city,"
Future of the Measure.
what suggestions would you make
with regard to the future of this via
duct measure?" asked the reporter.
"Well. We must begin in a business
like way. BY resolution adopted June
10 last, the city solicitor, city engineer
and mayor are authorized to make an
attempt to arbitrate and settle claims
against the city arising from public
improvements. This board might as
certain the exact amount of the dam
ages the city will have to pay. To this
the cost of the viaduct could be added
and then the city bonded, If necessary,
to raise the necessary amount Of
money"
Our miners friend is q 800 clock. Guar
anteed time-keeper. Davidow Bros.