The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-11-19
TWO IMPORTANT THINGS
We're Included II Last Nights Board
of Trade Business.
PAID FIRE SERVICE WANTED
Board Rsbeiied Against the Laekswanna
Roads Mileage system Stsps Taken
Toward Moro Definite Action on Two
Muttors-Othcr Now Business.

MutVOJS~ObhS -
Two very pertinent local questions
were considered along with the usual
batch of business at last nights meet
ing Of the board of trade. A movement
was started to negotiate with the Della
ware, Lackawanna and Western rail-
road company relative to abolishing Jus
present mileage system and looking to-
ward a return to the old books. Com
mittees were appointed to try and Sc
cure through councils the creation OF
the Office of fire marshal and a reorgan-
ization of the fire department as a paid
system.
1t was expressed by Secretary Ather-
ton that although the report of the
manufacturers committee had been
prepared, the committee had proper
reason for withholding 1t until the De-
cember meeting. He stated that n
new industry had been secured and that
negotiations with another were nearly
consumated, and that the facts relative
to the two concerns would probably be
received with interest and qualification
at the December meeting.
Relative to the fire marshal matter
the following report was received and
adopted:
your committee on Public Safety
beg to offer the following resolution, to
wit:
Resolved-That the City Solicitor is
hereby respectfully urged to ut once
prepare an ordinance (fOr the consider
alton of the councils Of this city, ere
ating the office of fire marshal, and
making the necessary appropriation for
salary and expenses, as provided by Bill
No. ia. passed by the General Assembly
Of the Commonwealth Of Pennsylvania
at the session of 1895, n be 1t further
Resolved-That the Secretary be in
structed to furnish the City Solicitor
with a copy of these resolutions, with
an earnest request that the ordinance
be prepared as early as possible. In or
der that the fire marshal may enter
upon his duties as soon as practicable.
Respectfully submitted.
Signed-R. w. Luce, chairman"
Report ON the Public Market.
The special committee appointed to
investigate the public market idea
made the following report, which was
adopted:
Your committee appointed to investi-
gate the feasibility and wisdom Of es-
tablishing a public market in this city,
beg to report as follows, to wit:
"First-We believe that a public mar
ket properly managed and centrally To-
Gated, would be a paying investment to
thS III @ 6hSoN
ence to the public generally.
"Second-We also believe that II a
public market is established, 1t should
be conducted by a private corporation,
and not under the city government.
"Third-Before a corporation could
successfully carry on a business of this
character, certain legislation would be
necessary relative to and governing the
sale of produce on the streets by huck-
sters n push-carts.
A the resolution under which his
committee was created carried with it
instructions to report only on the feas-
Utility and wisdom Of establishing a
public market. we beg to go a little be-
yond that point and make the follow
ing recommendations, viz:
"First-We recommend that the COM
mittee on legislation and taxes be in
structed to prepare an ordinance gov
erning the sale Of produce or the
streets, as provided by the laws Of this
commonwealth.
SecOnd-If the necessary legislation
can be secured. we would recommend
that a corporation be formed with sum-
cient capital to purchase a desirable
site. erect suitable buildings thereon,
and conduct a regular public market
business, believing from data at hand
that 1t would prove a paying invest
ment 10 Sne StOcknoluerS.
New Members Elected.
The following new members were
elected: A d. Preston, dentist; Fred ].
Widmayer, president of the Lacka-
ann Stone company, and Mr.. Lebeck,
Of the dry goods firm of Lebeck &
CORN.
1t was resolved that the memorial to
the Democratic and Republican ma
tional committees passed by the Cleve-
land chamber Of commerce Oct. 90, 1895,
requesting the shortening Of the presi-
Dental campaign from six to three
months, be concurred in.
Relative to a paid fire department the
communication of the boards secretary
was as follows:
Acting upon the suggestion of Col
onel F. L.. Hitchcock, president Of the
Underwriters association, of this city,
I have collected some valuable infor-
nation relative to the cost of mainten-
ance, equipment, ETC., Of fire depart
ments In different cities in this country
and Canada. The testimony of the
heads Of the different departments
from whom information was solicited,
would seem to warrant at least an in
vestigation on the part of this board as
to the wisdom of ~re-organizing the fire
department of this city into a paid de-
partment. With this end in view l
would respectfully suggest that this
matter be referred to a committee Of
three. with instructions t o report in
writing to this board at its December
meeting. Respectfully submitted,
D. B. Atherton, secretary"
The suggestion embodied in the letter
was put as a motion before the meeting
and was adopted and according to it's
provisions President May appointed
Colonel F. L. Hitchcock, Solomon
Goldsmith and ]. H. Steel to constitute
the committee.
1t was upon the suggestion of Mr..
Steel that action was taken on the
mileage question. He said that the
present system Of the Lackawanna
road Is very obnoxious to business
firms. especially those having several
travelling statesmen. The system per-
mits only the purchaser to use a mil
leage, which a be obtained only az
ter a great deal Of red tape. He made
a motion that a committee be appoint
ed to demonstrate with the Lackawan-
ma company, and urge them to return
to the old system. The motion was
amended to include the Ontario and
Western road. and was adopted. John
M. Kemmerer. John T. Porter and r.
]. Kelly were appointed the committee.