The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-09-19

Only six members of the joint fire
department committee, Messrs. Finn,
Burns, Moir, Noone, Thomas and Cor
don. responded to Mayor Bailey's call
for a meeting last night to take action
on the troubles at the Franklin Engine
house. Mr.. Durr, chairman of the COM
mittee, didn't attend for the reason, as
he stated. earlier in the day, that he
believed the Mayor had no right to pro-
ceed as he was doing: that his only
duty was to call the attention of coun-
ellis to the matter and leave 1t to the
committee to dea! with the case. At
the outset of the meeting Captain NOR
and Mr.. Finn expressed the same SEN
timents and advised the mayor to eth
er shoulder the whole affair or leave
the company's difficulties to the COM
mittee to settle. After an hours dis
cussion a motion to disband the COM
pany was lost on a strict party vote
three to three.
The committee then decided to allow
the company to remain undisturbed for
a time in the hope that the majority.
which has now undisputed sway, VIII
promised to take some action regarding
Permanent Man Sproats and indicated
that action would be Immediate and
decisive.
At the outset of the meeting there
was no quorum present ana while walt
ing for Mr.. Finn, who promised to be
around at $50, the Mayor suggested
that the members of the committe"
should express their views in an in
formal way. Mr.. ,iorlon believed 1t
would be better to leave the matter
untouched until after the parade next
Wednesday.
CAPITAL MOIR'S OPINION.
Cptain Moir believed in leaving the
matter entirely alone, as the company
was taking steps to right matters
themselves. The deadlock is broken
now, he said, and as one si6e has a
majority, 1t will in time bring order
out of the existing chaos.
This mention of majority brought
up a discussion as to whether or not
the eight new members were legally
elected. Councilman Simon Thomas,
who was one of the, eight, said he felt
satisfied the election was legal, as two
thirds of the members agreed to the
suspension of the rules. The mayor
and several Others who had examined
the F'ranklins' constitution and by
laws, doubted the legality OF the COM
pany suspending the rules on two
thirds vote, as there was nothing in
their laws or rules bearing on this par
ticular subject. A copy of the COM
pany'S laws was produced by Chief
Hickey, and after searching through it
Il clause was found providing that any
law or rule not inconsistent with the
constitution and bylaws could be
passed on a two-thirds vote. This, the
committee decided, was sufficient to
legaliZe the snap election.
The committee was about ready to
dispense without holding a meeting,
when Mr.. Finn arrived and urged that
a meeting be held and some action
taken. The mayor said Every WELL
and raped the meeting to order. Mr..
Finn held a short whispered conversa-
tion with Captain Mor and Mr..
Thomas and then made a motion to
disband the company, stating that he
made the motion simply to bring the
matter properly before the house. Mr..
Burns seconded 1t.
WOULD BE A CRIME.
Captain Moir was the only one to
discuss the motion, when remarks were
called for. He said it was crime, or
worse, q blunder to disband the Frank
lns, Oldest company in the fire depart
ment, for the causes that present them
selves just now. A majority Is now in
charge Of affairs there and If given
time will bring things around all right.
The only matter the committee has to
look to is to see that the citizens of the
West Side are given a good service by
the company. The chickering's of the
members is something for them to set
tie among themselves. Some OF the
company may not receive just what
may to them seem proper treatment
but the will of the majority is law
and they must submit to it just as
they do in every organization and turn :
ing to the mayor Just as you have to
sometimes your homer"
Now that the company has acted on
the suggestion thrown out at the in
vestigation, and taken in new mem
bers u good service is assured and
until such time as the personal bick-
erings of the members interfere with
their giving a good service, the Captain
believed, the committee was not called
upon to take any cogniZance of them.
The motion to disband the company
was supported by Messrs. Noonc,
Burns and Gordon, Messrs. Finn, Moir
and Thomas voting against it. Mayor
Bailey declined to cast the deciding
vote and the motion was declared lost
by reason of the tie.
1t was then agreed that the commit :
tee would deal with any future
trouble that might arise among the
members and Mayor Bailey promised
to take some action regarding Per-
manent Sproats, the cause of all the
trouble. He said that If he could not
induce the company to accept Sproats
as a member he would have another
suggestion to offer. What it was he
would not say direct, but he intimated
that he would remove him or transfer
him to some other company.
ENGINEER CODDINGTON KILLED.