The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-05-13
TIE HYPNOTEZED REPORTER.

Scarcely a day passes that readers of
Tht Tribune are not horriied by reports
of fatalities resulting from the collapse OF
buildings in case OF fiIe or otherwise. IN
many instances the lives Of unfortunate
persons who are obliged to labor in dan-
gerous structures against tne!r VIII. per-
haps, have been crushed out without mo-
ment's warning. In some cases the cause
of the catastrophe has been uneXplainaDle
while In others slight fire mas caused the
DANGEROUS structure to fall. / have often
wondered when reading these accounts
whether Scranton Is not threatened by
dangers of this class. rake, for example,
some portions of lower Lackawanna ave-
nue.. When climbing the r.ckety stairs in
some of these structures whcre thousands
of dollars worth of business Is transacted
yearly. did you ever stop to imagine what
the effect of n slight lar would be upon
the cdiHce? OF late Scranton has been
bcautified by the erection of some very
handsome modern buildings. a It'll. high.
perhaps, but structures that would b. IN
ornament to any city, But believe there
are many buildings IN the city that should
be condemned by The building inspector as
unsafe. This 10 true of new buildings as
well as Of old. In order to cvade the
fire ordinance, the ambitious builder ere2;s
Il single brick wall that win scarcely stand
alone until the roof is on. ana rents 1t TO
tho first misguided individual who comes
along who is willing TO risk his life in
the place. III at least one instance in the
central city bricks nave been laid OH the
ground without foundation of any kind.
III this respect the fire ordinance Is c.r-
tainly damage under present conditions.
A frame building Is much preferable IN
the matter of safety TO the structure with
the thin brick walls that will burn as read
ily as the condemned affair built entirely
of wood. II ought not to be necessary 10
kill dozen persons in order to secure
reform in this direction.
-:l!:.-
Dangers of the public kissing mania
We're illustrated in startling manner at
ST. Louis the other day when man, in
giving his wife sood-hyc kiss, pulled Aer
off street car platform and broke her
leg. Kissing in public is not always SO
dangerous. but II Is often very trying to
the nerves of spectators, The policemen
at one railroad station in this city have
become melancholy, it is said. by being
obliged to witness daily an amount of os-
culation that IL unbearaoe. J had occa-
sion TO witness an encounter of this kind
a few days ago at one Of the railroad sta
tions and can sympathizc with the discon-
solate trainmen \ rather inferior look
ing man of uncertain age wearing hsrce
yellow mustache. walked out on the sta
ton platform accompanied by an unusual-
ly pretty wont.n. The man might have
walked about the place all day without
attracting tho notice that would have been
accorded a yellow dog. But the young wo-
man gained the admiration OF all In sight
without an effort She was pretty. styl-
ish, and wore smile Of radiance that baf-
1ied DESCRIPTION. AS Tor the want of bet
ter occunation. ! looked at the pair and
tried to decide In my own mind whether
the man was husband. father or uncle ot
the fair young creature. the train sud-
denly started. The effect on the coiple
was startling. They fairly leaped into HE
air and fell in each others arms and for
a second or two II was impossible to tell
to whom the yellow mustache belonged
The girls hat was knocked over to one
side and the mans noclstie was badly dis
arranged. But they did not mind Tho
man looked serene as he stepped on the
train and the young lady Joined in the
laughter Of the spectators who had wit
messed the affair: and as the train moved
ont. she tripped gaily up the street, ap-
parently happier for having given tie
people on the train an exhibition of kiss.
ing up-to-datc.
-:ll.--
am pleased to note that an effort has
been mnde on part OF the management Of
the Scranton base ball enterprise to eie-
vate the game to q certain extent and
mako provisions for the comfort Of pat
rons to the park that insure pleasant
afternoon for nll Visitors. sr Is not likely
that the base ball games thia season can
be considered In the light Of society events,
but there. ID no reason why they should