The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-12-19
dlst a Word or Two
Of Casual Mention

It took Judge Mcpherson. of Dauphin
county, ten months to formulate the opin-
ion which we printed yesterday in reia-
ton to the Scranton Gas and Water conn.,
pany-that is, ten months In connection
with his other duties. The array of legal
talent on both sides of the controversy
was noteworthy, eliminating, one might
say. in Samuel Dickson, of Philadelphia,
against eX-Justice Hand. Mr.. Dickson
presented In behalf Of the Lehigh Coal and
Navigation company a most astonishing
claim--that Is, 1t would astonish lay
man, perhaps not a lawyer. He held In ef-
feet that that corporation owned abso-
lutely every drop of water in the Lehigh
river, from mouth to headwaters, and
that not even a bird could dip Its beak
into the aforesaid stream without incur
ring penalties Of toll. This modest as
sumption, the court held, did not hold
water; but 1t was no doubt due In large
measure to Judge Hands analytical plead
ing and his comprehensive citation OF for
mer acts of assembly in the premises that
Judge Mcpherson was enabled so clearly
and thoroughly to dispose of Mr.. Dickson $
claim.
William +. KEEPER and Thomas Price,
Of the West Side, are engaged In painting
and decorating the interior Of the build
ings at the Hillside Home. AS is we'll
known, the insane patients, except those
who have to be confined in padded cells
or are under the strict vigilance of the
keepers, are brought to the hall every
Wednesday evening for an hour or SO and
are allowed to dance and enjoy them
selves. Excellent music Is furnished. Last
Wednesday evening Messrs. KEEPER and
Price. upon invitation Of Superintendent
tai NJ Z.
tients with a few of the latest songs of the
day. The same attention was given to the
singers as II II were an audience In one of
the city theaters, and the applause was
bestowed literally and with apparently
as much appreciation. A ballad sung in
Mr.. Prices best style brought forth great
applause and IL failed to cease until he
came forward with an encore.
q
Secretary AthertOn, of the board of
trade, Is a wit as well as a hustler. He
has farmer-relative up In Susquehanna
county who Is Democrat Of the rabid
species. His name is Bullard and he de-
rives much Of his income from the sale Of
superior quality of honey. Billiard vot-
ed for President Cleveland. Recently he
has been complaining of hard times, and
the complaints reached the ears of his
Scranton relative, Secretary Atherton,
who is as pronounced Republican as
Farmer Bullard Is Democrat. The sec
retary one day grasped his pen and with
leer on his blonde face wrote to Bull
lard: IF your honey business isn't BOOM
ing why don't yoG cross your darned bees
with lightning bugs and then they can
see to work at night You surely will get
no money or honey out Of them by day
In this kind of an Administrations
q
Whether Wilkes-Barre is stamping
ground for cut-thrOat and curbstone
brokers', Is a question which invites a
difference of opinions. But there Is one
manufacturer residing not many miles
from the Alligator city who has SOME
pronounced ideas on the subject. In
recent letter to a Scranton party from
whom I've sought financial aid to help him
establish a plant here he says: "In s,p-
preaching Scranton investors with This
proposition, | at once understand that
the question arises-Why do not Wilkes
Barre investors take hold? | answer. Why
have many Other good things gone TO
Scranton? AS there are no first and sec
ond mortgages to be shaved in this busi-
ness, have no business in Wilkes Barre"
Wow!!
o
DR.. J.. c. johnson, editor of the Wilkes
Barre Record, passed few hours in the
city yesterday. He Is to read paper at
the next meeting of the Methodist Minis
ters' association describing q visit he once
made to MOravian village. Dr. Johnson
was asked as to the political situation In
but confessed that he was unable
to state definitely how the five Republi-
can members from the mother county will
line up at Harrisburg on the senatorial
fight. The Penrose people. he said, claim
three and the Wanamaker people claim
four, and there you are.