The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-04-02
million DOLLAR COUNCIL
Snch Is the Expiring Legislative
Body.
IS NOT AN OlrROBRlOuS TITLE
for Many Reasons Review of the
Legislation 10: the Fiscal
Year sEst Closing.

y Elll!lOn UOiIaf cOuncll WOulu nct
be an altogether unbeltting title for
the body which dissolveS at high noon
on Monday next, for if we figure in vita
the funds that have been expended di-
rectly under its supervision all that has
been spent indirectly. such as assess
ments fCr sewering, paving, grading
and the like. its expenditures VIII not
fall much SkJrs Of a million, If, indeed,
IL does not fully reach that amount
At all events IL has supervised the cN-
pcnuiturc of mere money than any
council th2t has preceded it, which Is
at least one distinction that its mem
hors can claim, and that it is Il distinC-
tion worth claiming follows from the
fact that the first charge of prOdiSality
or breath of scandal in relation to it's
action is yet to be heard,
The principal reason Of the unusual
ly large expenditure Of the past year IS
that the different payments on the two
new bridges, were all made during this
year. In addition To this the ordinary
expenditures were unusually large. Ac-
Cordmg to City Engineer Phillips re-
port to be submitted to councils next
Monday, there was $e6 1i1.65 worth Of
paving. grading and seWeiing done, and
$ll3.,2li3 worth more provided for. The
department appropriations Were, Of
course, also larger than any preceding
year.
WAS \ BUSINESS LIKE BODY.
But the council of '95 has not CON
fined its efforts solely to spending
money. one CT it's greatest recon-
mendations is that II exceeded any Of
its predeCe ssors in the matter Of saw
ing money. The policy of Mayor Con-
ne.rs administration has been to con-
duet the city's business as if the NUM-
cipaiity were a private commercial en-
terprise, and with the aid OF a vigiiant
and astutc city solicitor anu the CO.
operation Of councils, particularly the
expiring one, he has been able to carry
out this policy with great profit to
the city. AS result of this policy. the
one time idea that the city treasury Is
soft mark for ,anyN.Qdy who could
trump IN any kind of ~ damage suit
has been almost entirely dispelled.
The greatest care has always been cX-
ercised to prevent occasions for dam
age suits but when one had to be met
the city's side of the case was a zeal
ously cared for as If it was q personal
affair of the officials themselves. Thous,-
ands of dollars have been saved cs-
pecialiy during the last year by the
settlement of damage cases out of
court. Viewers are generally liberal
with the city's money and aggrieVed
persons are anything hut modest when
they have n good case. Instead of al
lowing the awards to go uncontested
or the damage suits 10 go to court the
city officers have, with the consent of
councils, compromised the cases ON a
fair and equitable basis and thus saved
thousands of dollars in damages and
litigation expenses. AS an instance of
the manner in which the city's interests
are being cared for when cases do get
to court it might be stated that during
the present term of common pleas
every one of the many damage suits
against the city have been Won by
City Solicitor Torrey.
The importance of the legislation
which the present council has enacted
or considered is another item that will
make il a remarkable one. Beside the
various measures dealing with the
erection and payment of the new
bridges might be mentioned the la
mented viaduct ordinance, the meas
ures dealing with widening and im-
proving of the Robinson Jackson street
route to the West Side, the ordinance
directing that all street cars be equip
ped with tenders and wheel guards and
the measures regarding the settlement
of the West Market street mudtile.
SOME IMPORTANT MEASURES.
Among the measures of lesser i'm
portance which are deserving of men,
ton might be included the ordinance
for the opening of Wyoming avenue
from Phelps street to Ash street; the
ordinance providing for the settlement
of the claim of stephen Jones for land
taken for the opening of Washington
avenue. twenty years ago; the ordin-
ance forbidding the laying Of cement
sidewalks and the ordinance prohibit
ing the sale of goods at auction except
by licensed auctioneers. The most iT-
portant of the big batch of resolutions
passed was the one directing the city
solicitor to proceed against the collect
ors of delinquent taxes who are behind
in their accounts, some of them debtors
of the city for nearly decade.
Between the two branches OF councils
provisions were made for the paving of
portions of five streets, for grading
portions of six. and for the construction
of eleven lateral sewers
The only important ordinances that
yet remain to be passed are the appro-
priation ordinance and tax levy ordin
ance both of which will come UP tonight
and also on final passage next Monday
morning when final adjournment Will