The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-02-25

OF DOtnef IN SettinS an optioh oh tHe
property and then in getting the
mayors approval. His trouble is the
only reward for his pains. The s3.aoo
does not appear among the items in the
appropriation ordinance.
Councilman Keller has as much
cause fer grief as any of them. but
he is takinS his trouble in philosophi-
cal manner. which is. no doubt. the
proper light in which he should view
them, inasmuch as he is one of the
men who were foremost in framing the
appropriation ordinance as it now
stands. He wanted to have Vine
street, Irving avenue and Ferber court
opened through the irregular plot of
land on which are located the proper
ties of Messrs. Gehreus. Riefenberg and
Mccarthy. This plot was surveyed
and laid out about half n century ago
and the plot in question blocks the
three throughfares which have extend
ed themselves to this point. 1t would
cost $4,000 to open Vine street. and 5000
additional to open Ferber court. What
il would cost to open Irving avenue has
not been officially estimated as yet.
These streets will have to cease grow
ing for a year at least.
Last fall the city ran a sewer through
these properties. The property hold
ers We're very indignant at this pro-
ceeding, but finally compromised for
$3.50 apiece. There is no item of $3.50
to settle this claim. and the judgments
and incidentals fund which might be
held responsible for it was cut down
from 100000 to $4,000. which is not
half enough. Controller Widmayer says
to meet the more pressing demands
upon it, This possibly means a law
suit
SPRUCE STREET PAVEMENT.
One very regretable omission was the
committees failure to provide the nee
essary $S,06l.50 for the repairing of the
wood-block stretch on Spruce street be-
tween Franklin and Wyoming avenues.
The abuttlng property holders are not
responsible for the repaving of the
street but as it is so absolutely neces-
sary and 50 greatly desired by the
property holders. they have agreed to
bear onehalf the cost If the city will
Immediately proceed with the work.
Wood block is their fate for another
year unless they pay for the whole
thing themselves and this they can
hardly be expected to do.
OF the viaduct over Trips crossing
and the park at Trips woods and the
Allen and Davies vacant plot, corner
of Main avenue and Price street-'nuff
ced
The proposed addition to Nay Aug
nolds' tract, costing $3.50. and the
Canavan's tract, costing $25, 900. are also
things of the dim, distant future. No
one was particularly Interested in the
item of $4,000 for strengthening the
trusses and paving the deck of Lacka-
wanna avenue bridge but the fact did
not save it from the fate of all other
special improvements.
Separate cells for female prisoners at
the central station house have not been
provided for Notwithstanding the anx-
iety of a large number of aggressive
ladies who circulated a petition for the
same.
CAPTAIN LOST HIS REPORT.
The board of trade said we must have
a fire marshal and sent Captain May
to the estimates committee meeting to
enforce its demand. The captain who
has served on estimates committees
himself, learning of the city's distress.
refrained from asking for the fire mar
shal and contented himself by asking
that the ordinance creating the office
be so amended as to allow the chief of
police or the chief of the fire depart
ment to assume the fire marshals du-
ties and powers.
The ordinance increasing the fire.
mems pay from $50 to $50 a month was
also victim. not to mention the paid
fire department the swimming pool at
Nay Aug park the opening of the new
road to meet proposed free plank road
to Abingdon. the repairs of the Newton
turnpike. North Main avenue, East
mountain road. Providence turnpike
and many other affairs of minor i'm
portance which have had their obitu-
aries written before.