The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-08-12
CITY SOLICITORS
In CONVENTION HERE
Drafting Amendments to the Law Gov.
erning Third Glass Cities.
HARMONlZlNG THE ACT OF 1850
Many Additions and Changes and
Also Special Acts PropOsed..Onc
OF These Latter Is for a Receiver of
Taxes and Another Places City Ap.
pOintmcnts Under Civil Service
Regulations.

The convention Of city solicitors re-
assembled in this city yesterday and be-
gan their task Of preparing a report for
the municipal convention to be held in
Williamsport, August 25. The sessions
are being held in the select council
chamber and will continue today at
least and possibly all day tomorrow.
The following solicitors We're in attend
ance yesterday: A. A. Cochran, Ches-
ter; c. +. Bohan, Pttston; w. w.
Brown, Bradford; r. d. Stuart, Car
bondale; w. d. Crocker, Williamsport;
w. X. Stevens, Reading: r. ]. Lewis,
York; A. B. Osborne, Cory; Henry A.
Clark, Erie: r. NJ. Speer, Oil City;
James a. Gardner. Newcastle: e. P.
Geary. Lock Haven, and James II. Tor
rey. Scranton.
Mr.. Torrey chairman of the commit
tee. called the meeting to order at 2
O'Clock yesterday afternoon and with
out any formalities the solicitors got
down to work. The reports of the sub
committees. to which different sections
of the act were referred for amendment,
Were read in turn and passed upon.
The entire Act of 1889, under which
third-class cities are governed, Is being
revised. There are but few radical
changes, the principal part of the work
being verbal changes, which make the
act more Ineligible and destroy am
biguous or seemingly contradictory
clauses. AS an instance of this the Nc
Askie case gives an example. The city
of Scranton wanted to annex the Sixth
wa yfl Of Nm, ;,.;
law doubtlessly permits this, but be-
cause the statutes failed to say that a
part Of borough can be annexed the
movement was defeated. By the inser-
tion of the words "or part thereof" the
difficulty is obviated.
SEWER ASSESSMENTS.
The committee has hopes that the
supreme court will modify IT'S recent
opinion in the matter Of sewer assess
ments. according to which a sewer
system cannot be built piecemeal, but
the whole district must be constructed
or none at all. This ruling IT will be
remembered knocked out the proposed
sewering of the Nineteenth ward and
part of the Twentieth In the Seven
teenth sewer district. A case bring
ing in this point goes up before the
supreme court from Pittsburg in Oc-
tober and it is thought that 1t will be
possible to convince the supreme court
that its decision should be modified.
If the expected modification should
occur the third class cities will be pre-
pared to take advantage of 1t. the
necessary legislation having already
been drafted by the solicitors commit
tee.
There Is a whole raft of minor
amendments which have been proposed
and made part of the revised act and
some Of which are quite important.
Among these latter Is a provision ex-
onerating in part the owner of q cor
ner lot from paying for sewers on two
streets. Another. which Is specially
for the benefit Of this city, allows a
mayor to call in an alderman from
any ward to hold police court in the
station house. Another gives councils
the power to appoint viewers of city
work instead of the courts, as is the
case at present.
OTHER AMENDMENTS.
Other amendments provide that all
shall be to the highest bidder; that the
city can re-establish grades of streets:
that a three-fourths, instead of two
thirds, vote of councils is required to en-
force improvements not petitioned for
by property holders; that no two per-
sons from the same ward shall serve on
any board elected by councils; that en-
tertainments for religious or charitable
1n
empt from license fees that a city can
eNpend it's money in building dikes.
widening or deepening the channel Of a
river, extending sewer and the like In
territory outside of the city, providing
it inures to the benefit of the city; that
a city controller is constituted an audi
tor with power to audit the accounts of
any city official and if balance in
favor of the city is found to charge the
same up against the official and If nee
essary enter Judgment against him in
the prothonotary's office.
Two special acts are under consider
alton, one of them Mr.. Torrey's act Gre
ating the office of receiver Of taxes,
which has been approved, and another,
fathered by Mr.. Stevens, of Reading,
which places all third-class cities under
civil service regulations. The latter act
will come up for discussion today. The
purpose of this act Is to take the police
force, fire department, city clerks and
like employees out of politics. 1t pro-
vides that.
No person habitually using Intoxicating
beverages to excess shall be appointed to
any Office to which the provisions of this
act are applicable nor shall any vender
of intoxicating liquor be SO appointed.
No recommendation Of any person who
shall apply for Office or place which may
be given by any senator, member of the
house of representatives, alderman, cuun-
Gilman, or any other city official. except |
as to the character or residence Of the ap- |
plicant, shall be considered by any per-
son concerned in making any appointment. |
No alderman, councilman or any officer |
or employe of a city or any department |
shall personally, directly or indirectly,
solicit or receive, or be in any manner con- |
cerned in soliciting or receiving any con- |
tributlon for any political purpose what |
ever: but this shall not be construed to
forbid such persons to be members OF po-
litical organizations or committees. No
person in the public service shall for that |
reason be under any obligation to contrib |
ute to any political fund or to render |
any political service, and shall not be re- |
moved or otherwise prejudiced for refus- |
ing to do so.
RULES PROVIDED FOR.
The rules to be enforced by the civil |
service commissioners are provided for in |
detail.
All officers who are elected by the peo-
pie or city councils under existing laws
shall not be affected by these rules, but |
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