The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-11-27
CITY GOVERNMENT.
A Glance at the Workings ofthe Great
Municipality =. List of the CITY
Officials.

Officials.
The City Of Scranton was incorporat-
ed April 2S, 1866 The city proper COW
ers an area Of 1906 square miles and
the raveled streets would reach dis
tance of 1926 miles and the courts and
places 2655 miles. The organization of
the city government was effected by
the election of Z. NJ. S. Hill mayor
who served from 1896 to 1869. His sue
cessols In order were as follows: w,
n. Monies, 1892; NJ. w. LOTUS, 1872
IS; Robert II. McKune, lS75-7S; 7. V.
Powderly, IS7S-1SS4; Francis A. Beam
ish, 1SS4-1SS6; Ezra II. Ripple, 1SS6-9O;
John II. Fellows. 1S9O-93; w. L. Con-
nell, 1895. and James q. Bailey, the
present incumbent, elected in 1896.
The destinies of the city are directed
by two representatives from each OF
the twenty-one wards, who meet In
select and common bodies twice each
month The terms of office of the
members of the select council from all
even numbered wards expire on the
first Monday Of 1898, and in odd num-
bered wards In 1900. Terms of men,
hers of the common council from odd
numbered wards expire on the first
Monday of April, 1893, and the even
wards on the same day in 1898. In the
matter of qualifications select council
men must be 25 years of age and COM
mon councilmen q years Old, and shall
have been citizens and residents Of the
state for at least four years, and of
the ward they represent one year next
bfore their election. Unless absent on
public business Of the United States or
of the state Of Pennsylvania, they
shall reside in the ward during their
term of office.
The edfice devoted to the use Of the
councils and various municipal officers
Is most spacious and convenient as
well as artistic in design. The hand
some new city building at the corner
Of Washington avenue and Mulberry
street, as shown in the illustration
elsewhere, is a model of completeness
In interior arrangements and in eX-
terror beauty. and is arranged to afford
ample accommodations for business
transactions In the interest of the city
for years TO come. The building con-
tains spacious meeting rooms for the
| common and select branches Of the
councils which, on occasions when a
Joint session is required, may be
thrown into one immense hall. In ad-
| dition are meeting rooms for the school
board, the poor board and public and
private offices for the different officers
in the service OF the city. These apart
| ments are furnished in q luxurious
manner and are provided with every
convenience necessary to the transac-
tion OF official business with dispatch.
In the basement Is situated the head
quarters of the police department, and
the cells of the city lookup.
An important feature In the conduct
of the affairs Of the city is the electric
| fire alarm system, which is maintained
| by the Central Pennsylvania Telephone
| company. The system embraces sew
enty-elght signT boxes Rent of the
| system and theScost of maintalnence
| for the year 1897 amounts to $3.50. 90
| Electric street lights are furnished by
| the Scranton Electric Light and Heat
| company, and the contract price IL
| twenty-five cents a Light per night for
| all night and for every night in the
| year. The number Of lamps in use at
| pre- sent is h34.
The street cleaning department, while
| not at perfection by any means, has
Deen Efedlly improved Wltnln lNe past
| few months. and with the employment
| Of a larger force of men, might. under
the present system, be made second to
| none.
The fire department, which is rapid
| ly approaching the state of paid sys-
tenn, is probably one of the best volun-
| teer organizations known in the COM
monwealth. Sixteen companies are on
| the list, and many of them employ
two permanent men each on salary;
and the time is probably not far dis
tant when the entire department will
| be paid.
Much attention is given to building
ordinances, and though the work Of
the class OF builders who dlshgure the
streets with little one-story shells and
other unsightly edihces is difficult to
| deal with, fire limit has been estab-
lished In the central city to prevent the
endangering Of valuable property by
the erection of more inhammable wood
| structures.
The city is fortunate In having "a
board of health that is unusually act
i've in their laborS for the good OF the
community and the excellent sanitary