The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-06-04


councilmen bolstering a Democratic
administration and a handful of Dem
ocrats trying in vain to sprag the
wishes of the mayor they helped to
elect was witnessed in select council
last night, in considering the mayors
nominations of James f. Quinnan,
Thomas Watkins and John ]. Puester
for police patrolmen. Thanks to the
royal 'leven" Republicans the NOM
nations were confirmSl
The meeting also witnessed the Civ
ing away of an underground wire fran
chise by Republicans and Democrats
without any conditions whatever to the
Central Pennsylvania Telephone COM
pany. President Sanderson and Mr..
Lansing debated against this last
measure and voted against 1t, along
with Mr. Thomas and Mr.. Robinson,
Mr.. Chittenden taking no part in either
the debate or voting, as he is interested
in the Telephone company.
Mr. Finn, as chairman of the police
committee, reported favorably the may
or's nominations. Mr.. Chittenden (R.)
and Mr. Manley CD moved that they
be confirmed. Mr. Burns CD, as one
of the committee, stated that it had
met In snap" session at O'Clock,
and that he had no knowledge that
anyone but Mr.. Finn approved the ap-
pointments.
Mr.. Roche (D) raised the question
of legality, said councils had no right
to confirm appointments of additional
policemen even though the appropria-
ton ordinance provided for their SAL
aries, said a half-dozen attorneys had
told him so, and moved that confirma-
ton be deferred to await the opinion
of the city solicitor. Mr.. Roches mo-
ton was lost by the following vote:
Ayes-Kearney, Clark, Roche Mccain.
Burns, McAndrew (all Democrats)-6
votes.
Nays-Ross R), Finn (R), Thomas
| CR0, Williams (R). Durr (R). Chitten-
| den (R) Wagner (R.), Robinson 3D.,
| Manley (D(, Fellows (R.), Schroeder (R j.,
Lansing (R), Frable CD, Coyne CD,
| Sanderson (R.)-15 votes.
CONSIDERED SEPARATELY.
The original motion to confirm was
| renewed and Mr.. Frable raised a point
| of privilege and asked that the nomina-
| tions be considered separately. The
| chair declared the point well taken and
Mr. Chittenden and Mr.. Manley moved
that Puester's nomination be first voted
upon. Mr. Roche said Puester was the
third on the list and that the MEM
| bers were resorting to a sharp practice.
The vote to consider Puester's nomi-
nation was IA to in favor, Mr. Frable
| CD changing his vote to the minority.
| Puester was then confirmed by the
| same vote of IA to 7.
Ayes and nays were called on the
OF 20 GV,,, 81 II
| Watkins and the vote was Is to in
favor, Mesrs. Kearney, Clark, Roche
McCann, Burns and McAndrew voting
| may"
Quinnan was confirmed by viva
| voce vote.
Later in the meeting under the third
| order of business Mr. Roche called uI
on third reading the ordinance orig.
inally introduced by him giving the
| Central Pennsylvania Telephone com.
pany a conduit franchise. The ordi.
nance permits the company to lay pipes
\ or mains for the passage of wires un-
derground, to erect poles and stretch
wires "over and above" the ground
and in fact to occupy the city's streets
at Will without any provision compel
ling the company to remove it's over
head wires.
Mr.. Sanderson called Mr.. Williams tc
the chair and moved that the mem.
bers go into committee of the whole tc
consider an amendment he had to of.
fer Mr. McCann asked what the
amendment was. He was told by Mr.
Sanderson that it's import would be
made known if the motion prevailed
when, if the members so wished, the
| ha
meeting then declined to go into com
mittee of the whole by the following
vote of IL to I:
Ayes-Messrs. Finn, Thomas, Williams
Robinson, McCann, Lansing, Sanderson
Nays-Mcssrs. Kearrcy, Burns, Roche
Durr. Manley, Fellows, Burns, Schroeder
Frable, Coyne, McAndrew.
MR.. SANDERSON EXPLAINS.
Mr.. Manley moved that the ordinance
pass third reading. Before the vote
was recorded, Mr.. Sanderson explained
he was prornpted to offer the amend
ment by the fact that nowhere in tht
ordinance was there any provision tha
present wires and cables should bt
placed in the proposed conduits. tha
the ordinance simply added to the pres
ent franchise by giving the additiona
one of an underground system and thus
the company would have the right T.
maintain their overhead system anC
the city to have no recourse; that tn,
myriad of overhead wires is already
menace 70 public safety in case of fire.
rendering it almost impossible to rails,
ladders or to approach some building
as near as safety demands, and tba
| the council had no right with iue re
gard to public welfare, to thus DELHI
| LIZ L.