The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-11-16


Rerairs to Asphalt and the Too
Low Tax Assessments We're Dis
cussed and Sent to Committee.
Without previous announcement or
expectation that last nights meeting
of the board of trade would develop
many matters of particular interest,
number of questions of no little moment
to the boards constituency of business
men were disposed Of. These included
an alleged excessive water rate charged
large consumers, the report on fake"
advertising, a discussion of question
able managements of charity enter
tainments, a report on freight rate ad-
justment and a discussion of unfair tax
assessments,
1t was reported by Secretary Ather-
ton that a number of the city's larger
manufacturing and commercial con-
cerpS had petitioned the Scranton Gas
and Water company to reduce its water
rate to large consumers. The petit
tioners asked the board to consider the
matter and Join them in their effort
to procure a readjustment of the rate
1t was stated that the companys
commercial rate was cents per 1000
gallons, while but 2lA cents was charged
in Buffalo and Harrisburg, 4 cents in
Brooklyn and Philadelphia, Az cents
in Syracuse and cOrresp ndngly low
rates in other large cities. Secretary
Atherton remarked that it was true
that present water rates were so high
as to interfere with the boards efforts
to secure new manufacturing enter
prises for this city.
On motion of Mr.. Lansing the mat
ter was referred to the manufacturers
committee with instructions to pro-
cure additional data and report at the
next meeting of the board.
FAKE ADVERTISING.
The report and recommendations of
the publications committee concerning
fake" advertising and a remedy were
presented by r. ]. Foster, chairman of
the committee. The report has already
been published in full in The Tribune
1t provides that members of the board
shall not contract for advertising in
programmes. etc, for the benefit of
various kinds of organizations unless
the solicitors are provided with cer-
tificates from the secretary of the
board approving their schemes.
A letter from a bill posting firm ask
ing that the report be amended so as
20 lend the boards approval of poster
advertising was read by the secretary,
but did not meet ' ith any definite ac-
tiOn. The same was true of Mr.. LanS-
tng's suggestion that the report rec
Ommend' the plan of the publication
committee rather than emphatically
state that "the members will
not under any circumstances
give an advertisement, etc, etc"
Apropos of the advertising discus
sion Mr.. Kemmerer criticized the man
aGement of the recent entertainment
for the benefit of the Associated Char
tiles from which 60 per cent. of the
proceeds were paid to the managers Of
the enterprise. He said that out Of
every so which many charitably dis
posed persons paid for tickets, only
81 found it's way to the Associated
Charities. Mr. Levy stated that $14O
was the small sum paid to the Asso-
Ciated Charities as a result of the en-
tertainment, according to information
furnished him by one of the board.
ABOUT FREIGHT RATES.
Mr.. Kemmerer and G. II. Pond were
appointed a committee to go before
the managers of the Trunk Line Traf-
fic association and endeavor to secure
more equitable freight rates to and
from this city. 1t had appeared, ac-
cording to reports of the transporta-
ton committee at previous meetings,
hnt
rates from both New York city and the
west when compared with the more
favorable rates enjoyed by other points.
1t was remarked by Mr.. Kemmerer
that one Scranton establishment saved
money on western shipments by ship
ping its goods from New York city.
"A complaint that there was an un-
| necessary and unreasonable delay on
the part of the street commissioner and
the Barber Asphalt Paving company
in the latter's failure to be gin work
on it's asphalt repair contract was an
swered by Mr., Keller. 1t had not been
determined by councils until two weeks
ago that the street commissioner had
supervision over repair work. Mean
while the work had been at times pre-
vented by frequent and heavy rains.
'''lllN lCpctlIlllS lltltl Dttll uOtlt, now
ever
Mr. Kemmerer said that inasmuch as
properties selling for $4,000 on Lacka-
wanna avenue, and having frontages
of 20 feet, had been assessed at only
$500, and in view of countless other
ridiculously low assessments it be-
hOoVed the board to lend it's influence
toward a more proper assessment. Mr.
Payne asserted that the board had at
one time wasted much energy and had
accomplished nothing in it's agitation
toward a reform and this, he thought,
would be the result in the present in
stance.
MIR. LANSING'S VIEWS.
An opposite view was held by Mr..
Lansing. The earlier effort Of the
board had borne fruit as had the cam
paign for acquiring Nay Aug park.
He believed the board could not lend
its influence toward a better purpose.
The present tax rate should not be in
creased, he contended, but the city was
greatly in need of funds and the way
to procure them was TO bring about an
increase in the assessments.
The asphalt repair and the tax as