The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-09-24

nances and Resolutions Introduced
and the Action on Them.
Joseph oliver, of the Fifteenth ward,
at last nights meeting of the common
council, put a load on the ordinance
regulating the use of bicycles on the
streets of the city that will probably
kill 1t. The measure was reported fav-
orably from committee and later on
was called up and passed first reading.
! On second reading Mr.. oliver made a
number of amendments to the ordi-
nance that greatly broadened it's scope.
| He said that many courts had declared
| the bicycle a vehicle and in his opinion
it should be legislated for along with
other vehicles as the bicycle is not the
only cause for complaint on the city
| streets Fast and reckless drivers
! who ignore the usual rules of the road
where quite as dangerous and obnox-
iols as the "scorcher."
His first amendment was to the title
and provided for changing the words
the use of bicycles" so as to read
"vehicular traffic" After this was
read Mr. Sweeney moved to lay the
amendments on the table but council
would not approve this idea. The
amendments were then read in detail.
They provided that ambuances and
police and fire department vehicles
shall have precedent over all others.
provide a number of rules of the road
and specify the manner in which driv-
ers shall turn corners and pass each
other on the road. Bicycles, veloce-
pedes and motor wagons are required
to have bells which must be sounded
at corners and crossings. Penalties
are to follow the violation of any of
the provisions of the ordinance and it
is also made misdemeanor to back
a wagon across a sidewalk or leave it
| standing on a sidewalk.
OBJECTION TO AMENDMENTS.
Mr.. Keller objected to the amend
ments for the reason that he thought
| it would be unwise to change the char
acter of the ordinance. There is ne
cessity for bicycle legislation, he said,
which is so generally recognized that
| even wheelmen approve of it. To make
the ordinance include all vehicles
might endanger the whole measure.
| He thought it better for Mr.. Oliver
to withdraw his amendments and in
| corporate them in separate ordinance
| which he promised to give his support.
This drew forth the answer from Mr..
| Oliver that he was not changing the
| bicycle ordinance, he was simply en-
larging on it. He decided to allow the
amendments to stand and council ap-
proved of them by the following vote:
| Yeas-Reese, Gordon, Thomas, Regan,
| NpnZpl
| NoOne-10
Nays-Grier, Gllroy, Flanaghan, Keller,
Sheridan-6.
The ordinance then passed on second
reading as amended. The select coun-
ell resolution extending the time for
paying city taxes until November !
was unanimously approved.
When the select council resolution
allowing the Columbia Chemical com
pany to take its new combination
chemical engine and hose wagon to
Wilkes Barre came up Mr.. oliver
moved as an amendment that it be
not taken from the city until formally
accepted by the proper city authori-
ties. This was killed and the reso,
luton adopted but just before council
adjourned James Grier, who was pre-
Neals, called Captain Moir to the
chair. Mr. Grier then moved that
council reconsider it's action with ref
erence to the resolution. When this
was done he moved that the ordinance
lay on the table. This motion was
unanimously adopted.
Chief Hickey was responsible for the
right about face that councils exc
1, l,,l
the members that the passage of a res.
olution allowing the apparatus to be
taken out of the city might be con-
strued as an acceptance of it which
he did not think councils wanted to dc
at that time.
ANOTHER FENDER MEASURE.
Mr.. Jackson, of the Thirteenth ward
introduced an ordinance requiring
street railway companies operating
street cars in the city of Scranton tC
use tenders and wheel guards and
providing a penalty for failure to com
ply with the terms of the ordinance
The tenders are not to be more thar
four inches above the rail and is al
all times to be securely attached tC
the car. The front and rear wheels
are to be protected by guards. Fol
every day after the passage of the
ordinance that car remains un.
equipped with proper tenders and saft
guards a penalty of IS is to be i'm
posed.
The report of the auditing committee
was received and the bills ordered paid
A favorable report was received from
the judiciary committee on an ordi
nance appropriating $522.l9 for clerl
hire in the city assessors department
John f. Regan, chairman of the
paving committee presented a resolu
tion as the report of that committe,
awarding to the Barber Asphalt Paw
ing company the contract for repairin!
the asphalt pavements of the city 70
term of one year. The resolution
was unanimously adopted.
New resolutions were introduced a
follows:
: Reconsideration directing the cit,
engineer to prepare plans and esti
mates of cost of the construction o
!. a receiving basin at the corner o
, Fourth and Emmett streets; also cos
of a pipe drain from said basin T.
|. connect with sewer on Fourth stree
at Coar place. Approved.
, OliVer-Resolution directing chief O