The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-11-15

At the adjourned Indignation meet
ing of the tax payers of L.ackawanna
township, held in Dymond's hall,
Moostc, last night u subscription fund
was started to carry on the investi-
CATION into the manner in which town
ship affairs have been managed. and to
prosecute the officers who may be
shown to have been guilty of wrong
doing.
Peter Mullen was elected chairman:
Joseph King. secretary, and John Dy-
mono, treasurer Samuel Brodhead,
James Levan, Elmer Bcrlew, Thomas
Welsh and David Davis were appoint
GO committee to take charge of the
tund and cooperate with the officers
in directing the investigation and eX-
pccted prosecution.
There was an attendance of over two
hundred at the meeting. G. w. Thomp-
son. jr., and Peter Mullen, the pro-
tcrtOrs of the meeting. laid before the
asscnblagc the grounds on which they
base the suspicious which led them to
begin this movement. The suspicious
circumstances mentioned at the last
meeting were reiterated by the speak
ers. Mr.. Mullen called attention to the
fact that in four years the tax payers
had been called upon to pay $4,000
for road Improvements, while it was
apparent to any man who cared to
even casually look into the matter that
not over $1,000 had actually been eX-
pended on the roads.
HIGH TAX RATE.
'FOrty-tWo mills on the dollar is
what you had to pay last year to keep
these sharks in luxury" said Mr.. Null
len. Look about you. Who are the
rich men Of Lackawanna township?
With few exceptions they are the
I men who have held township offices.
\ great to-dO was made last week
over the election of a congressman.
What is a congressman as compared
to supervisor of LaCkaWanna town
ship? Why, Il congressman's salary Is
only $4,000 year"
Mr.. Mullen also gave the information
That the Delaware, LaCkaWanna and
Western Railroad company, the Lehigh
Valley Railroad company, the MOosic
Powder company and other large tax
paying concerns have signified their
Willingness to join with the citizens Of
the township in carrying on the inves-
tigation.
He reiterated his statement made at
the last meeting that the township off,
GERS had a printing press set up in
Minooka and that they printed and is
sued orders whenever they felt like it,.
They even paid with township orders,
he said. the "heelerS' who worked for
them at the polls. AS an instance of
what little value is attached to a town
| ship order now. he told of being offered
! a 800 order for 49,
Mr.. Thompson again analy2ed the
| auditors report recently filed and to
| which exceptions were made by the
Delaware, LackaWanna and Western
| company and Peter Mullen. Many
"tishy" items were pointed out and the
| direct charge was made that both
Supervisors Quinn and Toolc had ille-
| gally charged 81 a day for their SER
| vices. While the law only allows them
| $1.3O. He also, unequivoCally, stated
| that Supervisor Toole had worked the
| greater part of last year hauling stone
| for the foundations of the new silk mill
| and other buildings in Taylor The
| auditors allowed Mr.. Toole Sc a day for
| himself and his team for about every
| working day in the year.
COULD GET NO MONEY.
| During season of specializing as to
| what became Of the tax and license
| muneys-the treasurer never having
| any funds-William Springer told of
| having worked on the roads for four
| years in succession and of his never
| having been able to get an order
! cashed. He sued once. and got iudg-
| mcnt for the amount of his claim, $57.
| He was glad to sell the judgment for
| $27.
The next meeting will be held at a
| date to be announced by the chair.