The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-07-08
IN COMMON COUNCIL.
Cleaning of Paved streets Caused n
Very Lively Debate.

NcTb LIVERY DeOutes
The cleaning of the paved streets by
| contract muddled up, or mudded. as
one member expressed it, the common
councilmen in such manner last night
that there had to be regular torrent
of argument and debate before the
contract was finally awarded to Dunn
| Brothers.
/ Captain Moir was not around when
| the meeting was called to order but
came in later and Mr.. Grier, from the
| Third ward. took the chair pro tenn.
After the reports of the various COM
mittees were called for, Mr-,Gilroy
asked if it would not be a proper time
| to appoint a conference committee
| with reference to the telephone ordi-
| nance.
Mr.. Keller informed him that the
common council had not been officially
notified of the status of the ordinance
in select, and until that information
came through its proper channel it
would be out of order to so appoint
ing a conference committee.
The street cleaning case which was
laid on the table at the last meeting
was then resurrected. Then came the
speeches and motions and amendments
and amendments to amendments like
the hail on the Fourth of July. First,
some one said that Dunn Brothers did
not comply with the specifca tions in
their bid another said w. j. Burke's s
bid was the higher: some one else said
the street commissioner gets a big sal
airy and it is his business to supervise
the work of street cleaning, otherwise
he will have nothing to do but draw
his salary: another said that the
trades unions are opposed to cleaning
the streets by contract, because so
many foreigners are Employed and
still another said that the contract
system has been tried in other cities
and has given the finest kind of satis-
faction.
MR.. KELLER'S MOTION.
Mr. Keller made a motion that the
whole thing be laid on the table in
definitely. This was lost by tie vote.
A motion was made that the matter
be referred to the city solicitor for a
written opinion to settle the question
whether or not Dunn Brothers bid was
in accordance with the specifications.
This was lost by a big majority
motion was made to award the
contract to w. ]. Burke. This was
amended by striking out the mans
name and inserting Dunn Brothers.
After a spell of oratory in which
Messrs. Keller, Grier, Zizelman. Cal
pin, Coleman, Sheridan Wenzel Gill
roy. Morris. Jackson and Walker took
part the contract was finally awarded
to Dunn Brothers by the following
vote.
Ayes-Reese, NJ. V. Morris Walker. Gil
| roy. Zizelman. +. +. Wenzel Wirth. Mon
| aghan, G. +. Wenzel. Coleman, T. +.
| Morris. Sheridan, Norton, Grier and Cal
pin.-l5.
Nays-Grihths, Jackson, Keller, Cusick
! and Moir.-5.
Messrs. Grier and Calpin voted nay
| first and changed their vote before the
| result was announced.
\ communication was read from n.
j. Reedy, solicitor for the board OF
| control, directing attention to 1000
| collected in fines for drunkenness and
! diSorderly conduct within the city linn
! its, and serving notice that if this
money be not turned over to the school
| treasury where ii belongs that suit will
| be brought against the city to recover
it. The communication was referred to
| it's proper committee.