The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-05-13

Charges of bribery We're made open
and above board at the meeting of Sc
lect council last night during the con-
sideration OF some amendments to the
ordinance granting a franchise to the
new telephone company. Wade Finn,
member from the Second ward, said:
Il believe we had better pass all
these amendments together. They paid
the price and can have them adopted,
anyhow"
Mr.. Mccain, of the Fourteenth, who
was spokesman for the amendments,
became very indignant and responded:
Mr.. Chairman, are you going to al
low such talk as that to be used here?
If you do, I'll not stand for it. If he
says price was paid, he lies"
Mr.. Finn got up and repeated his
charge and said he knew what he was
talking about. Mr.. McCann got up
from his seat and walked threatening
ly toward him. Chairman Chittenden
raped the gavel with vigor, and Mr..
Sanderson, as If he feared a display of
fisticuffs, got between the two and
gently but firmly pushed Mr.. Mccain
back to his seat.
The excitement was intense. Com
mon council members came over with
a rush to see what was up, and the
men lobbying around the corridors
came into the chamber three at a time
1t was all over in a minute, but it was
hot while it lasted.
NEW TELEPHONE COMPANY.
A company of Scranton capitalists,
whom
ex-Mayor Connell, City Treasurer
Boland. City Controller Robinson and
f. d. MCGOWAN, have formed a new
telephone company and that they pro-
pose to give the people of the city a
cheaper service than the present COM
pany. They have chartered their cor
poration at a capital stock of 500, 900,
and make the claim that they have
signed contracts already with 720 diff
ferent persons to supply them with
telephone service for five years.
The burden of Mr.. Finn's charges
last night was that the present COM
pany is putting up money TO have the
franchise of the new concern so loaded
down with restrictions that it will kill
the new company off as a competitor.
When the ordinance was called up
Mr.. Sanderson proposed several amend
ments. In substance they were that
the maximum rates for services would
be s36 for a business place, $24 for a
residence, $50 for business place and
residence combined; that at least 1000
feet of the wires be put underground
within three years; that bond of $10,-
900 with two sureties be furnished to
the mayor; and that space for one
cable for fire alarm and cable purposes
for the use Of the city be set aside in
the conduits. The motion TO adopt
these amendments was lost by the fol-
lowing score:
Ayes-Ross, Finn, Wagner. Robinson,
Sanderson, Schrader, Coyne--7
Nays-Kearney Thomas, James, Roche,
Melvin, Shea, McCann, Fellows, OBoyle
Frable, McAndrew-ll.
Messrs. Williams and Lansing were
absent, and Chairman Chttenden ex-
cused himself from voting.
MR.. MCANN'S AMENDMENTS.
Mr.. Mccain then walked briskly TO
City Clerk Lavelle's desk and laid
down some papers and moved that the
amendments he submitted be read. The
first one was the all-important one. 1t
is the one that will break the new
company's back if any of them will.
1t proposed that the company be re-
quired to lay its wires underground
within a radius of 1000 yards from the
court house.
Wires will have to be conduited in
the central city and as far over as
North Main avenue in Hyde Park, as
Phelps street in Green Ridge, as Clay
avenue on the hill" and as far as
Birch street on the South Side.
EX-MayOr COnnell said after the
meeting that the company will proceed
anyway. The new concern, he said
proposed to bury it's wires eventually.
but it was too much to ask it to do it
right away. Mr.. Connell was on the
point Of addressing the council, per-
mission having been asked by Mr.. Rob
inson, of the Eleventh, but Mr.. Nc
Cam objected, and as it REQUIRES
unanimous consent the address was
not made. 1t was Mr. Connell's inten-
tion to lay facts that would prove the
new company is no wildcat concern
seeking a franchise with the view of
selling out at a good price later on, but
a bona-fide corporation that means
business.
The amendment to require the sys-
TEN to be put underground within a
radius of 1000 yards from the court
house was carried by the following
vote:
Ayes-Kearney Thomas, Roche, Mel
vim Shea, Sanderson, McCann, Fellows,
O'Boyle, Frable, McAndrew, Chitenden--
".
Nays-Ross, Finn. James, Wagner, Rob-
inson, Schrader, Coyne-7.
MATTER OF TOLLS.
The next amendment was that the
tolls be not greater than SO a month
for business houses and 81 for resi-,
dences. 1t passed without any oppo-
sition. The company proposes to
charge no more than that. The amend
ment next read was that bond OF
$4,000 be furnished to be secured by
at least two sureties, approved by the
city solicitor, to indemnify the city for
any damages resulting from the LAYING