The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-12-02

for Two Weeks--old Opposition to
Additional Electric Lights Is De-
veloped-Fire Department Com
mittee Men Fail in Plan to Have
the Phinney Engine Rebuilt.
Opposition was developed in select
council last night against the passage
Oh third reading of Mr.. Roches select
council ordinance which is aimed to
abate the soft coal smoke nuisance.
President Chittenden relegated the
chair to Mr.. Wagner when Mr.. Roche
called the ordinance up for passage.
Mr.. Chttenden said he thought the
measure unnecessary, as the only large
consumers of soft coal were the Lack
awanna Iron and Steel company and
the Dickson company, the former using
it for forging and the latter for weld
ing
Mr. Roche said the ordinance only
obliged the companies to adopt devices
for consuming the smoke. The expense
would not be great. He said, in answer
to Mr.. Wagner, that the legality of the
measure was assured, as it did not
specify the kind of coal to be used; it
stipulated there should be no smoke
nuisance.
The ordinance was lacking, Mr. Lans-
ing thought. in not relating particu-
Arly to Chimneys. It's provisions would
affect the kind of forges and furnaces
used and might work hardship on cer-
tain plants
In answer to Mr.. Lansing, Mr.. Roche
said the ordinance was drafted upon
The New York board of health measure.
Only during the last two years had soft
coal been used by the Dickson COM
pany, and only during recent years had
the Lackawanna Iron and Steel COM
pany used the soft product. 1t was not
true that iron could not be welded with
hard coal. The ordinance should he
passed before the use of soft coal be-
romes general, before unfair antagon-
ism to the measure was aroused.
MIR. LANSING'S IDEA.
1t would be proper, Mr.. Lansing said,
20 consult with the iron and steel and
other manufacturing interests before
passing the ordinance and see if they
were obliged to use soft coal.
motion was made by president
Chittenden to refer the ordinance to
n
10 notify the companies to send repre-
sentatives to a meeting of the commit
tee. Such a step. it was argued by Mr..
Roche, would be showing to corpora
tons a consideration which had been
denied other classes of people under
similar circumstances.
Mr. McCann said the companies had
already had plenty of opportunity to
Dc heard on the matter, that there was
no excuse to re-refer. He offered to
President Chittenden's motion an
amendment to table the ordinance until
he next meeting and tAat the concerns
using soft coal be invited by the city
derk to send representatives to the
meeting, such representatives to be
heard if they so desired.
President Chittenden withdrew his
motion i'm favor of Mr.. McCann's
amendment after remarking that the
amendment covered the point involved
in the original motion. Mr.. McCann's
offer was then unanimously adopted.
The same old debate on the evil of
providing for additional electric lights
was aroused when Mr.. McAndrew ask
ed for the passage on third reading of
an ordinance providing for new lights
In the TWenry-first ward. The ordin-
anc@ finally passed Mr.. Lansing and
Mr.. Melvin voting negatively, the lat
ter rrmarknG after the meeting that
he was opposed to burdening The city
with any more electric light expenses
and that the appalling cost was ample
argument i'm favor of his municipal
electric plant scheme which he propos-
es t. have included in tire boEd ordi-
nance.
CONNES RESOLUTION.
Mr. COync introduced IA resolution
bearing on the controversy and which
was unanimously adopted. The reso-
luton was as follows: That a Joint
co1nmittee be appointed for
the purpose of making the best possi-
BILE distribution of electric lights that
may be needed i'm the next fiscal year
and that they report as soon as prac-
tcable the most feasible manner of
locating and erecting the same in the
future"
MIR. Thomas, chairman of the fire
department committee, introduced a
resolution directing the chief of the
fire department and the chairman of
the joint fire department committee TO
have the General Phinney engine re-
built at the LaFrance works at cost
Hol lo eNcesu Nl,bor the expense to be
met in the 1899 appropriations. Mr..
Moore, representative of tie COM
pany was given an opportunity to
address the council. He said his COM
pany would equip the steamer with a
new boiler, replace all worn or weak
parts and guarantee il for five years.
the same period for which q new
steamer is guaranteed.
Mr.. Lansing raised the point of order
that it would be Illegal 10 appropriate
the money by resolution. President
Chitterden ruled that the point was
we'll taken and that the resolution was
out of order. He so ruled after the
city clerk had been directed TO read
the authority from the law regulating
such matters.
NECESSARY VOTES CAST.
The sixteen votes necessary To nass
legally the rev Providence paving res
olutior, received from common coun-
ell, We're cast. The resolution provides
that Providence road and North Main
avenue, be paved from Court street
TO the city line, cost 10 be assessed by
the foot front rule; that an advertise
ment be published 10 the effect that
unless a majority of the owners of
abutting properties shall signify to
councils i'm writing within sixty days,
their preference of material. councils
will proceed to pass an ordinance di-
recting that the pavement be of such
material as councils may deem proper
When the clerk read the title of the
common council ordinance which ac-