The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-01-12
PRES. POWERS HAS
SCRANTON'S OPTION
Rochester Seems Booked for This City's
Franchise and Players.
BASE BALL SITUATION is CLOUDY
Option to Powers Closes on Saturday
and IfIt Is Not Accepted the Present
Owners viii Sell at Homo to the
Highest individual or Company
Bidder--The Price Must BE a
Reasonable One..No More Options
to BE Given.

The base ball situation in this city
is In a most indefinite state. Last
evening the condition of things was
outlined in detail to a Tribune re-
porter by one of those interested in the
Scranton club and may be considered
as authentic. In substance, the situa-
tion is this:
Pat Fowars. president of the East
ern leagsse, lhas been given an option
on the Setanton franchise, good will
players and eFects.s The option ex-
pires Set&Tday. II Powers don't take
asvsn tase af the option by that date
TIE present owners will sell to the best
advnntaEA possible, as they do not pro-
pose To eesH niue tnthe business. They
VIII give no option at a reduced figure
TO a local company, as such action
might tend to cheaper the value of the
franchise if the option did not result
in home sale and opportunity was
later afforded to sell away from home.
The owners would. however sell out
right to any home company or outsider
who made a faAr offer of cash and in
tended to keep the club in this city.
POWERS IN WILKES S-BARRE.
President Powers was in Wilkes
Barre yesterday and stated positively
that Rochester would be in the league
this season. He confirmed the Tri-
bune's information that he has an op-
tion on the Scranton club. In view of
the fact that he came direct from
Rochester to Wilkes-B Barre. that he
made an offer to buy the Wilkes Barre
franchise, that the Wilkes Barre own
ers declined to sell except at a price
at least 81 500 above what Powers Of
fered and that he returned last night
again to Rochester-all this indicates
that Powers had Rochester fixed all
right for admission into the league and
was dickering, legitimately, to buy
Scranton or Wilkes Barre. whichever
he could get for the least money, bear
ing in mind the greater comparative
value of the Scranton club.
The Wilkes-Barre visit is reported
briefly in the following Associated
Press dispatch to The Tribune last
night:
Wilkes-Barre, Jan. 11.-President al
Powers, of the Eastern Baseball league
came here today to buy the franchise of
the Wilkes Barre club. He says he has
the cash ready but it is said that the
owners will not dispose of the franchise
at Powers price.
The Wilkes-Barre Record is the
source of The Tribune's information
that the club of that city would be sold
for nothing less than the prohibitive
price of $4,000 and that sale at even
that figure was not courted.
That Scranton is not wanted in the
Eastern league is a fact as sure as that
the Scranton owners do not want tc
remain. In each case this position is
due to the refusal of the owners to play
Sunday games.
1t seems likely that by Saturday this
city's franchise will have ceased to ex.
ist and will be possessed by Rochester
although there is possibility that M
sale will be made. 1t all depends or
Rochester, but that city's sporting
writers affirm that there will be al
Eastern league franchise there thi:
week. IF no advantage IS taken of tn,
option then it may be reasonably pre-
sumed. that the franchise will remain
here but not under the present owner
ship.
STOCK COMPANY PLAN.
Charles S. Fowler has advocated tn,
stock company plan and received suf
ficient encouragement under the belle
that an option could be obtained anC
that as soon as the purchase price wa:
known the subscriptions would b,
closed at the proper figure. The un
willingness OF the owners to give al
option locally for fear of no sale, ,woulc
make the stock plan more difficult bu
not an impossiblity. The stock plal
failing, devotees of the sport coul
still have the hope that the presen
owners would find an individual pur
chaser.
In the event of the sale to Rochester