The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-03-16

rection of better service and even for
this we ought to be thankful. Taking
everything into account the tendency dur
ing the past year has been upward and
the different departments of the borough
show healthy evidence of economy.
l would omit a pleasant duty II I
failed to compliment you on the ease and
facility with which you formed your or
ganization In this respect you did not
suffer by contrast with some of your
warlike neighbors. / trust that the spirit
of harmony displayed last Monday night
will be often manifested during the year
and that you will be equally united and
harmonious on every question whose OBJ
Ject is the Improvement of our affairs.
THE LIGHT CONTRACT.
This year is especially important be-
cause you will be called on, before it's
close, to again consider the light question.
The contract with the Crescent Electric
company will expire early in 1899 and
presume an effort will be made to renew
II. This is a matter worthy of your most
serious thought. A considerable amount
of money is spen, each year for light and
II should be our duty to see that we get
full value for our money. The service
given by the present company has been,
In the main, very satisfactory and unless
etter inducements are offered to the bo-
Tough the neeu of encoura ging home in
contract be renewed with whatever
changes you may consider necessary.
hope you will give this important matter
the earnest attention 1t desires.
During the last year several holders OF
borough orders felt obliged to have them
converted into interest-bearing judg-
pents because the orders We're not paid
presentation 1t is neither fair nor
usiness-like to have this state of things
intinue when we are able to avoid it..
aor does 1T seem fair to make the bor-
ugh liable for interest on orders in
Qrsed mo funds, In ordinary business
one thinks of demanding interest OIL
account unless 1t has remained un-
aid thirty days. But the practice here
has been to demand interest from the
Ptime the order is presented to the treas
ure. The ordinary rules of business
should apply to a borough as we'll as to an
individual and creditors of the borough,
which are most generally her own citizens,
should be public-spirited enough to real
ize that fact. While there may not be
any way to prevent the obtaining of judg-
ments against the borough for unpaid or
ders i question our right to pay interest
on them otherwise and l would suggest
that you have your position defined by
the borough attorney.
Another case of annoyance is the uucer-
tainey OF the borough pay day. At pres
ent there Is no day set. aside for the de-
livery of borough orders and the present
method is irregular and unsatisfactory
Would 1t not be good idea to make the
10th or 10Th OF every month the regular
pay day and have it so understood. Let
all the orders be signed by the president
at one time and attested and deliverod d
by the secretary only. While speaking
on this subject would IL not also be good
policy to have all bills against the DO
rough presented a day or two before the
monthly meeting so that they may be
examined with a little more care than is
now shown. For this purpose the ap-
pointment of an auditing committee
would be a step in the right direction and