The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-07-01

MONS UPsETs The ADMINIsTRA-
T1oN's PLANs-ATTORNEY REEDY
THE SCHOOL BOARD SOLICITOR.
CONTINUES TO WRITE LETTERS
WHICH SELECT COUNCIL IGNORE.
Several matters of import developed,
as had been expected, at last nights
meeting of select council, but each was
disposed of with more expedition and
less obstruction than was anticipated.
1t being close to the date on which,
II was understood, Street Commissioners
A. b. Dunning intended to resign, no
surprise was occasioned by Mayor
Bailey's communication nominating
=. ]. O'Boyle to succeed the present
head of the street department on July
/. Mr. McAndrew moved that the
nomination be considered and Mr.. Nc
Cam moved to refer. President Chit
tenden ruled that the former motion
had precedence and that the nomina-
ton would be referred by rule if the
former motion did not prevail
The motion to consider was lost by
the following vote of 0 to II:
Ayes-Messrs. Ross, Finn, Robinson,
Sanderson, Schroeder, Lansing, OBoyle,
Coyne and McABdrew.
Nays-Messrs. Kearney, Thomas, VIII.
Jams, James, Roche, Melvin, Wagner,
Shea, Mccain, Frable, Fellows, Chit
| tenden.
President Chittenden then declared
the nomination referred without mo-
tion.
THE RESIGNATION.
Mr. Dunnings resignation to take
effect July / was submitted to Mayor
Bailey several days ago. Although
Mayor Bailey favors the appointment
of Mr.. O'Boyle, his confirmation by
councils is by no means assured. This
is indicated in last nights action. The
reason appears in the canvass of T.. A .
Fitzsmmons for the office. He is
Democrat and has been Mr. Dunning's
chief assistant. The fact that he is
q brother of Colonel Frank Fitz-
simmons who possesses no little influ-
ence in local Democratic circles. makes
his candidacy very strong.
AS has been explained by The Trib-
une, Mr.. Dunning's resignation is
| caused by the eXacting duties to be re-
quired of him in promoting the Dun
| ming Engineering and Construction
company. The company Is now arrang-
| ing its suite of offices in the Mears
building and receiving supplies with
| which to begin work. The opportunity
| afforded for a successful business ven-
| ture and the attention it would require
| obliged Mr.. Dunning to relinquish his
municipal office. He will act until his
successor is appointed.
From Attorney d. j. Reedy, solicitor
| of the board of control, was received
the following letter dated yesterday
urging councils to heed the board s
resolution read at the previous meet
| ing asking for a certified COPY of the
| tax assessment:
MIR. REEDY'S LETTER.
l would respectfully call your attention
| TO the resolution of the Scranton board of
| control of June 10, 1885, asking for a
copy Of the city assessment introduced
into the select council June 30 and re-
! ferred to a committee.
| The act of assembly under which The
| same Chere some words have evidently
been inadvertently Cnittod) is as fol-
| lows: Section 2-The city clerk or other
| competent person authorized by city
| councils shall make for the use of the
| school board a true copy of the COM
pleted assessment and shall duly certify
the same to said beard" Act May 2j,
| 1897 Z. L. 81.
| In view of the urgent necessity of the
same l would request that the act of
assembly and the resolution Of the school
| board be complied with at this meeting.
On motion of Mr.. Roche the commu-
| nlrAtlOn rhfp
| committee for consideration in connec-
| tlon with the resolution.
City officials contend that the pro.
posed copy and new method Of COM
piling and recording the school tax
would cost the city s4OO, the board of
| control $500 and the city treasurer
| ABOUT s2oo or 5000 more than the cost
of the system formerly employed which
| involved an outlay Of but 800.
Attorney Reedy came in for further
bnt briefer, consideration in connec-
tion with a second letter reminding
councils of their failure to take action
on the board of controls demand for
its snare or police fines, and warning
councils that the attorney would "be
compelled to institute suit for the re-
covery of the amount" If councils failed
to order the money paid. The letter
was referred to committee.
SPRINKLING ORDINANCE.
The ordinance prohibiting the sprink-
| ling of asphalt pavements and repeal
ing any previous action inconsistent
| herewith was reported favorably by
| committee and its passage was later
| moved on first reading by Mr.. Sander
son. Mr.. Roche opposed this action on
the ground that councils had given the
Dunn Sprinkling and Street Cleaning
company a franchise, permitting the
company to sprinkle streets paved or
unpaved. The franchise, he said, was
| contract anG the city might make it.
self liable by repudiating it through
the passage of the ordinance under
| consideration. This view was support
ed by Mr.. Kearney.
Mr.. Sanderson and Mr.. Lansing
spoke against the practice of sprink-
ling asphalt during the day, claiming
that it disinteSrated the surface.
Flushing the pavement at night. they
argued, did not affect the pavement as
the dirt and other substances we're
washed off and did not remain to be
ground into grit nor did the sun act
upon the dampened surface. Ammonia,
they said. was generated by the action
OF the water and sun and rotted the
surface.
Mr.. Roche's motion to refer the ordi-
nance TO the city solicitor for his opin-
ion as to its effect ON the sprinkling
franchise was adopted.
From Mayor Bailey was received a