The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-01-06

Mr.. Roches select council ordinance
regulating the use of soft coal was
due for first and second readings in
the upper branch of councils last night,
but action upon 1t was deferred ow-
ing to written protests against its pass
age by e. II. Zehnder, president of the
Dickson Manufacturing company, and
Colonel II. Nj. Boies, and the remarks
of DeCourcy May, superintendent of
the Dickson company, who was given
the privilege of the floor
The ordinance might have had COM
paratvely smooth sailing if its appli-
cation had been exclusively confined to
the use of soft coal i'm the generation
of steam. The arguments brought
against it seemed to show that it's
provision against the use of soft coal
in fOrges and furnaces would, if adopt
ed, thoroughly cripple the plants which
use it for forging and Welding. and
would throw many hundreds of men
out of employment and prevent prns-
pective industries from locating here.
When the ordinance was called mp
for first reading Superintendent May
was, on motion of Mr. Roche, granted
the privilege of the floor. He said
there We're no known devices for the
use of smoke consumers on forges and
furnaces. Such q device would, he
said, make fortune for some one, as
it would permit the consumption Of "a
lot of waste gases and carbon. A
forge could not be operated without
making smoke. 1t was simply a ques-
ton of smoke or no manufacturing.
WOULD HAVE; TO SHUT DOWN.
If the ordinance was adopted in its
present shape every forge and furnace
in Scranton would have to shut down,
Superintendent May said. Scranton
people need have no fear of soft coal
being used for steam generating pur-
poses as long as Culm existed. Form
erly the mixture used in forges was
one-third anthracite and two-thirds
bituminous, but the proportion is now
half and half.
President Zehnder's and Colonel
BOies' letters We're then read The
former was addressed to council and
the latter to Councilman Lansing. MIR.
Zehnder's argument was much the
same as that Of superintendent May.
Colonel Boies went further. After
enumerating the plants which would
be affected by the ordinance, he wrote
that councils were on the verge Of
undoing in one act more than the board
of trade had accomplished in twenty
years; that the ordinance, if passed
in its present form, would throw 10000
men out of employment and change
Scranton from a thrifty city to a de-
serted one.
Mr.. Roche remarked that his ordin-
ance, while not identical, was substan-
TALLY the same as those which operate
in Chicago, Detroit, Pittsburg, New
York and other cities which he enum-
Grated. While not wholly satisfied
with the arguments against it's pas
sage he was not disposed to urge it's
passage now. He would agree to post
ponement and would meanwhile in
form himself further.
Mr. SandersOn asked Mr.. Roche
to draw a distinction between the use
of soft coal for steam ana for forging
and Welding in pursuing his inquiries.
Mr.. Roche agreed to this.
It was remarked by Mr. Lansing
that the ordinance mentioned by Mr..
Roche applied only to boilers, that they
| could not possibly relate to forges or
furnaces in other cities no more than
in Scranton. Personally he would go
to the greatest extremes to oppose it
| in its present shape, but would be lust
as alert to favor it, with forges and
| furnaces eliminated, but would insist
| that it apply only to locomotives. II
| soft coal We're used in the latter he
would insist on smoke consumers.
On motion of Mr.. Roche further con-
| sideration of the ordinance was de-
| ferred.
SPECIAL ELECTION.
A resolution introduced by Mr.. SAN
derson and adopted provides for a snec-
ial election in the Eleventh ward on
! Feb. u, the date of the general elec-
! tion, for the purpose Of electing q sue
| cCsSor to the late Robert Robinson,
select councilman. From Mrs. Robert
Robinson and Mrs. Nina A. Robinson
was received a letter expressing their
| thanks for the resolutions adopted by
select council on the death of Mr.. Rob-
insOn and for the flowers given by
| select council
From Mayor Bailey was received a
! letter in reply to A resolution asking
| him to explain why the ordinance was
! not enforced requiring the Scranton
! Railway company to furnish transfers
| to passengers from the Bellevue to the
| South Side line. Mayor Bailey en-
closed letter from General Manager
Silliman, Of the company. who wrote.
! in effect, that the issuance of transfers
! between the lines named was not con-
| templated in the ordinance and that
inquiry would probably show that the
| city solicitor shared this view, The
I('nntipl1aI Do