The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-07-21

At last nights meeting of common
council Luther Keller, the president of
that body, relinquished the chair and
going upon the floor, made a stirring
arraignment Of the reckless and al
most criminal manner in which the
city business is transacted
During the meeting of the common
council one week ago last night a num-
Der of ordinances were introduced
transferring money from the electric
light fund to place permanent men In
fire engine houses establish fire alarm
boxes and electric lights and do many
other things and Mr.. Keller served
notice on the members OF council that
he would oppose all such ordinances,
not because he thought the improve
ments unnecessary but for the reason
that it would be good business policy
to use this balance for the payment of
the city's debts.
After the appropriation ordinance
was passed this year, setting aside a
certain sum of money for electric
! lights, the Scranton Electric Light and
Heat company reduced the price per
light for electric street lights, which
will make the city's bill for that item
&,24495 less than the amount appro-
priated. This represents a balance that
can be used for other purposes and the
councilmen of both branches have been
| making all kinds of assaults upon it.
WAY 1T CAME UP.
The matter came formally before
! council last night, when an ordinance
was called on third reading providing
| for hiring another permanent man for
| the Crystal Engine company. the
| money to pay his salary to be trans
| ferred from this balance in the cleo
| trio light fund.
When this ordinance was called Mr.
Keller relinquished the chair to F. w
| Iizleman and going upon the floor Of
the council, entered a protest against
| the passage of any measure to take
money from the balance in question.
II am sorry" said Mr.. Keller. that
| / must speak against this particular
| measure. The Crystals probably need
| this additional permanent man and
have no desire to hamper that or any
| other company in the department.
have too deep an interest in the well
fare of the city to do that My action
| is based entirely upon what l believe
to be the greatest need Of the hour,
the transaction of city business in a
! busness-like way. We go along
thoughtlessly piling up bills that we
are unable to pay and I say to you,
| members of council, that it is time we
stopped, for every year we are getting
deeper into financial difficulties.
II have gone to the trouble Of seek
ing some information during the week
and find that in select council thirteen
measures have been introduced appro-
priating $6393, which is to be taken
from this electric light fund. In this
branch of the council the number of
| measures introduced to date is twelve
and the amount required to make them
$13,147 to be paid out of a balance OF
| $424i.95. What's the use of that kind
of legislation, anyway?
UNPAID BILLS.
Il went to the city controllers office
and found that he has $S,75S.03 there in
the form of judgments and bills APP
proved by councils that the city is
making no effort to pay. The judg-
ments are drawing interest at the rate
of six per cent. per annum. The only
thing for us to do is to stop short and
transfer this balance from the electric
light fund to the judgment and Incl
dental fund and enable the city TO pay
off some of the claims that now await
liquidation in the controllers office.
The kind of legislation proposed by
all of these measures is careless, al.
most reckless, and we ought not TO be
| ~ N of II Iii al Of Il,
measures in our own branch and hans
up those that come from the select
1t is time we came to stop. Where
is the man who tries to pay his debt!
Who will do business in this way? w,
may need more electric lights. l neet
three in my ward, but We need to pre-
serve the credit of the city worse thar
we need electric lights.
1T Is not my purpose TO obstruc
legislation, but | am firmly convinced
we ought not appropriate another dol
lar until the city's outstanding debt
are wiped out"
When Mr.. Keller had concluded e
j. Coleman, the father Of the Crysta
ordinance, made a plea to save IL from
death. He said all of the other FIR,
companies Of the central city, save tn
| crystals, nave tnfee permanent mel
and that it Is almost absolutely nece1
sary to have another man at tina
house. He called attention to the fac
that insurance rates are likely to b.
raised because of insufficient fire pro
lection and strongly urged that an eX
ceptlon be made in favor of this ordi
nance. Councilmen Grier and Calpil
also spoke in favor of the ordinance
1t passed by the following vote:
VOTE ON THE MEASURE.
Yeas-M. " Morris, Grior Godshal
Calpin, Ruane Zizelman Nageli, Phillips
Wcnzel, Watkins Coleman, T. f. Morris
Smith, CusCk.
Nays-Tewkesbury, Keller
A few minutes later the discussion
about present methods Of doing bust
ness was resumed, when the ordinanc
transferring money from the fund 70
} the repair of the Franklin engine I
the repair of the Franklin engine hous
: came up.
Explanations were asked and II wa
shown that one year ago $500 was ap
c propriated for the repair Of the Frank
i, lin engine, that being the amount a