The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-07-27
RAISED THE RATES
ON SCRANTON & SON
AND SUCCEEDED M'AsKIE AS
UNDERWRITERS SECRETARY.
John M. Hughes Did These Things
and Then Was Rash Enough to
Express an Opinion That Did Not
Concur with the Fool Views Of the
Republican in a Matter in Which
He Above All Men Was Competent
to Pass Judgment--Some Recent
and Ancient History. -


NOlludy hepuDlCdn contained a
fool proposition to reduce the COM
panies of the fire department from
sixteen to seven, leaving only one COM
pany to the South Side, one to the
West Side and two companies to Provi-
dence, Green Ridge, Park Place and
Pine Brook besides a number of other
things equally ridiculous.
The idea was credited to fictitious
persons who have given up hope of
reorganizing the fire department as q
volunteer organization and who would
transform 1t into a paid department
with the above scheme as part of the
means thereto.
The Tribune knowing full well that
the article was wholly and solely a bit
Of thoughtless, groundless space-filling,
originating from the same vacuous
source that has supplied column after
column of similar rot and nonsense,
took it upon itself, as n matter Of
public duty, to show the utter shallow
ness of the proposition and did so in
a dignified and irrefutable way.
To show, further, what the insurance
people thought of the Republicans
proposition a number Of them were in
| terviewed on the matter and with one
accord they characterized it as asinine.
One of the number, John NJ. Hughes,
secretary of the Board Of Underwriters,
was quoted on the subject, rs being
the one most fitted to express the crys-
| talized sentiment of the men of that
business.
Yesterdays Republican contained a
personal attack on Mr.. Hughes. The
only excuse for it was that he had
expressed an opinion that did not con-
cur with the views contained In the
Republicans fool article.
He was solicited for the opinion and
only gave it after it was pointed out to
him that the matter in question was
| of vital public importance and that
| he, because of his office, was particu-
| larly competent to pass judgment on
| it.
| SOME FEW EAR MARKS.
| The article was SO basolv meat, Ut
terly inexcusable and contemptibiy
scurrilous that it can not be repeated
in full. For the benefit of those who
did not read the article, it is necessary
for the purposes of this article to say
that it alleged, among many other
things, that he came by his position
through accident and that he is au-
tocratic and oficious in his dealings
with persons having business with the
| association. To be sure these things
| weren't said iE this mild manner
1t was very apparent that the mild
expression of opinion that came from
| Mr.. Hughes in his official capacity
| could not have brought forth the fierce
personal assault which the Republican
directed against him. so it behooved
The Tribune to find out if possible just
what could have been the motive of
the attack.
| Mr.. Hughes was out of town when
the reporter called and when he re-
turned the information that The Trb-
une set out to get had been secured.
Now for some ancient history.
Eight years ago John NJ. Hughes
came to this city and became a clerk
in the employ Of the Board OF Under
writer's. John q. McAskie was then
its secretary. John G. McAskie was
discharged-any insurance luan Will
give you the reason and John NJ.
Hughes promoted to the secretaryship.
So much for the reference in the
Republican article as to how Mr..
Hughes came by his position.
| Not long ago the Fire Underwriters
| association, through the middle depart
ment in Philadelphia was directed to
promulgate certain rules regarding the
electric wiring of buildings. The Re-
| publican building was not wired ac-
cording to the rules and its owners or
reputed owners proceeded to conform
to the rules in order to avoid an in
crease in their insurance rates.
GOLF PRIZE GIVEN, THOUGH.
A Scranton business firm started in
to re-wire the building, but never COM
pleted the job. possibly for the same
reason that one of the Republican re-
porters borrowed money to buy his
midnight lunches, which, he alleged
was because he didn't get his pay
Be that as it may, the Board of I'm
derwriters through its secretary, Johr
NJ. Hughes, raised the insurance rate
on the Republican building % per cent.
as the rules Of the middle department
directed. Mr.. Hughes was besought
to shut his eyes to the defect in the
building and upon his refusal to lent
himself to this dishonesty made al
enemy of the owners or reputed own
crs of the building and the insurance
agent who was writing the policy.
So much for the assent of the pro
prietors of the Republican to the pub
lcation of the article personally as
sailing John NJ. Hughes and contribut
ed to yesterdays edition.
If any one thinks Mr.. Hughes mad
a rash statement when he character
; lied the Republicans fire department
proposition as an absurdity let hin
: listen to these expressions from othe
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