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

gallery where are kept the pictures and
descriptions of hundreds Of noted burg
lars. pickpockots, confidence men and
other criminals
Lieutenant Zang and Dominck Boland
were nacently wounded while making ar
rests
All of which is respectfully submitted.
Mrrtin Gurrell, Chief of Police.
THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
Particular praise must be bestowed
upon Chief Of the Fire Department Z. j.
Hickey for the manner in which he has
brought harmony and order out of dis
sension and disorder during the time he
has held office. Under his efficient ad-
mnistration, the Scranton hre depart
ment has been changed until 1t is prac-
tically a paid department doing as good
work as the most expensive and best
| equipped department in the country.
! During Chief Hickey's term 100000 worth
| of apparatus and property has been
! added to the Scranton fire department
and these additions have been made with
| such good Judgment that they have be1e-
! hted the department immcasureably and
| that without any additional burden upon
| the taxpayers of this city The work
done by the department during the year
| inst ended was. by far. the best ever
| performed in this city. a comparison of
| it with that done during the year 1897
/ will serve as a sufficient illustration
Here are the figures:
| During 1876
Total insurance carried on build
ings where fires occurred in the
Total loss in these fires .......... 7O.1S3 81
Insurance saved .$l55,SS9 50
Alarms 16 stills, IL false, tests, 100
bells: total. l5l.
| During lSqS-
| where trpS
CURED to December l .$i53,Sl0 no
Total loss where fires occurred
to December l .................. l3l.JS II
| Insurance saved ....,............S32l,1O ,1Ol 16
| Alarms: 10 stills false, tests, gen.
cral, 1i3 bells; total, 113.
| I regard this showing as one worthy
| Of all praise. In proportion 10 the amount
Of money expended for fire protection 1t
is not eXcelled by any department in any
city whose report has reached m% office.
A REASONABLE BOND ORDINANCE
The necessity of certain improvements
which are enumerated in this message
are so apparent that argument upon their
advisability is supertluous. The con-
Struction of adequate sewers, the opening
of certain street, the fitting up Of a cred
liable park and the building of a viaduCt
on West Lackawanna avenue are the
? | most pressing of these Improvements.
= | 1 or llc making OF lHtSt II Is necessary
that q bond ordinance should be passed.
; 1t is useless to attempt to dodge this
, question. These improvements must be
. made within very short time and the
matter may as well be submitted to the
people now as a year hence. With proper
diligence and careful consideration Of
' | the subject ~ councils, the ordinance
| can be passed in time to be voted upon at
e. the February election. | earnestly rec
ommend that this be done. The people
should be given the earliest possible ops
. | pOrtunity to express their wishes in this
l Important matter and W. are not iunti-
. fled in placing any Instructions in the
= way of such expression.
. CITY HALL IMPROVEMENTS
In my inaugural address of three years
Il ago, | recommended that the floors of
n the corridors in the city hall he tiled and
II that the walls be cleaned ard painted
! The work Of tiling the corridor on the
: first floor has just been completed and
: the Improvement is so marked that i,
- should serve as an incentive for a con-
tinuatiOn of the good work.
: THE TRAMP NUISANCE.
y The winter season brings into Scranton
s an army of Vagrants whose loose habits
II ana whose disregard of the rights tC
l. property that the law confers upon every
: individual make them care to the police
department and a menace to Tight-liviuG
l. residents of Scranton. The statute laws
of Pennsylvania contemplate the placinl
l. of these vaGrants at some form of hare
l. labor in IA workhouse to be provided 10y
$. the county. As no provision has beer
Is made 10y the county commissioners fO
/ the proper enforcement of the Nagranol
laws, l would suggest that their atten
le ton be directed to this omission. Th
n establishment of a wOrkhouse, if it's af
fairs We're property administered d,
al more toward eliminating the tramp nuis
I'd ance than all the police court lecture
p and all the thirty-day sentences in tn
y. world. | have really no authority undo
'e the law to place these men al work upo
n the streets or anywhere else. The onl
penalty that can be imposed is a fine O
is Imprisonment in the county Jail The
81 cannot pay the fine and the imprisOn
ment during the cold months Is cXactl
~ to their liking.
II. NAY AUG PARK.
Through the generosity and the enter
G. prise of some citizens, first among whOr
| would mention DR. G. T.. Hin, Nay Au
~ park has been improved and beautifed I
,s. a greater eNtcnt than the annual opprC
a priation would allow, Park Commits
It. sioners Scranton, Mccain and Bedfor
ts have unselhshly devoted much time an
work TO the duties of their offices and III
100 results are apparent to every one VIII
will take the trouble to make an inveE
|
IT, park was, more than ever. the pleasuI
| ground of the people of this city. III
nd good that was accomplished through 4
mt agency, while intangible and realized
or the fun only by the CitY's physicians, WI
still real ana far-rcaChing. | eanestl
ds commend this park to your considerable
n when the appropriation ordinance for Il
nd fiscal year 1899 Is being framed by yot
lr- Joint estimates committee 1t is ais
OF one of the things that must be included
ed whatever bond ordinance may be passt
by you. The peoples health, as well :
&C. the peoples pleasure, demands the re
mt ognition of this necessary municipal in
re proVement
INT In conclusion l desire to thank yol
en- honorable bodies for the considerable
'es shown to my wishes during the pa
ns three years ana 10 ask for it's continudn
ire during the few months remaining of n
- term Of office. | would call to your co.
"a sideration and to the careful consider
to tion Of all thoughtful citizens the fac
lts presented i'm this message and would a'
.de for fair and honest judgment thereo
/ al