The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-08-30


trance, which was begun only yester-
day morning, will be stopped today by
the police.
The councils, in special joint session
last night, adopted a resolution direct
ing the mayor to prevent the laying of
tracks on Mulberry street between
Prescott and Arthur avenues and on
Arthur avenue from Mulberry street
to Olive street.-The route of the loop
which the trolley company proposes
to operate-and if the tracks are laid
to prevent the running of cars there-
en-.
The tracks are laid on both streets
but are not connected at the interseo-
tion. The company had worked its
construction gang all night to get the
loyp ready for yesterday, when The
Veterans reunion and Christian En-
deavor rally were held at the park
and had finished the job with the ex-
Ception of setting the connecting fish
plates when Mounted officer Block ap-
peared on the scene with an order
from the mayor to stop the work. The
company obeyed the order to stop. but
it made use of the extension as far
as the Arthur avenue intersection to
was not molested
JOINT SESSION CALLED.
The joint session was called by the
mayor "to consider and give express
sion to the laying of tracks On Arthur
avenue and Mulberry street There
were present Selectmen Ross Thomas,
Williams, James, Roche, Mel in, Ch'l-
tenden, Wagner, Schneider SChrOt der,
Frable, COyne McAndrew ana Com
moners Reese, Morris V. Morris, Cod
SHALL Ruane. Xizleman, Tewksbury.
Nageli, Phillips, Monahan. Smith,
Cusick. Norton, thirteen of each
branch. Mr.. Williams was elected
chairman
After the call had been read, Clerk
Morris read the following commune
cation from the mayor:
TO the Honorable, the Select and Com
mon Councils.
Gentlemen: I have deemed it expedient
to convene your honorable bodies in
joint session for the purpose of your be
ing able TO give an expression on the
matter of the Scranton Railway Company
laying their tracks on Arthur avenue and
Mulberry street, without having secured
permission to do the same by ordinance
called to the fact that the Scranton Rail-
way company was grading or about to
lay their rails on the above mentioned
streets. ] inquired into the matter and
ascertained that they had nt valid
| rights ON either street, from III, fact
that whatever rights they had received
from councils had lapsed
! therefore directed the chief of police
to restrain the company from further
prosecuting the work. | fully eN-
planned to the Scranton Railway COM
pany's officials my stand in the matter.
that having stopped them from tres
passing | should not give them any right
nor permit them to resume work without
the consent of councils, and advised them
to obtain the right by ordinance, that be
ing the only legal way to secure the
same.
Subsequently a conference was held
in the city hall, the city solicitor being
in attendance. Al this meeting II was
urged by Mr.. Silliman that | stood i'm
| the way of possibly much needed inn
prOvement in hindering the railway com
pany in laying their tracks and giving
the best service to the multitudes visit
| ing Nay Aug Park daily
THE MAYORS POSITION.
held then, as I hold now, that ! only
stood for the City's rights, but | agreed
| that If the company would go into COun-
| ellis and secure by ordinance the right to
| lay the tracks in dispute, l would throw
| no obstacles i'm the way.
An ordinance has been introduced i'm
common council for the purpose of grant
ing this franchise but for some unex-
planned reason no other action has been
taken on the same So far. Meanwhile
the work Of rack-laying is in progress
| and will be finished this week providing
your honorable bodies, by vote give con-
sent.
The matter Is now before YOU to take
| such speedy action as your honorable
bodies may deem best
Respectfully submitted
James Moir Mayor.
Ar. Melvin's motion to receive ana
file the mayors message was adopted
and then Mr., Melvin introduced a reso-
luton calling upon the mayor to stop
the operations on the loop. as outlined
! above. Various of the members then
spoke for or against the measure.
Mr.. Chittenden said he could not see
how it was worth the city's while to
go into fight in this matter. now that
ii has permitted he tracks to be laid
and cars to be operated There was
| nothing to gain by that. he said. The
proper thing to do, he cuntended, would
be to get together and put a good.
solid tax on the company, by which il
would be compelled to recompense the
city not only for this. but every other
privilege it enjoys. This thing Of rails
| ing squabble over the laying Of
tracks that the citizens want laid, and
which the company AYERS it has the
right to lay. will only result in bring
ing upon us the bitter criticism Of the
people
MIR. MELVIN'S VIEWS.
Mr.. Melvin held that the city has lots
| TO gain by this move. 1t was the duty
| of the company to secure permission
| from the city to lay these tracks and
| give the city something for the privir
| leGc, aVerred Mr.. Melvin. Instead Of
doing this, the company, against all
law and order, put its men TO work a t
night and took the right just as If they
We're stealing 1t. The fact that 1t did
| this, Mr.. Melvin claimed. showed il
was doing something il knew II had
no right to do, IL is an insult to eoun-
| ellis, Mr. Melvin concluded.
| Mr. Coyne asked if any one could eX-
plain why the company proceeded IN
this unusual manner.
| In reply, Mr.. Chittenden said the
company was evidently under the inn
| preston that it is not obliged To con-
| suit the city about laying tracks on
| these streets, He understood the COM
pany had an arrangement with the
| Boulevard company and the Lacka-
wanna Iron and Steel company, made
several years ago, whereby it should
have the right to lay tracks on these
| streets, provided ii graded them.
| Mr.. CaIpin told of having senn the