The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-03-11
AMENDMENTS TO
THE CITY CHARTER
SYNOPSIS OF THE BILL NOW BE-
FORE THE LEGISLATURE.
Provides That a Mayor Can Suspend
a Police officer for Thirty Days
Without Pay at His Own Discre-
tion Without Consulting Select
Council--In Making Foot-Front
Assessments Equitable Allowances
Can Be Made for Irregular-shaped
Lots-other Changes.

Inc act now before the legislature at
Harrisburg amending the Act of 1889,
third-class cities, will, if
adopted, straighten out the many
snarls which now cause bother TO
Legislators
Section is amended so that general
appropriation bills are excepted from
the bills that can not have more than
one subject expressed in its title.
Section 6 is amended by adding 81
provision that all sales of personal
property owned by the city shall be to
the highest responsible bidder
Clause 10 of Section 3, providing for
grading and paving is amended by
making ii conform to the Act of 1896 in
changing the vote necessary to order
the work with petition from the prop
erty holders from two-thirds to three
fourths and by also adding the follow
ing clause: Provided, however, that
in assessments according to foot front
rule, councils may provide for an equit-
able reduction, not exceeding one-third,
from the frontage Of lots at streets
and other intersections where from
their peculiar or pointed shape, an as
sessment for the full frontage would
be inequitable.
Clause l3 of the same section at pres
ent reads: mo two persons from the
same ward shall serve on any board
at the same time" 1t is proposed to
change it to read: mo two persons
from the same ward shall serve on the
same board at the same time"
FOR WILLIAMSPORT.
Clause SO, dealing with a city's power
to regulate water courses, is to be en-
larged so that the city can have power
to proceed at law or in equity to re-
move cncroachments on streams pass
ing through or along the boundaries of
a city when said encroachments
threaten injury to the city. This clause
Is particular for the benefit of Will
Transport. That city wants authority to
go beyond the city limits and regulate
the building OF log dams so as to pre-
vent the floods which now so frequently
cause trouble there.
An amendment is proposed to Sec
tion II, which will do away with an
ambiguous clause that has caused no
end Of bother all over the state. 1t
refers to joint conventions of councils.
The clause at present reads: "A ma
jority of each branch shall be neces-
sary to the decision of any question"
1t is proposed to change it to read:
THE votes of a majority of THOSE
PRESENT Of each branch in it's favor
shall be necessary to the adoption of
any motion or resolution"
Section l of Article Z, pertaining to
the duties and powers of the mayor,
contains a clause which reads: He
C1, oil .
threatened public disorder to require
and enforce the closing up of bars or
any establishments in which liquors
are sold" 1t is proposed to change it
to read: ITO require and enforce the
closing up OF bars and to suspend in
all places the sale of liquors" The
purpose in this is to limit the author
ity of the mayor so that he can only
close up the barroom of hotel and not
the whole hotel.
POLICE APPOINTMENTS.
Section 4 of the same act prescrib-
ing the manner of appointing police
officers is enlarged by the new act by
the insertion Of the following: And
Cthe mayor may in his discretion
(without the advice or consent of select
counCiD suspend any policeman for n
period, not exceeding thirty days with
out pay. Policemen shall serve during
good behavior or until suspended or
dismissed, as provided by this act"
(by and with the advice and consent
of select counciD.
1t also empowers the mayor TO ap-
point substitutes for q period not eX-
ceeding ten days. A clause is also
added empowering the mayor to depose
the chief of police at any time and
designate another to fill his place.
This power is not expressed in the
original act.
In section :, where 1t reads: 1T shall
by the duty of the controller to certify
contracts for the payment of which
sufficient appropriations have been
made" the new act makes this addi-
tion: provided, however, that this
section shall not apply to contracts for
public improvements, heretofore or
hereafter made, the cost of which has
been or shall be assessed in whole or
in part upon the properties abutting
or benefited except as to that part of
the cost Of such improvements as is
or has been directed TO be paid out
of an appropriation from the city
treasury" This protects the controller
and his sureties from being charged
with assessments that property hold
ers may default in. making the con-