The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-03-03
LICENSE ORDINANCE
VERY MUCH AMENDED
COMMON COUNCIL TAKES A SHY
AT THE MEASURE.

A]AOSSAAS AA6 6ASAu6 3SScV4utAVu 3Sc-
ferred to Committee-Mr. God
shalps New Ordinance Fixing
Method of Street Repairing.
The license tax ordinance was very
thoroughly amended last night before
it passed second reading in common
council. All of the amendments Of
fered, with few exceptions, were
passed unanimously anu the majority
of the members seemed to evidence a
sort of don't care -whnther-it-passes-
or-not sort of a disposition towards the
measure, and unless it Is pushed
through it is not believed that it will
Pass before reorganization.
When Mr.. Calpin called the measure
up Mr.. Grier moved to refer it back
to its proper committed. but Mr.. Cal
pin wouldn't have this, saying that
there seemed "to be a disposition on
the part of council to shirk its work"
MIR. Grier's motion was lost, and the
ordinance being before council. the
amendments began to pour in. T. t.
Morris, the father of the measure, had
a long list and so had many others.
The most important one adopted was
one offered by Mr.. Keller taxing the
gross receipts of the traction company
per cent. in 1900; rcr cent. in 1901:
per cent. in 1902. and { per cent in
1908 and thereafter. Mr.. Calpin sue
ceeded in having this changed to 3
per cent. for the first year; per cent.
for the next two years, and per cent.
for every year thereafter. Some one
suggesting that this was little bit
hard on the company, Mr.. Calpin re.
piled that "they only pay taves now
on two sick horses and u vacant lot"
INSURANCE. TAX.
Mr.. Grif1iths made an effort to have
the clause taxing insurance companies
stricken out, but his motions were
separately defeated. Ihe clause pro-
viding for tax on the business Of
contractors and on drummers and
book agents were stricken out and a
number Of smaller changes made.
The select council resolution award
ing the electric lighting contract to the
Scranton Electric Light and Heat COM
pany, for period of ten years, came
up but was referred to it's proper COM
mittee on motion Of Mr.. Grier, who
claimed that in it's present shape it was
not legal.
A communication was received from
the mayor vetoing the concurrent reso-
luton permitting the Scranton Ice
company to run slaves into the retain
ing wall Of the Linden street bridge, on
the ground that it was unsafe. An
nfh ,ioof TOT, +,
city engineer, stating that the action
would be perfectly safe. A motion to
pass over the mayors head was lost,
but this action was later re-considered
and the resolution again adopted.
The ordinance providing that ali
butchers sell poultry drawn and with
the heads and feet removed received its
death by council adopting an adverse
report on the measure presented by the
sanitary committee.
The communication from Chief Rob-
ling, read in select council Thursday
night, regarding 5000 transferred from
the January police fines for the bring
ing back from Montreal of the two men
who shot Officers Keys and Snyder,
was read and the action of the chief
approved, the only objection being Mr..
Calpin, who thought the city had
enough to do itself without taking care
of Dunmore prisoners.
NO APPEAL IN SAUL CASE.
The resolution directing the city
solicitor to take an appeal from the
ruling in the Saul case was lost, Mr..
Grier bitterly opposing it, claiming that
the lower courts We're pretty nearly al
ways right and it would be a needless
waste of money.
The following resolutions were con-
CURED in: Directing the city solicitor
to examine the charter of the Scranton
Gas and Water company to see If there
is any legal obstacle preventing the city
from building its own water works; d.
recting the city clerk to advertise for
bids for the printing Of ordinances.
Mr.. Godshall introduced an ordinance
providing for a change In the method
of expending money for street repairs.
1t provides that the city be divided into
four districts,as follows:
First-First, Second. Third and Thir-
teenth wards and First district of the
Twenty-first.
Second-Fourth, Fifth, Fourteenth. Fiji
tteIltl anu oCNoNu
district of the Twenty-tirst
Third-Seventh. Eighth, Ninth, Tenth,
Sixteenth and Seventeenth wards.
Fourth-Eeventh, Twelfth, Nineteenth
and Twentieth wards.
The ordinance provides that all the
appropriations by districts and that all
expenditures be made by the street
commissioner.
A resolution directing the city solicit
tor to confess judgment in the sum of
1875 in favor Of John j. and Michael
Ruddy was passed. The following Or
dinances passed third and final read
ing: Providing for four electric lights
In the First ward; providing for the
widening of South Main avenue, be-
tween Oxford and Fellows street; pro-
viding for the opening up of Wayne
avenue, between Ferdinand and Put
nam streets; providing for the erec-
ton of fire hydrant in the Twentieth
ward.