The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-10-06

Scranton cannot be changed from n
city of the third class to a city of the
second class without a great amount OF
preliminary legislation ON the part OF
councils. Select Councilman John Il.
Roche realizes this. and he introduced
n resolution in select council on Thurs
day night providing for the appoint
ment of special committee Of three
to take UP the matter and report to
councils before January 1 such leg!s-
lation as it will be necessary to pass.
Mr.. Roche, when seen yesterday by
Tribune man, said that while he had
given the matter very little thought,
nevertheless it had occurred to him
that some such committee should be
appointed as soon as possible, and he
accordingly introduced the resolution.
When asked to suggest just what such
a committee could do, Mr.. Roche said:
ut is we'll known that under the
second class city law many new offices
are created and many of the existing
ones dispensed with. For instance, the
offices of chief of police and chief of
the fire department will be done away
with and an office termed the director
of public safety created in their stead.
The street cleaning and city engineers
departments are consolidated and an
official known as the director Of pub
lie works takes the place of the city
engineer and the street commissioner.
while the duties of these officials
are given in general way in the act
of assembly, it will be necessary for
councils to pass new ordinances eX-
actly defining their duties and their
limitations. Then the question Of sal
ary will have to be fixed. Many people
fancy that when we become a city of
the second class the salaries now paid
city officials in Pittsburg will go into
effect as a matter of course.
"That couldn't be thought Of for
moment, for If we did the city would
be swamped. Then again. special elec-
tions will have to be provided for the
election of additional common coun-
cilmen. Then there will have to be
changes in the municipal building.
Offices will have to be moved around
and provisions made for the accom-
modal ton Of extra councilmen in the
council chamber. In fact, great deal
more in the way of preliminary legis-
lation will have to be done than many
people dream Of"
Mr.. Roche believes that Scranton
will become a city of the second class
next April, and that the committee
ought to get down to business as soon
as possible. He believes that the COM
mittee could take up the question of
having the second class city law
also, but this would be an
after consideration. ~
Commissions from Pittsburg and AL
legheny have compiled an entirely new
law governing second class cities,
which is to be presented at the coming
session of the legislature. Mayor Moir
has been making desperate effort
during the past few weeks to get
copy Of this act, but has been unable
to do SO. He has written to the city
solicitors of both cities, but has re-
ceived no reply.
1t is thought that both Pittsburg and
are perfectly satisfied with
the new law and are not desirous Of
having this city suggest any changes
to it. Could a copy of it be obtained it
would be found extremely useful, but
1t is pretty safe to believe that the
people across the state will not make
it public until it Is introduced in the
legislature.