The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-05-17

Mr.. Calpin's license tax ordinance,
passed third reading in common coun-
ell last night by vote of seventeen to
three, despite the vigorous and spirited
opposition of Mr.. Keller, who contended
that none of the corporations men
toned in the ordinance were taxed
heavily enough.
Mr.. Coleman called the measure up
just before the close of the meeting,
and Mr.. Keller was upon his feet in
moment. He said:
I'm going to vote against this ordi-
nance. and I'd like to give my reasons.
First, and primarily, 1 think the idea
Of taxing all of these large corpora
tions only 500 or $3.50 is absurd and
ridiculous. Just fancy taxing the Scran-
ton Gas and Water company, with its
hundreds of thousands of dollars of
profit, only 500. It's ridiculous on its
face. pretty thoroughly discussed the
foolishness of taxing the street railway
companies only one per cent. at our
last meeting, but l want to say little
more along that line tonight
Sometime the councils of Scranton
are going to pass an ordinance taxing
the gross receipts of the street railway
done now as never Let us provide for
a one per cent. tax the first year and
let it run gradually up to five or six.
When we do this, we can begin to
make improvements without bonding
the city, but we can't make improve
ments as long as we turn over these
franchises to these companies and get
nothing in return
ADMITTED HIS MISTAKE.
Mr.. Grier charged Mr.. Keller with
being inconsistent in having urged n
one per cent. tax before and now op-
posing it. He took this back later in
the evening, however, admitting that
Mr.. Keller previously wanted a two
per cent. tax, graduating up to five.
Mr.. Zizelman spoke against the ord-
nance, and Mr.. Calpin said that he in
troduced it in purely honest spirit and
made all taxes moderate, inasmuch as
he feared if he made them high it
would never get through councils. The
ordinance passed by the following vote
Yeas-Recsc. NJ v. Morris, Gricr, Griflths,
Godshall, Capin, Ruane, Naegi, Phillips, Calvin,
Wenzel, Watkins, Coleman, F. +. Morris, Smith,
Cusick Norton.-l7
Nays-Tewkesbury, Keller, Zizeman.-3
The light and water committee re-
ported the resolution fixing the stand
| ard height of all electric lights at
eighteen feet, with an amendment fix
ing the height at twenty-four feet.
This caused a very lively discussion,
several Of the members stating that
twenty-four feet would be too high and
others that eighteen feet would be too
low.
Messrs. Keller and Tewkesbury pre-
sented letters from the electric light
company stating that they intended
putting in new enclosed lamps with an
| alternating current and a harder car
bon These lamps throw the light hori-
zontally and will accordingly have to
| be placed much lower than those now
| In use The resolution was finally
passed in it's original form.
The fire committee introduced a reso-
luton awarding the contract for 1000
feet of rubber hose, at 81 a foot, to the
| Mineralized Rubber company. and for
500 feet of cotton hose, at eighty cents
| a foot, to the New York Betting and
Packing company. Mr.. Keller, the
| chairman of the committee asked M.
| V. Morris If these bids were the lowest.
NOT THE LOWEST.
"No, they were not" said Mr.. Nor
| ris. "There We're several lower bids by
the same companies, but their agent
advised us not to buy this cheap hose"