The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-08-24

poses from the judgments and inciden-
tai appropriation, an item intended
solely for the purpose of paying off
every year a certain amount of the
large and rapidly accommodating pile
of judgments drawing 6 per cent. in
terest which stand charged up against
the city.
This year they have been especially
reckless in this respect, but very few
realized to what extent until Luther
Keller read, last night, in the common
branch, an itemized statement COM
piled from the books of the city con-
troller, and which was rather sensa-
tional in certain respects.
Mr.. Keller had his say and read his
statement when the ordinance trans
ferring some $500 for ten additional
electric lights from the judgments and
incidentals appropriations was called
up on third reading. He was on his
feet in a moment, and after explaining
that he has always been unalterably
opposed to transferring funds from
this account, appealed to the common
sense of the members present while
he read from a statement compiled
| by himself yesterday afternoon.
II find" said he, that this year the
councils appropriated $13,359.61 for
| judgments and incidentals. l find by
examination of the controllers books
| that up to Aug. II warrants have been
countersigned against this account
amounting to $11,773.49. Since then
| there have been other warrants coun-
tersigned, leaving a balance of s77S in
| the appropriation.
Il find that a bill of Prothonotary
| tn 4,1ct
which passed the joint auditing COM
mittee a long time ago, has been
charged to this appropriation. Now,
the controller impelled by some mo-
tive which do not care to talk about
split this bill in two on his own respon-
sibilty, paying $49454 and leaving 5000
unpaid. This $500 is charged against
this account and must be paid before
anything else.
NOT MUCH LEFT.
"Now, if we take this $500 from the
balance of $71S we have just s1SS left to
provide for the over $500 called for in
this ordinance. Not ony this, but
there are now ordinances on the way
providing for the transfer of $3,957.26
from this account Just think of it!
We want to transfer over $4,000 from
an account in which only s1SS remains.
How in the world of reason can 1t be
done?
But this isn't the worst feature.
When you raise the arguments that /
have raised the councilmen say, Yes.
we know, but If there is no money the
controller will refuse to countersign
any warrants, and there's no danger
in passing the ordinance You know
as we'll as l do what this means. 1t
means that when these measures are
passed they become laws and the
money called for has got to be included
as a deficiency in next years appro-
priation ordinance. That's not right
and you know 1t isn't.
"And when we're through with thi.
argument let's go to the other old one
There's Just exactly $S3, 900 in judg
ments, drawing per cent interest
charged up against the city, and her,
are councilmen wanting to divert th'
money appropriated for the purpose o
clearing these up, to other purposes
We can borrow money at 3A per cent
I'm tired of the whole thing. l dom
oppose the improvements, but / d,
most emphatically oppose the method
used to obtain them
large upon the great necessity of tn
lights, ETC., but when asked wher
the money was coming from the,
simply grinned. The combination wa
too strong for Mr.. Keller and the or
dinance passed on third reading b.
; the following vote:
| TALK DIDN'T COUNT.
Ycas--Mcssrs. Reese, Grier, Godshal Ruan,
: Roche, Phillips, Galpin, Watkins, Coleman,
[ L. Morris, Smith, Norton, Grifiiths-l3
: Nays-Nageh, Harvey, Paine. Wenzel, Keller
Another ordinance transferring Si2
: for fire department purposes from tn
same account was next called up. MI
e Keller contented himself with smpl
, saying that his other arguments ap
piled to this also. 1t was adopte
by the same vote, except that Nj
i Wenzel changed over to the yea sidt
! he having signed the ordinance a
j a member Of the fire department com
5 mittee.
i Just before the meeting was calle
a to order T. ]. Roche, the new mem
> Der from the Eighth ward, presente
> his credentials and was sworn in b
Chairman Griffiths.
Quite a little argument was cause
by the adverse report of the sewer
u and drains committee on the resolu
l. tion extending for four months tn
a time limit for the construction of II
Seventeenth district or South Scranto
II sewer, Mr.. Grier moved that the n
3 port of the committee be not adopte
> and that the resolution be passed
u Mr.. Paine. of the sewers and drair
u committee. assured the members tn;
the city engineer was not in favor
granting the extension to Contractt
Coons and expressed the opinion tn;
e if 1t was adopted the work OF col
II structing the sewer would go on "f,
all eternity"
:, Mr.. Coons was championed by NJ
- Keller Mr.. Grier. Mr.. Smith and OIL
:. ers. 1t was contended that he h;
y been delayed on account of his inabi
% ity to negotiate the judgments al
- bonds Issued him in payment by Il
city, and the opinion was express
that If the resolution was not adop
ed he would throw up the contraC
I'd After a deal of argument Mr.. GrieI
lie motion was put and carried and Il
L extension was granted.
al ANOTHER EXTENSION.
ty Later in the evening Mr.. Keller 1
es troduced and secured the passage
~ a resolution extending for sixty da
ne the time limit for the constructi
n OF the Schultz court sewer, John
". Fahey, contractor. He maintain
I'd that the city engineer used bad Jud
be ment" in estimating the probaf
length of time required to constru
ri the sewer A select council resol
| 4