The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-06-08
s. Horn.

The methods now employed in let
ting contracts for work to be done at
Nay Aug park called forth a few eX-
tremely vigorous remarks last night in
select council from d. w. Vaughan, the
member from the Nineteenth ward.
Councils recently passed a letter di-
recting that in furture all proposals
for work to be done at the various
parks be received by the city clerk,
opened by him in the presence of coun-
ellis and all contracts for such work
awarded by councils, instead of by the
park commissioners, as at present. The
mayor sent in the following commune
cation last night vetoing this resolu-
tion:
Scranton, Pa, June Z, 1900.
To the Honorable the Select and Common Coun.
ellis.
Gentlemen: I herewith return without my ap.
proval concurrent resolution directing the park
commissioners as to advertising and letting con-
tracts for the following reasons:
While | fully agree with your honorable bodies
as to the correctness Of the propositions in the
resolution, | am satisfied 1t would be unwise and
ineNpedent either to pass or enforce such
measure as now proposed. The park commission
ers should he allowed considerable discretionary
power in expcnding the moneys set apart for
park purposes. I find they have had work done
both by contract and by private agreement, or
rather had the work done under their own super
vision where it was necessary to have the same
done at once. All moneys expended ~ills
contracted by the park commission is laid before
your honorable bodies and sCrutinized by your
joint auditing committee, and any matter not
sufficiently clear will be cheerfully explained to
your satisfaction by the commissioners. Should
the provisions of this resolution prevail it would
seriously interfere with and retard the park i'm
provements through the delays incident to the
passage of ordinances covering many minor
details. In my opinion this measure is unncces
sary and would be detrimental.
VAUGHAN'S REMARKS.
Mr.. Chittenden moved that the reso-
luton be passed over the mayors head,
but before the motion could be put
Mr.. Vaughan arose to remark.
THAT resolution ought to be passed."
said he, "it's a shame the way things
| are run at Nay Aug park at present.
l understand that when the last con-
| tract was let for work there only one
| contractor was permitted to bid by
| the commissioners. That contractor is
| Peter Stipp and he seems to be the
man that's running the whole park.
| Even the people, employed up there are
not citizens of the city; they're all from
| Dunmore. It's about time that coun-
ellis had a little to say regarding the
spending of taxpayers money at the
| park"
| The motion to pass over the mayors
veto was lost by the following vote, it
requiring fourteen votes to pass over
his veto
| Yeas Costello, Roche Melvin, Schneider Shea,
| Lidstone, McCann, Oliver, Cemons, OBoyle,
| Vaughan, McAndrew-l2.
| Nays--Rcss, Thomas, Chittenden, WagIcr,
| Coync-5.
The justly celebrated common coun-
| Gil license tax ordinance was very
| thoroughly amended on third reading.
| The license committee reported the
ordinance with a number of amend
ments, which were all adopted in COM
mittee on the whole after a deal of
sharp parliamentary debate.
The most important of these amend
ments substitutes a five per cent tax
upon the gross receipts of all street
| railway companies, said tax to take
| effect as soon as the ordinance goes
into effect, instead of the one per
cent. tax adopted by common council
Another amendment increases the
tax on gas. water, telephone, electric
light and power and steam heating
companies from 800 and $50 to 1900
each. The other amendments Offered
by the committee and adopted We're:
Every owl er of hand organ or street piano
$40,
All huckstcrs selling fruit or vegetables not
Of their own raising, SIS.
All persons not regularly licensed merchants
selling fruit and vegetables not Of their owl
raising, S1j.
All patent medicines vcnders not regularly
licensed merchants, Sl5
MUST KEEP MOVING.
Another amendment provides tha
no huckstcr or street peddlar shall bt
allowed TO locate his wagon withir
200 feet of regularly licensed mer,
chants store and that they must no
remain for more than five minutes ir
any one place. Still another amend
ment directs that thu food inspector
inspect all scales and measures.
Mr.. Oliver was veIy much annoyed
that these resolutions, which had beer
offered by the committee should hav'
been considered and adopted before HI
could get hearing. When they haC
been adopted, however, he offered fur
ther amendments,
His first batch of amendments pro
yided that every street railway, elec
trio fight. gas and water, telephone
electric power, and steam heat com
pany be taxed two per cent. of thei
gross receipts. Council having dis
posed Of these matters in anothe
form, the amendments were, on mo
tion of Mr., oliver, laid on the table.
He then introduced n second batch
with which he had more luck, all o