The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-05-14

of health that he would earnestly en-
deavor to see that the pure food laws
on the statute books were rigidly en-
forced. and he has kept that promise
Few people realize the vast amount
Of work which this position calls for.
They read in the papers once month
that 1,i00 pounds of fish, 300 quarts OF
milk, 200 bushels of turnips etc, were
destroyed, but do they realize the vast
amount of labor the condemnation Of
this FOOD means? 1t means, first of all,
an eagle eye, and the happy facility OF
being in nearly every part of the city
at the same time, figuratively, and it
likewise means the making Of various
and diverse enemies, for it isn't every
merchant or marketman that cooper
ates with the food inspector.
Mr.. Widmayer has been especially
successful in keeping the city rid of
bob" veal during the past spring. To
do this he has many times got up from
his warm bed in the early hours Of the
morning before dawn and has Jour
neyed out to the Notch to stop some
Of the tricky farmers who endeavored
" SllluBSle meat llllO lne city De-
fore the light of day. He achieved such
a record for this that he has success
fully stopped all farmers from daring
to attempt to bring the veal to the city.
He has one hobby, and that is milk.
He is possessed of a first class chemi-
cal education and takes keen delight in
testing various samples of milk COL
lected by him. The newly revised milk
laws now under the consideration of
the board of health are largely the re-
suit of his labors.
AS was exclusively announced in
Saturdays Tribune, Uncle Jake Snyder,
Lackawannas venerable court crler, is
to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of
his marriage on the twentieth OF next
month. He proposes to make 1t a mem
orable event, and just at present is
devoting to its arrangements every
moment of leisure that the arduous
duties of his official position will allow.
Uncle Jake has many things in his
makeup that commend him to public
attention, but his chief characteristic
is his voice. 1t Is a real voice. Actions
may speak louder than words in the
ordinary run of instances, but when
the words are uttered by your Uncle
Jake in his official tones, you at once
note an exception. 1t is worth the
price of admission alone to hear him
call out for some absent defendant in
the quarter sessions court, when the
buzz and hum of the always crowded
court room demand that he put on the
loud pedal. Frequently, when he has
had a long list of these names to call
out, with forfeiture of bail to announce
between, persons have stopped on tine
adjacent avenues and looked all about
them for the cause of the terrible
tumult, never dreaming, of course,
that any such commotion could be oc-
curing in the temple devoted partially
to the preservation of the peace.
What Lackawanna county would Co
without that voice is something that
those who have the well-being of the
county near to their hearts do not care
to dwell upon. When, at the golden
wedding celebration they wish Uncle
Jake many more anniversaries, it can
be relied upon that they are earnest
and not altogether unselfish.
Alderman John T. Howe, of the Sew
enteenth ward, is one of the most con-
spicuous of the city magistrates. For
four years he has filled the office os.
Justice of the Seventeenth, and his five
years term will run out in a year, when
he will be a candidate for reelection,
and will in all probability be again
chosen for the office. Alderman Howe
succeeded Alderman Post in the pos:-
tion. and since he took the office has
done an enormous amount of alder
manic business, civil and criminal alike.
Marriages have been one of his special
ties and so far he has Joined in we'd
lock about seventy couples, ranging in
age from blushing youths and damsels
just of age, to men and women near
ing the sixties, both of whom had had
several previous trials at matrimonial
life.
THE alderman is a veteran of the
Civil war, enlisting as a private and
coming out with his sergeant's stripes.
He saw service in some of the hardest
fought engagements, and came from
the war equipped with a full stock Of
Johnny Reb stories. He takes an act
i've part in city Republican doings, and
is one of the standbys of most promi-
nent Grand Army of the Republic men
hereabouts.