The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-12-18
BOARD DIDN'T
COMMIT ITSELF
BUT DECIDED 70 CONFER WITH
PITTsBURG AND ALLEGHENY.
An Effort Made at Last Nights Meet
ing of Board Of Trade to Secure
Adoption Of Resolution Declaring
It to Be the Sense Of the Meeting
That It Was Not Advisable For
Scranton to Enter Second Glass.
Was Laid OH the Table.

| The board of trade last nightAtook
up the second class city problem. but
took no definite action further than
the appointment of a committees of
two to confer with the Pittsburg and
! Allegheny boards of trade relative to
new general act for the govern
ment of second class cities.
Unsuccessful attempts were made to
secure the adoption of resolutions de-
| claring it to be the sense of the board
| that 1t is not advisable for Scranton
! to enter the second class under laws
| existing at present and requesting the
| governor to withhold his official an
nOuncement of the city's population
| for six weeks.
The question was first brought up
by Secretary Atherton, who read a
| communication from the Pittsburg
chamber of commerce. announcing
that that body would confer with the
Scranton board on the second class
city matter. He moved that a COM
mittee, with James II. Torrey as
chairman, be appointed.
This started the discussion of tho
question and exactly one hour and q
half was consumed in a general ar
gument. upwards of dozen members
airing their views on the matter.
MIR. FOSTERS OPINION.
II. j. Foster thought that it woull
he possible to secure second class city
legislation favorable to Scranton IL
the Quay faction predominatcd in tn,
legislature this session. This, he
thought, would come about by dee
sire on the part of that element ito
punish their Pittsburg enemies.
Colonel Sanderson thought that
Scranton would be ground between the
upper and lower millstones and
would get no show whatever. This
political talk prompted a. w. Dick
son to remark
'If we've got to leave the future OF
our city in the hands Of a lot of poli-
ticians, may the Lord save us. was
going to say. that ii we have to
choose between Quay and Magee, let's
go to Magee, because he's the least in
decent of the two; but l think that if
it's impossible to secure better second
class legislation without seeing Billy
Finn, Chris Magee or Matt Quay,
that we'd better give up and take our
medicine"
The motion to appoint committee
was finally adopted and then Colonel
Sanderson offered a resolution that it
was the sense of the board that it was
advisable to remain in the third class.
This was voted down.
Colonel II. M. Boies thought than on
general principles it was advisable to
so into the second class. He thought
that political conditions couldn't be
much worse than they are now.
Colonel SandersOn then made an
elaborate and lengthy address explain
ing his reasons for favoring his reso-
luton. He thought that entering the
second class would be ruinous to the
taXables and business interests of the
city. ",rhe question of taxation is OF
vital Importance. The first question
asked by the promoters of proposed
new Industries is, What are your
taxes" They're high enough now, but
they'll be far higher If we get into the
second class
QUOTED STATISTICS.
The colonel then produced statistics
showing that the assessed valuation
of Allegheny is over three times higher
than Scranton and that on this valua-
ton there was u levy of 1874 mills, the
same as Scranton's present levy. He
offered figures to show that three
quarters of the appropriation for police
and fire department purposes in that
city We're expended in salaries for Of
fees created by councils.
Colonel L. L. Hitchcock said he
didn't have any sympathy with the
pessimistic views of those who thought
this city would go to the bow vows
if it entered the second class. The
same question was raised, he said,
when it was proposed to make Scran-
ton q city.
He believed that a constitutional con-
vention would soon be held which
would either wipe out the classification
clause and permit cities to frame their
own charters or create five classes.
Luther Keller made an elaborate ar
gument against the second class, show
ing the increase in the expense of run
ming the city in the last ten years and
pointing out that it would be dangerous
to have the running expenses of the
city increased any more.
In the course of his remarks he re-
ferred to the fire department, saying
that it was getting more money than
it ought to have and referring to it as
Il mob. This brought A. w. Dickson to
his feet and he made a few remarks
which We're warmly applauded.
why, gentlemen, we've got Il few
good things in this city," said he
We've got a few tirst-class council
men and We've got good fire depart
ment. I'm proud of it. It's got some
weak ends, but it's weakest end is the
fact that it's been starved to DEATH
There are public stealings in this city,
there is impurity, there is licentious-