The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-05-11
TAX ON TROLLEY
COMPANIES REDUCED
COMMON COUNCIL THOUGHT 1T
TOO LARGE.
Original Clause in the License Tax
Ordinance Amended in Common
Branch Despite the Opposition of
Mr.. Keller and Others - First
Round in Battle Between Mr..
Phillips and His Democratic Con-
ferees-viaduct Ordinance Again
introduced by Mr.. Godshall.

Common council put itself on record
last night by a vote of twelve to seven
as favoring an amendment to the IL
cense tax ordinance providing for
tax of only 1 per cent. of the gross re-
ceipts of the local street railway COM
pany. This action was not taken, how
ever. until Mr.. Keller and others had
vigorously opposed the amendment.
The license committee, to which the
ordinance was referred, reported it
with several amendments, the princi-
pal one being the above mentioned one.
The original ordinance provides that
in 1901 the street railway companyB
shall pay a tax of 9 per cent, on their
gross receipts; in 1904, 4 per cent. ar1
in 1905 and every year thereaftar,
per cent. The amendment provides
that the companies shall pay 1 per
cent. in 1901 and every year thereafter
Mr.. Coleman moved that the amend
ment be adopted. Mr.. Keller immCd,-
ately opposed the amendment. He
said:
THE gross receipts of the Scranton
Railway company last year were s4i6.-
900 and I think that 1 per cent. of this
is entirely too small an amount for the
city to receive. The franchise which
this company has is one of .he most
valuable in the state. 1t has popu-
lation of nearly 125,OO0 to draw from
in this city and a contingent popula-
ton of over 100000. 1t practically owns
our streets, and yet these gentleman
want it to pay only $4,000 year to the
city.
"The company officials say they pay
state tax, but so does every business
man, yet he has to pay local taxes.
I've been gathering statistics lately
and l find that other cities receive
immense benefits from the street rail-
way companies. Baltimore gets S3lt,-
900 from them and Newark over
| SOS, ,000."
MIR. WATKINS EXPLAINED.
Mr.. Watkins, of the committe, en-
| planned that the members thought the
| ordinance wasn't fair inasmuch az
other companies were not taxed pro-
| portionatey as much. Mr.. Calpin
| took issue with him, saying that no
other company in the city was rs great
| an inconvenience as is the street rail-
way company. Messrs. Grier and NJ.
| V. Morris spoke briefly in favor of the
amendment and Messrs. Zizlenar and
| Phillips opposed it. The am .rdment
was finally adopted by the following
| vote:
| Godshall, Ruane. Wenzel, Watkins, Coleman, +.
F. Morris, Cusick, Norton.-l2.
Nays-Calpin, Zizelman, Tcwkesbury, Nagcli,
Phillips, Calvin, Keller.-7.
The committee introduced an amend
ment reducing the tax on telephone
companies from $3.50 to $10O. This met
with such unanimous opposition that
the committee withdrew it. Mr.. Keller
remarked when it was introduced that
he would favor taxing all telephone
companies $1,000 if it could be done.
An amendment striking out the lire
taxing owners of halls, or places of
| amusement having a capacity between
500 and 1000. $50 year, was adopted
| and the ordinance passed first and Sec
| ond reading
The meeting was interesting in that
it showed the first round in the coming
battle between the Democratic men,
bers and Mr.. Phillips. who bolted from
the Democratic ranks at the recent re-
organization and voted for Mr., Grif-
| fiths, the present Republican chairman.
Mr.. Phillips called up on third read
ing his ordinance providing for the
sprinkling of all unpaved streets on
which there are street railway tracks,
by the street railway companies.
MR.. GRIER OBJECTED.
Mr.. Grier Immediately objected to the
| measure, saying that too frequent
| sprinkling of this kind would cause the
bricks between the tracks to sink. He
| was reminded that there We're no
bricks between the tracks on unpaved
streets. Mr. Grier thereupon opposed
| the ordinance on the ground that it
was not legal. T. F. Morris thought
| paved streets should be sprinkled as
well, and finally Mr. Calpin moved that
| the ordinance be referred to the city
solicitor for his opinion as to its legal
| ity.
All of this opposition came from the
Democratic side of the house. and il
| remained for Messrs. Nageli and Zizel-
man, two Republicans, to champion the
measure. The motion to refer was
finally adopted, however.
The ordinance granting the Connell
Park and Speedway Street Railway
company permission to lay tracks on
certain streets of the city passed third
and final reading without any oppo-
sition whatever The following new
resolutions We're introduced and passed:
| By Mr.. Keller--Directing the city engineer
when giving the line OF Harrison avenue, to fiH
| the curb line fifteen feet from the fence line.
| By Mr.. zeman-PeTmitting the central city
| fire companies to parade on the occasion Of the
Elks parade oil the opening day of their indus
trial exposition.
BY Mr.. Calpin-Drecting the city engineer and
the street commissioner to confer with the OF.
| fcials of the Lackawanna railroad regarding the