The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-03-13


| The ordinance providing for the car
| rying into effect of the provisions OF
| the ripper bill was passed on second
| reading by select council last night
after a number of amendments had
| been adopted none of which were of
very great Importance.
| With one or two exceptions they
were all introduced by Mr.. Roche, and
in the majority of instances provided
| for the correction of typographical
and clerical errors In the ordi.
| nance.
The most important one outlines the
| duties of the city treasurer, making
| many radical changes in the manage
mont of the affairs Of that office. 1t
provides that the city funds shall be
| deposited I'm banks to be selected by
the city controller. and that all inter-
! est earned by the moneys deposited in
| these banks shall be covered into the
city treasury. All checks upon these
banks drawn by the treasurer must be
countersigncd by the controller.
Another amendment creates q new
police lieutenant. This was rendered
necessary, Mr.. Roche said. because o.
the fact that the city will be divided
| by necessity into five maSisterial dis
| tricts, and the ordinance provides that
| each of these districts shall be COM
m1nded by a lieutenant. There are
now only four lieutenants. he said. and
the creation of a fifth was necessary.
CLERK or THE COMMON.
The section providing that the city
| 70, ,,l Ia l,n Of
councils and aholishing the Office OF
clerk of the common council was
stricken out by another amendment.
MI Roche explained that he would Of
fer another amendment tomorrow
night establishing a bureau Of licenses
in connection with the city clerks Of
flee and giving the clerk of the COM
mon council extra work to do in con-
ncCtion herewith.
Mr.. Oliver offered two amendments.
which were adopted. increasing the
pay of bunk men in the fire department
from iifty to seventy cents per hour.
and striking out the proviso at the
end of the section providing for the
disbandmert of the volunteer depart
ment within thirty days after the pass
age of the ordinance. The proviso
stricken out was to the effect that
no company having less than two per-
manent men she uld bc abandoned.
| When council adjourned it was un-
til tomorrow night, when the ordi-
nance will be passed on third and final
! reading.
About a year ago the Scranton Elcc-
tric Light and Heat company entered
into a ten-ycar contract with the city
for electric lighting. This contract,
which was signed by the company's
officers, contained clause reading,
"where lights are reported out short
age shall be charged for every such
light"
DEFINING WHAT SHORTAGE Is.
In the face of this, what Mr.. Chit
tenden aptly termed willingly incurred
obligation on the part Of the company"
council last night passed a resolution.
not without vigorous protest, declaring
that the clause above quoted "docS not
apply to the ordinary stoppage for
brief periods usual and incidental to
the working of arc light machinery,
but only to such stoppage as may be
caused by defective machinery or neg
ligence on the part of the company"
Messrs. Chittenden. Vaughan and
Oliver led the fight on the resolution,
While Mr.. O'Boyle was it's main sup
porter. Mr.. OBoyle contended that ii
was unfair and improper to dock the
company for light if ii was out for
only five minutes.
That's all right Tommy" sang out
| Mr.. Vaughan. "It was only a few
months back when you couldn't buck
the company hard enough. Remark
able change of heart"
Mr.. Vaughan offered rider to the
resolution. directing the company Ia
raise its street lamps To a height OF
twenty-five feet, saying that If the
company was to be done a favor they
should do the city a favor. The amend.
ment was adopted and then the reso-
luton as amended was approved.
Mr.. Clemons introduced the tax levy
ordinance for the coming fiscal year
\ letter from city Solicitor Vosburg
bearing on this question was read The
city solicitor stated in this that In
order to avoid complications it would
be advisable to pass the ordinance be.
fore April l.
The measure was referred TO COM
mittee, reported forthwith and passed
on first and second readings. 1t pro.
vides for a levy of 1874 mills. The levy
for the fiscal year just drawing to a
close was 1@.7 mills.