The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-01-09

Mayor James Moir, realizing the ne
cessity OF taking immediate action to
compel the Scranton Railway company
TO issue transfers, that corporation
having announced that 1t will not do
30 on and after January Is, has called
special meeting of the select council
for tomorrow night to take action on
the matter.
The common council meets in regu-
lar session on that night and what
ever action is taken can, OF couse, be
joint.
Councilman d. w. Vaughan, It is
understood. will introduce a resolution
directing the company to furnish
transfers after January 15, and direct
ing the city solicitor TO take the neces-
sary steps to forfeit the companys
franchises IL within ten days il fails
to obey the order OF councils.
There is hardly any question but
that the matter will be fought out in
the courts, for the more the conditions
surrounding the franchises granted to
the various companies merged into the
present Scranton Railway company
are examined the more apparent does
1t become that the company officials
didn't decide upon this step without
careful thought, and that the city
won't have everything its own way in
seeking to compel the issuance Of
transfers.
COUNCILS WILL ACT.
1t is also very apparent that prompt
steps Will be taken by councils to Sc
cure the passage of an ordinance pro-
Viding FOR q heavy tax upon the COM
panys gross receipts. Already several
councilmen are looking up the law.
and 1t would not be surprising IL some
such ordinance were introduced on
Thursday night.
In the absence of any specific clause
in the act Of assembly governing cities
OF the second class. Scranton, when
she passes into that class, will con-
tinue to act under the present third
class city law governing the taxation
or street railway companies. This law
gives the city power to tax the cars
Of such companies 800 each and gives
the implied power to tax the poles and
wires.
CITY Solicitor Vosburg contends that
the city cannot impose upon the street
railway company a tax on its gross
receipts which would exceed the ag-
gregate amount OF a tax of S10O on
each or its cars and ''reasona BILE"
tax on its poles and wires. Just what
q reasonable" tax would be is a uues-
tlon for the courts TO decide, but 1t Is
believed that a tax Of 5 per cent. on
the gross receipts of the company,
which would approximate about s25,-
600 year, would be so considered.
The franchises granted the People's
Street Railway company, of Luzerpe
county, the Scranton Passenger Rail-
way com" and the Valley Passen.
| ger Ranway company, contain proyis-
ions which make the issue Of transfers
to all connecting and intersecting lines
mandatory.
ORIGINAL FRANCHISE.
The original franchises Of the Peo-
pies Street Railway company, OF Lu.
zerne county, and the Scranton and
Providence Street Railway company
were granted by special act of the
legislature in 1867 and contained no
provision for transfers, which were
practically unheard of in those days.
These gave the companies power to
construct lines on Lackawanna and
Wyoming avenues in the central city
| and to North Scranton and West
Scranton, no routes being specified
These two companies were merged in
1868 and the main lines now running to
West Scranton and North scranton
and the Green Ridge People line were
constructed under these practically nn-
limited franchises.
In 1889 the councils granted a fran
| chise to the Peoples company per.
mitting it to extend its tracks. The
lines at present operated under this
franchise are out Washburn street to
the cemetery, along Swetland street
from Bromley to Main avenues, along
Main avenue from SHETLAND to Jack.
| son streets and the present Bellevue
line. This franchise contained no
| transfer provision.
In 1893, the Peoples company wanted
to run its tracks up West Lackawanna
| avenue from Ninth street to Main ave-
nue., and a franchise was granted per-
mitting them to do so. This franchise
contained the following clause:
This company shall issue transfer
! tickets good on all its connecting and
intersecting lines of street railway for
single fare, which shall not exceed
| Ave cents"