The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-05-24
CLOSING OF
CENTER STREET
ORDINANCE NEARING ITS FL
NAL PASSAGE.
Despite Strenuous Objection, 1t Got
Through Two Readings in Com.
mon Council-D. and H. Company
Will Remove Platform from
Cherry Street, but Some Members
Wanted the Remington Avenue
Switch Also Removed.-Police
Magistrates Salaries Fixed.

Magistrates Salaries Fixed.
The ordinance providing for the
CLOSING of the westerly end of Center
street occupied the attention of com
mon council last night for nearly an
hour and despite the decided opposi- =
ton manifested its hackers succeeded
IN passing 1t on first and second read
ines.
chairman Cusick of the streets and
brldges committee, presented Il favor
able report on the ordinance. together
with two communications from c. $.
Weston, general agent of the Delaware
ana Hudson Railroad company. In
these communications Mr. Weston
pledged himself to remove the platform
obstructing Cherry street. in the Twen-
tieth ward, when the necessary legis-
iation closing the roadway running
around the platform had been passed,
providing. of course. that the Center
street ordinance was passed.
Mr.. Phillips, who led the opposition
to the measure, moved to have the or
dinance referred back to committee for
Il report upon the removal by the COM
pany of its switch on Remington ave-
nue.. in addition to the removal of the
Cherry street platform. This evoked a
deal of discussion and Mr.. Weston who
was present, was given the floor to
explain the company's intentions in
the matter.
MIR. WESTON'S EXPLANATION.
Mr.. Weston explained that the COM
nl
street when the other roadway now in
use was closed. The closing of Center
street could possibly injure no one but
the Delaware and Hudson company, he
said. and that company wanted it
closed. He said that the Remington
avenue switch was eight feet within
the company's right of way and that
a proposition to remove it could not
be considered any more than a propo-
sition to remove the company's main
tracks.
President Calpn wanted to know
why the committee hadn't looked over
the ground and reported whether there
was not some other place to which the
switch could be removed. Mr.. Part
ridge. member of the committee, said
that in his opinion the switch could not
be removed to any other practicable
place.
Mr.. Graf. another member Of the
committee. said the members of the
committee had not investigated that
point sufficiently to be able to report
intellisently upon it. He wanted the
ordinance recommitted, so that the
members could go upon the ground and
investigate.
Mr.. Keller charged that the whole
object of those who favored recommit-
ting was the killing of the ordinance.
Mr.. Phillips was not fair in the stand
he was taking, he said. Mr.. Phillips
denied the charge and insisted that he
would vote for the ordinance when he
thought the city was getting a fair re-
turn from the Delaware and Hudson
company.
ORDINANCE PASSED.
He renewed his motion to recommit
and it was defeated, whereupon the
ordinance was passed on first reading
On second reading he offered an
amendment providing that the ordi-
nance would not become operative
until all the property owners on Center
street between Miflin and Wyoming
ing the city from all damages which
might be occasioned by the closing of
the other end of the street.
Mr. Kellar said that the city might
with equal grace ask the people liv-
ing on Ridge row as the residents
OF rocono to sign n release. and Mr..
Partridge characterized the amendment
as being grossly and absurdly un-
reasonable" The majority of the
members present agreed with these
for the amendment was de-
feated and the ordinance passed on
second reading.
When the ordinance fixing the sal
aries of police magistrates was called
up, Mr.. Phillips also had an amend
ment to Offer 1t provided for n uni
form salary of s400 for each of the five
The ordinance in its
original form provided for graduated
salary ranging from $500 each for the
two central city magistrates, to $500
for the South Scranton magistrate.
Mr.. Alworth ridiculed the amend
ment and argued that the central city
who have six times as
much to do as the South Scranton
should not receive a better
salary. 1t was bad enough. he said,
to pay man $500 for collectin fines
to sS7, without paying him
si0o, Mr., Phillips argued that one
was as good as another.
Equal rights to all and favors to
none was his motto he said and he
to live up to it.
GURRELLS ARGUMENT.
Mr., Gurrell also spoke i'm favor of
the amendment. The magistrates We're
all of equal rank, he said, and should
receive equal salaries. A policeman in
Green Ridge might make only ten ar
rests in year, but he received the
same salary as policeman in the CEN
trail city, who might have two or three
arrests every night. The amendment
was adopted by the following vote:
lcas-IIaggcrty, Evans, 4. l.. Lewis, Ruanc,
Nageli, Harvey, Gurrell, william Lewis, Rush,
Graf, Cusick, Phillips, Calvin, Galpin-li.
Nays-Clarke Alworth, Roche, Partridge. Cole.
man, Keller-6.
The ordinance was then passed on
first and second reading, after Mr.
Keller had made an unsuccessful at
tempt to have action on it indefinitely
postponed.