The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-02-05
Sci LECT COUNCIL Meeting
The Council Divided on the Hose
House Appropriation--A New Or
dinance Taxing Poles.

.ent. The minutes Of the last meeting
sNere read 'and accepted.
- The report of the building commit
tee was called for and Mr.. Mannion
brought the long delayed and much
agitated cottage hose house ordinance
before the council. He and Mr.. Battle
submitted majority report recom-
amending the printing of the ordinance.
eMr. Fletcher submitted n minority re-
port asking that the ordinance be laid
oion the table indefinitely. He gave
Eight reasons for his opposition to the
erection Of the house, briefly as fol-
'slowsg THE distance to that section of
she city from til, present hose house
is too short to make another building
necessary,a and the houses in the Fourth
ward are so scattered that the danger
Of conhagration Is very slight.
The sight selected is such that only
small district would get any benefit
whatever. The district east of the
Delaware and Hudson tracks as prac-
u'ally inaccessible.
1t is not customary in cities of this
size TO have fire houses on its out
skirts
TO build the house would be an ex-
ponsive precedent as then the other
'ISNlIClS VI lIlt tllH tOulu cry
for like protection.
The city cannot afford Il at this time;
there Is no appropriation for It. The
damage suit decided against the city
and other claims on the treasury de-
mand the greatest economy In every
way.
Retrenchment in all branches of city
government is imperative. The last
election resulted in an emphatic de-
lnand for more care in spending the
city's money.
The building OF a new hose house
would be only the beginning of a
large drain on the city as the expense
of equipping it would be considerable,
and the current expenses would en-
large each year.
The property to be protected should
govern the location Of the hose houses,
and the Fourth ward Is the lowest In
valuation in the city. while the houses
are the most isolated.
Mr.. Mannion then spoke in favor of
the ordinance. He said over 800 resi-
dents of that section of the city had
pctitioned for the building and the
company would turn over to the city
for one dollar its deed OF the property
valued at $500. He asked why this
ordinance should not be passed, even
1t there were no appropriation, when
TIE Racket Brook bridge ordinance
was CARVED without one.
Chairman Thompson took the floor
and arrayed himself against the Or
dinancc as did Mr.. Davis.
Mr.. Fletcher moved for the adop-
il'n "f the minority report. Battle.
jarrett and Mannion voted no, killing
T." motion.
Nlannion moved for the adoption of
the majority report. and Fletcher,
Davis and Thompson voted negatively,
H.'ing that.
= number of minor matters from
common council were received and con-
rUrrcd in by the selectmen.
The February requisition Of the Col
umbias was received and granted.
Davis moved for the raising OF a
number of arc lights at the expense of
the electric company. The resolution
was carried.
The request of T. Theophilus to con-
rect with the Spring street sewer was
referred to the street committee.
Chairman Thompson INTRODUCED the
following ordinance:
An ordinance providing for the levy and col.
n
atoms maintaining poles and wires on the pub.
lie streets OF the city Of Carbondale.
Section I. ABe il ordained by the select coun.
Gil of the city Of Corbond,Ie Tho cor,mon ,orn.
cil copcurripa, and Il In berebv ordained bv IN.
authority of the same, that ali firms. comn,niss
or corporations using the streets of the city Of
.oipohdale Tor the purpose OF erecting and
."ai." 'aa'.~'n'nS i poies snd wires upon the said
,oo, ,nS ~. =" s,.t " do oe ,ne nrs' Gay OF july
ine yesr tsro ont ,s.u'o Vry , ~ es.a sucseeu' W
city treasurer of said lity for the noIcs s"J
wires slresdy erected and which NAV be erected.
and said firms shall pay to the city treasurer
for the use Of said city the sum OF fifty (5,D
cents Tor each pole that said corporation has
a o,senn OF may erect or MAINTAIN In said city,
,ho sre 81, ,n"S az po''s .u", are oelns used Tor
Above license tsy '"'' w '"'"'p' NUN '"s
Sec. I'm case ,nv firm, or corno,,,;o, ,,,,,,
tlinipg poles and wires in the streets as storo.
'sid shall fail TO take out the license and ray
the tax mentioned in section I on or before
'he trst day OF July 1901, and each succeeding
year Is Aforesaid said hrm or corporation SO
n,,s a,,',s sna' pay 20 tne Siy OF Carbondae as
,vsrv ,oIo ,hot a,S =, 1"S uopa's @p per pole ior
auIf maint,ips in tho % roo,. so,p0'a'iSh ~ % IN oe,
Carbondale and said ncnaItv sha,, ~ LIZ, S =, u
by said city in the manner prescribed by Ia,,
See. 3.--Jhe citv engineer shall. on or hnfrr.