The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-01-25

wrestle with the question as to
whether or not the apportionnent of
the number of additional common
councilmen provided for in the exist
ing second class city law was legally
or illegally made. Common council
last night unanimously decided to- ask
him for written opinion on the mat
ter
just after the session opened and
after the governors oficiaD proclama-
tion declaring the city to be in the
second cass had been presented and
ordered spread upon the minutes,
Mayor Moirs communication, which
was written to have been read at last
Thursday nights meeting. was read
and ordered filed. Then the assessors
communication. giving the number Of
taNables i'm each ward was read.
Mr.. Keller Immediately objected TO
the receipts of the assessors report.
on the ground that it was illegal.
and moved that it be referred to the
city solicitor for an opinion.
AVOID PARTIsANSHIP.
The time has come" said he, "when
we should avoid partisanship and
when Democrats and Republicans
should stand together. I'm a Repub-
lican, but l don't think it's necessary
to jump around the law just because
the Republicans think they can elect
few councilmen. l think that this
whole proceeding has been illegal from
start to finish.
The law says the ward assessors
must make the return. They have not
done so. The law says that returns
must be certified to. This is not. The
committee which made the apportion-
ment was appointed last November,
when, under the law, they couldn't
possibly be legally appointed at that
time. The whole thing is wrong. AS
j said before, I'm a Republican. but l
don't believe in having the affairs Of
this city all mixed up for the sake OF
little party gain"
Mr.. Paine, who is a member of the
apportionment committee, agreed
with Mr.. Keller in the main, but con-
tended that the law regarding the
election of the extra councilmen was
mandatory and had to be obeyed. He
said that if councils had, met on
Thursday, January IA. the apportion-
ment could have been properly made.
Council had no right or power, he con.
tended, to prevent the working of a
law of the commonwealth.
He and Mr.. Keller had lively ar
gument over the matter, which lasted
for over ten minutes, and the motion
to have the city solicitor render "a
written opinion on the question was
finally adopted. Mr.. Coleman then
moved that the apportionment COM
mittee be discharged and the motion
prevailed.
ABOUT IMPROVEMENT BONDS.
a communication was read from At
torney Charles II. Welles which Great
ed some little surprise. 1t was ad-
dressed by him to City Clerk Lavelle
and was referred by that official to
the common council. Mr.. Welles an
nounced that certain of his clients held
municipal Improvement bonds of the
city of Scranton, the aggregate amount
of these being s5,29i.40. These bonds.
he said. were issued in payment for
paving and the city was To collect the
funds for their redemption from the
property owners along the line of the
improvement.
He stated that in many instances the
city had allowed the liens to lapse;
that certain properties had been eX-
onerated from the assessment; that in
other instances the interest had been
remitted; that the city had failed Ia
collect even when sci facias had been
issued and that the city treasurer had
refused TO pay over certain assess
| ments in his possession. on the ground
| that he didn't have sufficient to pay the
| whole amount.
He said his clients would enter suit
| If the matter was not investigated and
council accordingly referred it to the
paving committee and the city solici-
| tor for investigation.
Mr.. Calvin introduced a resolution
which was adopted, requesting the
mayor to call a joint session of coun-
| ellis for the purpose of filling the three
vacancies on the board of revision OF
! taxes and appeals. A few moments af-
| terward Mr.. Keller introduced a resolu-
ton outlining the duties of this board
The resolution provided that they
should hold but one meeting a month
| from March / to Jan. /, and tha,
meeting should consist OF two sessions
one from . a. IN. to 2 M, and one from
p. m. to p. m. 1t further directed
the clerk to call the roll and keep a
record of the attendance at both ses-
slons. Mr.. Coleman moved to lay the
resolution on the table and the motion
was adopted by the following vote:
Neas--iIaggerty, Calpn, Ruanc Nageli. Calvin
| GuTen, Coleman, Rush, Smith Cusick. Nor