The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-09-14
RECORDER and
HIS CABINET
THEY HELD THEIR MONTHLY
MEETING IN CITY HALL.
City Solicitor Watson Said That the
City Has Unintentionally Accept
ed a Number of Streets and Is Now
Held Responsible for Damages
When Accidents occur--A New
Arrangement of Offices to Be Made.
Surplus in Treasury to Be Used in
Paying Deficiencies.

Recorder Conncll and the members of
his official cabinet considered number
of important municipal matters at
lengthy session held yesterday after
noon in the municipal building between
the hours OF and o'clock
Present at the meeting, in addition To
Recorder Conncll were the following
officials Director of Public Safety
Wormscr. Director of Public Works
Roche, city Treasurer Robinson. city
Solicitor Watson, President Rinsland,
of the board of assessors. and Deputy
city Controller Hartley.
city Solicitor Watson referred to a
recent resolution adopted by councils
directing himself, the city engineer
and the director of public work to
prepare an accurate list of all the
streets which have been accepted by
the city. Mr.. Watson said that his in
vestigations had resulted in the dis
Covery that the city has accepted a
number of hy-ways in years past by
spending city money in improving
them. This operates as a formal ac-
ceptanCe. he said, and as a result there
are many thorouGhfares in the city
| which should never have been streets
but which are recognized under the
law as highways of the city.
The city has been out large sums in
| damages which have been obtained by
persons iniuring themselves on these
streets, nc said, and steps should he
| taken in the future to prevent the i'm
provement i'm any slight way of such
| by-ways. The director of public works
was directed to use great care in the
| future in this respect.
MATTER OF LIENS.
| There was a long general discussion
| over the question of paving and sewer
| liens and the carelessness which has
prevailed in the past in allowing them
to lapse without renewing them. In
this connection the question of paw
| ing and sewer estimates was Consid
cred and it seemed to he the general
| opinion that as now made by the city
| engineer they are too low. The direc-
tor of public works was directed to
notify the city engineer to make these
estimates little higher in the future
so that the city will not have to make
up any deficit which might be caused
by the lapsing of a lien or a defective
| lien or some other unforeseen cirCum-
stance.
1t was unanimously decided to place
the subordinate clerks in the several
city departments under bonds and Re-
Corder tonnell appointed Director OF
| Public Safety Wormser and City
Treasurer Robinson as a committee tc
prepare a list of all clerks whom they
believe should be placed under bonds
and the amount for each.
Director Wormser urged that wher
the city hall is re-iinished and re-paint.
ed that he be given larger office as
his present quarters are entirely to,
cramped for his use. Director of Pub
lie Works Roche was directed to cal
in i}uilCirg Inspector Brown and pre-
pare plans for a encouragement o
the Offices
1t seemed to he the general concen
sus of opinion that the school bOarC
should vacate the two rooms which |
is now occupying on the second foo
Of the building The idea is to hav,
the director occupy the large meeting
room and to have all the subordinat,
heads of bureaus i'm his department
have desk room with him.
SURPLUS IN TREASURY.
| lfpulN NbIllIplltl l1ullltN ltIiOIlt,
in the city Treasury at the end of ths
in the city treasurer at the end of tn
fiscal year. that being the estimated
receipts over and above the appropra
tons made. Recorder Connell an
nOunCed that he favored the use of thi
money in paying off some of the ole
deficiency bills which are not provide
for in the ordinances now pending 4
councils and said that he would no
| approve of the appropriation of thi
money for any other purpose.
1t was decided to give the directo
of public works power on the certifica
tion of the recorder and controller I
transfer money appropriated for tn
repair of streets in one ward to the re
pair of streets in another. This wa
done because of unforeseen emergencie
which may neCessitate the eXpenditur
of an additional sum in a certain warC
, Assessor Rinsland said that the as
, SCISSORS i'm making the assessment fin
: that a large number of houses in tn
CuilT.nS wards are unnumbered an
, he desired to know il there was no or
dinance i'm force requiring all house
, to be numbered. The matter was re
, :erred to city Solicitor Watson, VIII
will look it up.