The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-11-13

ed yesterday afternoon that he favors
the idea of bonding the city in the
sum of 5000, 900 or more for the purpose
OF making certain improvements. the
necessity for which he considers to be
absolutely imperative.
Director Roche is firmly convinced
that certain improvements should be
made. but he realizes that for several
reasons it will not be possible TO secure
for his department an appropriation
very largely In excess of the amount
expended during the present year The
most important of these reasons is the
attitude of city officials generally who
are opposed to an increase in the pres
ent tax rate. In an interview with Il
Tribune man yesterday afternoon Di-
rector Roche said:
II believe that we have reached a
period in the city's growth when cer-
tain permanent improvements should
be made and under existing circum-
stances | believe that bonds should be
iloated TO raise money to carry out the
work. | would favor the appropriation
of about 100000. the amount appro-
priated for the present fiscal year and
the issuing of at least 100000 worth
Of thirty year bonds. The assessed val
uation this next year will amount to
at least $50.0O0,OO0. and there would be
sufficient margin for councils to author
ize the issue
y realize that this idea will meet
with objection but in my opinion it is
the best solution of the problem.
Scranton is now q city of over 100000
inhabitants but what has she got to
show in the way of improvements as
compared with other cities of her size
in this country? Practically nothing.
STREET IMPROVEMENTS.
II would expend 100000 in improv-
ing the streets Of this city. I'm not
eXagerating when I say that outside
of our paved thoroushfares and few
avenues in the "hill district we have
not got Il single decent street in the
entire city. That's rather IL broad
statement. but it is literally true. 1t
must be admitted that it's not a very
creditable showing for a city of our
size.
We need the expenditure of at least
100000 on the streets to put them in
anything like first class condition. The
majority of them are Worn down to
six. twelve and in some instances
twenty inches below grade and need
to be entirely re-lnadc. With 800, 900
we could put every important street
in the city in shape to last for years
with but ordinary attention. Would it
be unfair to ask the rising generation
to pay for this work? ] do not think
So
There are ways innumerahle in
which the other 100000 could be en-
pended in permanent improvements.
could sit here for the next two hours
and recount to YOU how we could en-
pend four times that sum. and still be
far behind other cities of our size.
will simply point out a few things that
| believe to be necessary for my own
department alone.
NEW ROAD ROLLERS.
1--WE need Il new yard and tables for
our horses. a place where we can prop
erly house our wagons, street cleaning
apparatus. tools and other parapher-
MALTA. We have only a couple of RAM
Shackle. tumble-doWn sheds for this
purpose now.
We need two new road rollers to
properly carry on our work of street
repair, and we need for the same pur-
pose a stone-crushing machine. We
need a street-sweeping machine to
sweep the two miles and more of brick
pave recently laid in North Scranton
1t will be too expensive to have this
pave cleaned by hand, and Yet we will
have to do this, or neglect it, if We
don't get a sweeping machine.
I'VE need sprinkling machines to
sprinkle the dusty roads in various
parts of the city during the summer
months. How are we going to get
them? We need several new bridges
and need them badly. especially one at
Cedar avenue and one at Race street,
in North Scranton, and then there's the
Lackawanna avenue bridge. which is
used more than any other in the city.
Is there anyone who can say that that
is q proper structure--a bridge that
only one street car can pass over at a
time? And so ] could go on ad in
hnitum showing things that are needed,
not merely that we may spend money,
but that Scranton may vie with other
cities of her size.
Il wish that the citizens of this city
would study up municipal statistics a
little and learn what other cities are
doing. l wish they would realize that
Syracuse, y. y, Il city of 10S,000 in
habitants, spends $4,000 "a year for
street cleaning TO our $4,000 and $l5,-
600 for sprnkling streets, where we
don't spend cent. That's only little
instance.
TAXPAYERS POSITION.
II have always firmly believed that IL
good results can be shown the taXpay-
ers will not object TO the paying of