The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-01-17
SCRANTON IN
SECOND CLASS
GOVERNORS OFFICIAL PRocLA-
NATION ISSUED.
II Was Sent by Special Messenger
and Will Be Delivered To-day.
Councils Must Act Upon It To-
night or the Nineteen Extra Com
mon Councilmen Cannot Be Elect
ed for a Year-Actual Change Will
Not Occur Until April l-Prospects
Of Big Fight.

zens like it or not. The following self
explanatory Associated Press dispatch
regarding the matter was received last
night in The Tribune office:
Harrisburg, Jan 1G.--Governor stone issued Il
proclamation today designating scranton as a sec
ond class city. The last census shows the city
TO be entitled to belong to that class. The
other cities Of this class are: Pittsburg and Al
lcgheny. Copies OF the governors proclamation
will be served upon the mayor and presidents
OF select and common councils by special mes
segner from the executive department
The messenger referred to arrived in
the city late last night, and will wait
upon Mayor Moir today.
Mayor Moir yesterday afternoon de-
cided to call a special meeting of the
common council tonight for the pur-
pose of entering at large upon the
minutes of councils the governors
proclamation as the law directs. The
select council meets in regular session
tonight so that il was not necessary
to call a special meeting of that
branch.
In addition to having the proclama-
ton entered upon the minutes of both
councils the law provides that 1t shall
be recorded in the office of the re-
corder of deeds of the proper county.
in order to have this done promptly
the mayor will endeavor to have Re-
corder Bonn on hand tonight with his
books.
THE REASON.
The reason behind the desire of his
honor TO have the whole matter closed
up tonight is that he believes thas tn,
extra common councimer provideH for
under the second class city laws should
be elected at the coming February
municipal election.
The act of 1895 provides that the
proper officers shall he elected at the
municipal election occurring not less
than one month after the date of such
certificate" Now. the February elec-
ton occurs on the third Tuesday OF
that month. which falls on the nine-
teenth. Jan. 10 is tomorrow, go that
in order to have the councilmen legal
ly elected next month It will be neces-
sary TO have the certificate properly
| recorded tonight. If this is not done
it would be impossible to elect these
extra councimen until February, 1902.
| at which time the next municipal elec-
ton will be held.
Some question has arisen as q
whether the recent action of councils
in appointing a special committee OF
| five to fix the anporticnment in the
common council was entirely legal.
| The act of assembly providing for the
| appointment of such committee Is
| the general act governing cities of the
! second class, and ii is contended by
| many that while Scranton was still
| in the third class, her councils had no
| right to reach out and act under {,
provision intended for cities Of the Sec
ond class.
An effort will, therefore. be made
tonight, after the governors official
| certificate has been officially recorded
| TO have this same committee re-
| appointed. The information desired
namely, the number Of tayabes in
each ward, has been obtained and the
committee would be ready to report
| Immediately after its rc-appointment
This would settle that side of the ques-
| tion.
DIFFERENCE OF OPINION.
| A difference of opinion also exists as
TO whether councils have any legal
right to apportion the number of COM
|
The act of 1891 says that this appor-
| tionment shall be made "in the month
of July preceding the next municipal
| election" Those who hold that coun.
| ellis have the right at the present time
to apportion the number OF members
in the common branch say that they
are doing the nearest possible thing to
what the law directs ana that it would
be manifestly unfair tn leave the wards
entitled to extra counc,lmen without
their full representation for over Z
year.
| While Scranton will be in reality 9
city OF the second class just ms soor
as the governors certificate is prop.
erly recorded. there will be no change
in her present form of government
until after April /. The act of 1Sy;
distinctly provides thai upon the iii !
| Monday Of April next ensuing taf' Il
the governors ccrtiiicate). the term:
Of all officers of said city then II
office. whose offices are suspended by
reason thereof shall close and deter
mine and the city government shall b:
duly organized, and shall thereafter bt
controlled and regulated by the laws
of this commonwealth applicable q
the same under the class:tica tion here
by fixed and appointed"
The present officers of the city of IN,
third class. whose offices are not abol
ished by the second class city charter
and this includes all the officers of tn,
present city, will continue to holt
Office until the terms for which the,
were elected expire.
It's very likely that there's going t,
| Continued on PAGE Ga