The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-08-09
CHITTENDEN
WAS VERY FIRM
WOULDN'T CONSIDER LICENSE
TAX ORDINANCE.
When 1t Was Called Up Last Night
He Ruled 1t Out Because Action
Had Previously Been Postponed
Until Regular Meeting and He
Refused to Consider a Motion to
Reconsider This Action-Common
Council Ratified the Fire Contracts
and Transacts other Business.

Select Councilman Cosgrove, of the
Fourteenth ward, one of the warmest
supporters Of the license tax ordinance,
| imposing tax on the large public SER
vice corporations. called the measure
up on second reading last night, firm
In the belief that II could he passed.
but President Chttenden ruled that the
ordinance could not be considered until
the next meeting.
Mr.. Cosgrove believed what no other
member Of the council who favored the
measure believed namely-that 1t could
| be passed--and when he called it up
there was a shaking of heads on the
part of its known supporters and a
smile on the faces If it's opponents.
THE ordinance cannot be Consid-
| cred" said President Chittenden de-
| cisively. Council decided at it's last
meeting TO postpone action on the
| measure until the next meeting, and
we can't consider it tonight, because
| this is a special meeting. The clerk
will proceed with the next order Of
business"
But / move that we reconsider our
action in postponing action until a
| regular meeting" shouted Mr.. O'Boyle,
| springing to his feet.
COULDN'T CONSIDER MOTION.
I'm sorry that can't consider that
| motion. either" said the president.
This is a special meeting and nothing
pertaining to this ordinance can be
discussed"
| DO YOU mean to sit there and tell
me that you can't consider motion
| . ,.,s. 4
That's just what | do" responded
President Chittenden in his most inn
| perturbable manner, and the incident
| was closed. The supporters of the
| ordinance expect to have Messrs
| Vaughan and Clemons on hand next
| Thursday night, and hope to be able
to put up a fight, at any rate.
| Recorder Connell sent in communi.
cation vetoing a resolution exoneratine
| a part of the tax on real estate OF
Martin Shannon. of the Twenty irst
ward, stating that to exonerate the taS
on real estate would be contrary &c
the provisions of an ordinance passed
in 1854 and still in force.
The recorder returned with his ap.
proval two lists of generations claimed
by delinquent tax collectors, but &C.
| companied them with a letter, ir
which he intimated that he wouc
never approve such generations in tn,
future, unless they are certified by the
| treasurer.
lie enclosed an opinion from City
Solicitor Watson on the subject, in
| which the latter set forth as his beliet
that all exoneration lists should bt
certified by the city treasurer befor,
being passed by councils and approved
| by the recorder.
NO ONE RESPONSIBLE.
The city solicitor points out tina
under the existing condition of affair!
no one is held responsible. The coun
cilmen Of the ward, who can have n,
knowledge of the correctness Of the ex
Onerations, merely approve the list il
the collectors ward, and councils pas
upon the approval of the councilman
In this way, no person can be held re
sponsible.
The common council ordinance pro
viding for an electric light in the Thirc
ward, and for one on River street, in
South Scranton, were passed on thirc
and final reading.