The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-07-05
CITY HALL GOSSIP.

If any person wants 10 immortaiize
themselves by giving a swimming pool,
or anything else that will assist in the
furnishing and finishing of Nay Aug
park, he can make known his wishes
to Director of Public Works John T..
Roche and be assured that his good
intentions will not be discouraged. Mr.
Roche wants TO see that park grow
rapidly in beauty and utility. but
growth is slow when money is scarce.
Without money it is hard To do much
in the way of beautifying q modern
city park.
THAT is a magnificent gift Mrs H.
Il. Phelps has given TO the park" said
Mr.. Roche yesterday. I'VE needed n
fine drinking fountain as much as any
thing l can think of, and the George
Scranton Throop Memorial fountain
will prove a great blessing. 1t will be
a beautiful fountain and a fine orna-
ment in an artistic way, to say nothing
Of the comfort and relief it will give to
visitors to the park. / would that
other Scrantonians might give some
substantial consideration to this palk,
They could help us in many ways"
\ swimming pool is something that
cannot be constructed this year and
possibly not next with city funds. 1t
would be a great boon to thousands,
and any man who wants to do a phil
anthropic act need go no further in
looking for an opportunity to do some
thing that will benefit his fellow-m
There is all kinds of speculation in
the city hall as to who the fortunate
individual will be who will succeed
John w. Moir as city detective. The
men on the force look upon this as
quite the most desirable berth in the
department, and none of them would
wave it aside if it was properly ten
dered to them. 1t is a position that
| requires a superior order of ability to
that demanded of patrolman, but one
in which the drilling and experience a
patrolman gains in his daily routine
are almost Indispensable.
Recorder Connell and Director Worm
ser are silent as the proverbial clam
about the identity of the next city de-
tective, but about city hall there is a
rumor which names Lieutenant Iona
Day as the man who may be selected
for the post. 1t would he a good ap-
pointment. Mr.. Day has served a
faithful apprenticeship on the force
with a record that is uneXcelled. When
the recent reorganization of the force
under the Ripper bill took place, Pa
trolman Days record for efficiency
under all kinds of conditions won for
him lieutenancy, and since then he
has had charge of the North Scranton
precinct. His work during the short
time he has been there demonstrates
that he has talent for better things
than swinging a club.
A man who has been a member of
the force for a number Of years gives
the opinion that one detective is of
little practical service in Scranton.
THE number of complaints turned
over to the city detective for investi-
cation will average at least ten a day"
| he said. "Of course, it is not possible
for one man TO give these the consider
alton they deserve, for oftentimes one
case viii give him all he can do for a
| day or longer. There ought TO be at
least three plain clothes men connected
with the department Then If one man
was assigned to big case, or had to
leave town on duty, there would be
| ''''N''AN 'ii W SlNt dlltHllOH 10
the complaints recorded daily in the
superintendent Office.
IF councils persist in refusing TO
grant the necessary number of men, |
believe 1t would be to the advantage
of the force If a half-dozen of the
patrolmen were mounted for suburban
service. They could easily cover more
ground in the suburbs than ten patrol
men on foot, and this would give adj
ditional men for plain clothes duty and
at the same time, ! believe, give better
| protection to the isolated parts of the
city which, under the present arrange
ment, can receive only a very small
amount of attention, inadequate as the
force is to cover the city. Two mount
ed officers in North Scranton, two in
West Scranton and two in South
Scranton would add wonderfully to the
efficiency Of the police force"
| A youth, who was shedding great,
| salt tears, entered the city hall one day