The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-06-21

|
cation of the action of Director of
| Public Safety Wormser and other city
officials in awarding the contract for
a new hook and ladder truck to the
| highest bidders, and indefinitely post
poned the companion resolution pro-
viding for ratification of the con-
tract for 500 feet of hose.
The members of the committee TO
which the resolutions were referred.
| reported favorably upon them, but
Mr.. Clemens led a vigorous fight
against their passage. He held that
the action of the officials in awarding
the contracts without consulting coun-
ellis was entirely illegal He favored
the killing of the resolutions unuer
consideration. and the passage of a
| now resolution directing the director
of public safety to re-advertise for
bids for the hook and ladder truck
and the 500 feet of hose.
He contended that there had been
no good reason advanced for the
| awarding of any of the contracts to
the highest bidders. and said that he
had been reliably informed that
Wilkes Barre recently purchased for
$4,5OO the same engine which this city
is now to pay $1,000 for. Mr.. Vaughan
favored passing the resolutions to pre-
vent the city from being involved in
IL lawsuit.
MOTION DEFEATED.
The motion to pass the resolution
regarding the hook and ladder truck
was defeated by the following vote:
Yeas Costello. Maloncy. Melvin, Schneider.
5, hrocdcr, Vaughan, O'Mal,Cy-I.
Nays-Ross. Finn. Evans, Morgan Mcrriman,
Cosgrovc, Clcmons, O'Boylc, McAndrcw, Chttcn-
dcn-l0.
A motion to indefinitely postpone
the resolution regarding the hose was
passed by practically the same vote
as the one above recorded.
The opponents of the Central Rapid
Transit Street railway ordinance
sprung a little surprise on the gen.
tlemen who favored the ordinance. Mr.
McAndrew, who is violently opposed to
the measure in direct violation OF the
unwritten rules of councilmanic eti-
ouette, called the ordinance up on
second reading, and moved that it be
passed.
Mr.. Schneider, another one of Its
opponents took his cue at this point
and moved to indefinitely postpone.
The motion to postpone was about to
be put when Mr.. ClcmOns moved that
the previous question be put. Presi-
dent Chittenden was in doubt for a
minute. but after consulting his Cush-
ing, he ruled that Mr.. Clemons' mo-
ton took precedence. 1t was put and
carried The motion to pass on second
reading was then put and carried by
the following vote:
Yeas-Finn. Costello. Evans. Morgan. Chitten.
den, Mcrriman. CoSsrove, Oliver, Schroeder,
Clcmons, Vaughan. OBoyle-l2.
Nays-Ross, Mlloney, Melvin, Schneider,
O'Mallcy, McAndrcw.
Mr.. Clemons moved that the ordi-
nance be postponed for the present.
when it came UP on third reading, not
desiring to take any chances. The mo-
ton was adopted by a vote of eleven
to eight, and the incident was closed
SPECIAL CITY ACCOUNT.
Controller Howell sent in COM
munication giving list of balances
remaining in special city" accounts,
the whole footing up to $3,022. 1t was
referred to the committee which is
looking up deficiencies.
City Solicitor Watson sent in an
opinion in response to a request set
ting forth that councils could appro-
pirate funds received from the levy ana
collection of Il license tax, for the pay
ing off of judgments and other claims
outstanding against the city.
The following resolutions We're intro
duced and passed:
BY Mr.. Finn-Permltting certain property own.
crs on Ferdinand street TO a construct private
sewer at their own expense.
BY Mr.. MISUNDERSTANDING the claim of Bcr.
nard Dolan to the city solicitor, director OF
public works and city engineer for investigation
By Mr. Maloney-proriding for the payment OF
the judgments secured against the city by
Michael Spellman and Isaiah Jones out of the
uneNpendcd balance for poccmen's salaries tor
year 1900.
The following ordinances We're in
troduced:
BY Mr.. misunderstanding for the lepaint-
ing and repair OF the municipal building.
BY Mr. Misunderstanding for lateral sewer
on Prospect avenue
Mr.. McAndrew introduced an ordl-
nance providing for the purchase of
horses and equipment for the keyser
Valley Hose company but the meas
ure did not meet with the favorable
consideration of council and action on
it was indefinitely postponed by an
almost unanimous vote.
Ordinances providing for the grad
ing of Taylor avenue and making
splitting on the sidewalks a nuisance
were passed on third and final read
ing,