The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-06-03

where they will confer with certain of
the members of the senate, notably
senator Muehlbronner. with the view
of having some of the changes which
they believe should be made in the
ripper incorporated in the Chaser
which 1t Is understood will soon be in
troduced.
Senator Muehlbronner has had a
whole lot of amendments to the ripper
up his sleeve" ever since that meas
ure was passed by the legislature and
1t Is expected that he will introduce a
supplementary act including a number
OF them some time this week. Recorder
Moir thinks that if this act is to be
introduced, Scranton should have a
little to say about what is to go into
Thence his trip.
The principal thing which he and Mr..
watson desire to have changed is the
section of the bill relating to contracts.
Every lawyer who has given this any
study says that 1t is. to say the least,
rather vague and ambiguous. City
Solicitor Watson interprets 1t to mean
that the power of awarding contracts
is vested in the recorder and the head
of the proper department. but he ad-
mits that he may be mistaken and
would like to have the section so
changed as to set forth specifically Just
what person or persons shall award
contracts.
AWARDING OF CONTRACTS.
The amendment which he and the
recorder will seek to have incorpora ted
in the chaser will place the power OF
awarding contracts in the hands of the
recorder, the head of the proper de-
nartment, the head of the proper
bureau and the city solicitor. This is
the method which has been pursued in
awarding what few contracts the city
has awarded since it entered the Sec
Ond class.
Senator j. G. Vaughan said on Satur-
day to a Tribune man that an amend
mcnt changing the contract section in
the ripper could not, in his belief. pass
the legislature a this late hour There
would be fight made on il, he said
and any measure on which there will
be fight will fail of passage, unless
the word is passed that it must go
through. This is explained by to. fact
that both branches are just now taking
up the appropriation bills and each of
the members is so busily engaged
watching his particular items that they
haven't any fine to pass anything that
isn't agreeable to all.
The senator says that the Legislative
intent in passing the contract section
of the bill was not to vest the power of
awarding contracts in the hands of the
recorder and the head of the proper
department. In proof of this assertion
he pointed to one of the "fllc" copies
of the bill, which shows that the fol-
lowing words which appeared in the
bill as introduced We're stricken out:
Every contract shall be let by the
city recorder and head of the proper
department and all bids shall be re-
ceived publicly by them at a time and
place to be designated in the advcr-
tisement or notice to bidders. and shall
be opened at said meeting and the fig
ures stated to bidders then present"
WHY STRICKEN OUT.
"lf the legislature intended that the
recorder and heads of departments
were to award contracts" said the sem
ator, why was this specific sentence
giving them that power stricken out?
IN its place was inserted another pro-
N!dng that contracts shall be let as
heretofore in second class cities and
referring to the committee or official
entrusted with the awarding of con.
tracts. Certain contracts in Pittsburg
and Allegheny are let by heads of de-
partmcnts and certain ones by council
manic committees. The reason for in
sertinG the clause mentioned was to
make no changes in this particular"
ck ho ,oI,t ~,
clause providing that councils shall not
enter into or execute a contract
would bar out councils from the
awarding of contracts, he said he did
not think so, for the reason that en-
tering into contract did not, to his
mind. mean awarding one. 1t could be
implied from the seRator's conversation
that when the section giving the re-
corder power to award contracts was
stricken out it was also the intention
to strike out the other section prohibit
ing councils from entering into a con-
tract, but that this had been for some
reason omitted.
Senator Vaughan said that the
"chaser," if introduced, would certainly
correct the printers error. which
makes the board of city assessors
elected by the people after the two
years reign of the recorder appointed
by the governor expires, This will he
so changed as to make the board of
assessors appointed.
1t is understood that Solicitor Wat
son will make an attempt to have in
serted an amendment specifically Civ
Ing the recorder veto power.
Recorder Moir says he doesn't want