The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-01-03

Will Reach Five Per Cent. in 1917
Certain individuals. names unknown,
last night presented to the common
council an offer of 800, 900 for the fran
chise rights contained in the ordi-
nances now pending, conditioned upon
councils agreeing to wait a year and
half. upon the said individuals abil-
ity tn secure charters at the end OF
that time and upon councils willing
ness to agree to forfeiture Of the
sum of $4,000 in case these persons
fail to carry out their agreement.
The above mentioned petition was
referred to committee. w. n. Taylor
was given the floor and read letter
from President Clark, of the Scran-
ton Railway company. in which he
said that the company would agree to
pay tax of five per cent. in 1917. Mr.
Taylor thought this very good thing
and said so, whereat President Calpin
proceeded to show that it wasn't at all
and incidentally to take a fall out" of
Mr.. Taylor.
The petition Offering 100000 for the
franchises under certain conditions
was read early in the night by Clerk
Iynott and was referred to the rail-
ways committee. 1t read as follows:
Scranton, Pa, Dec. IS. 1901.
Hon. w. l.. Connell. Recorder, and the
Select and Common Councils.
Gentlemen: Referring to files Nos. 49,
80 and 81. ordinances Of the common
council. which are ordinances grant
ing permission to the South Side. North
End and West End Street Railway
companies. respectively. to lay their
tracks, erect poles and wires and oper-
ate their road on certain streets and
avenues within the city limits. the
undersigned have the honor to say:
That they. with their associates. pro-
pose to apply to the governor of the
commonwealth for charters covering
the principal streets and avenues of the
city of Scranton. Immediately after
said charter shall have been granted,
we propose to make application to the
councils of the city of Scranton for
franchises and privileges to carry out
the purposes of said corporations: ano
we further state that when such appG-
cation is made to the city for the fran
chises and privileges referred to. we
propose to offer the city of Scranton
the sum of 100000 for said franchises
and privileges. in addition to submit
ting to all the requirements as set forth
in the above ordinances, amended De-
cember 26. 1901.
AS an evidence of our good faith. we
herewith enclose certified check in the
amount of $4,000. payable to the city of
Scranton. which said sum may be con
sidered as a forfeit, should we fail to
carry out the above arrangement, con-
ditional only u.on the fact that we
shall. on. or before juno 8, 1908, be
granted the charter by the governor OF
the commonwealth. as above set forth.
L. J. FitzSimmons.
Attorney for Petitioners.
BELIEVED IT WORTHLESS.
MIR. Keller called up the ordinance
awarding franchise to the West End
Street Railway company and stated
before asking unanimous consent for
Mr.. Taylor TO address the council
that he would later move to postpone
action because of a desire to give con-
s!deration to the 100000 offer.
Il don't believe it's worth the paper
It's written on" said he. but it ought
to be considered. This paper should
be brought in here in straightfor-
ward manner and signed by the per-
sons who are making this offer"
w. Fl. Taylor was given the floor by
to outline briefly the reasons for the
appointment of the board CT trade
committee and the work which that
committee has accomplished He stat
ed that when he learned that the pro-
moters of the new street railways were
willing to pay a tax on their gross
receipts he thought the Scranton Rail-
way company should do so too.
He accordingly waited upon Presi-
dent c. NJ. Clark and proposed that
the company agree to a tax on its
gross receipts as had the new street
companies Mr.. Clark, he
said, explained that the Scranton Rail-
way company stockholders had never
been paid any dividends. that the road
has never paid and that the company
couldn't agree to pay such tax. Mr..
Clarke said, according to Mr.. Taylor,
that the Scranton Railway company
had done Il great deal for the city and
had expended and proposes to expend
large sums of money here,
Mr.. Taylor said that President
Clark agreed to consider the matter |
and then produced from his pocket Il
letter which he (Mr. Taylor) received
in which the company agrees |
to pay certain taxes under certain lin
itatons. He read this letter, which is |
as follows:
COMpANY'S OFFER.
January l. 1902.
Mr. W. H. Taylor, 3a2 Madison avenue, |