The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-05-01

City Solicitor George NJ. Watson. In
an opinion furnished yesterday to City
Clerk Lavelle. decides that the sole
power for awarding printing contracts
rests with the recorder and that com.
ellis have no authority in the premises
whatever.
All four of the daily papers in this
city now have three year contracts
with the city for city printing. Coun-
ellis recently passed an ordinance pro-
vldng that there shall thereafter be
three official newspapers of the city of
Scranton" but containing a provision
providing that contracts with three
newspapers shall not be entered into
until April, 1904. This ordinance was
signed by Recorder Connell on the
morning councils re-organzed.
1t contains provision that all ordin-
ances and resolutions passed since the
city entered the second class shall be
printed at once in those papers having
contracts. The ripper" act provides
that all ordinances passed by councils
shall be printed in the official news
papers, but that was not done last year
in the absence of councilmanic or
dinance carrying the provisions of the
act into force.
CLERK WANTED TO KNOW.
When City Clerk Lavelle saw that he
would be obliged to publish eighty or
more ordinances passed last year he
was at Il loss to know whether he
should publish them in three or in four
newspapers and so he asked the city
solicitor for an opinion on the matter.
The city solicitor directs him to publish
the ordinances in all four papers hav.
ing contracts and declares that coun-
ellis powers in the matter are null The
full text of his opinion is as follows:
Your inquiry in relation to the course YOU
-liali pursue in carrying out the terms of the or
tlinanot directing You to advertise ordinances,
ETC., as required by the act Of March Z. 1901, and
in which YOU desire TO know the number Of
rcwspapers you shall insert the advertisement in,
as directed by ordinance.
Upon examination. I find that there are now
four contracts with daily newspapers, executed
in behalf Of Tie city by the city recorder. So
far as | am able 10 ascertain, these contracts
were lawfully made and now in full force
and effect.
The act of March = 1901, pamphlet Laws 80,
| leads:
IA the expiration of present contract. and
every three years thereafter. the city recorder Of
each oi the cities OF the scond class shall con-
| tract for term of three years, with not less
| than three nor more taN five dali" ncwspapcrs.
! one of which shall be a daily newspaper printed
| in the German. larcragc published within the
| county in which such city oi the second class is
situated. ;or the publication OF all official advc'
| tisng, the cost o wlich is payable ont OF tho
| nuiiciial trcasu'": which said official adNcri's
| ing shall include all ordinances OF councils city
recorders pr5r.cmations. all official reports oi
| the city officers, all notices for opening, widen
| inc. snainhtrning. grading, paving and cmhirG
and vacation OF streets, lanes and alleys, and tho
construction oi Sewers including all viewers re-
| uvls and proposals for public work and supplies;
| such contract, to he lc to the lowest bidder,
agate measure, per l,c, for each thousand oi
| circulation