The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-10-02

| The light and water committee Of
the common council met last night and
very thoroughly amended the ordin-
ance awarding a franchise to the
Lackawanna Light, Heat and Power
company. Some little sensation was
| created by Councilman p. +. Calpin,
| who declared that he felt convinced
| that certain amendments considered at
| a previous meeting of the committee
and presented last night in a modified
| form had been prepared not by any
| member Of the committee, but by some
person very solicitous for the best in
terests of the Scranton Electric Light
and Heat company.
The committee had met previously on
Monday. Sept. %, and informally dis
cussed two sets Of amendments pre-
sented by Councilman A. L. Lewis and
II. E. Paine. These two sets Of
amendments were almost precisely
similar. but action on them was de-
ferred until last night.
At last nights meeting A. L. Lewis
submitted his set of amendments with
a number of the features objected to at
the previous meeting omitted. Mr.
| Paine had only two amendments to Of
fer. Mr.. Calpin took occasion to make
his statement before Clerk Norris had
read any of the amendments.
| II want to say" said he, that there
were several something's in the amend
ments presented at our last meeting,
which looked very much as If the in
| terests of the company now having a
| monopoly of the electric business in
this city were being carefully looked
&, L.. IL. sf.a,
| had been put in for the sole purpose of
obstructing this ordinance"
Mr.. Paine Immediately proceeded to
defend his amendments and declared
| emphatically that he had seen no rep
| resentative of the old company, and
| that he defed any man to prove that
he had.
TO PROTECT OLD COMPANY.
II repeat, nevertheless" replied Mr..
Calpin, that some of those amend
ments were carefully drawn to protect
the interests of the old company and
you, yourself. admitted that some of
them were not proper They were what
is known in legitimate parlance as
'sneaks,' and if they are to be offered
tonight I'll vote against them.'
81 want you to understand" said Mr..
Paine warmly, that I'm no sneak and
that what you say as applied to my
amendments is not true"
A. l.. Lewis made no reply to Mr..
Calpin and did not attempt to defend
his amendments, all of which We're
adopted as presented in their revised
form. The more important ones were
as follows:
Il fNp t,iiS mar, hnn of
$4,000 instead of $4,000 as Il guarantee of
compliance with the terms of the fran
chse.
Providing that the duration of the fran
chse shall not be for longer perior than
fifty years
Providing that the grantee shall erect
plant within the city limits with q ca
pacity of not less than $500 horse power
the same to be in complete operation
within three years from the date of the
approval of the franchise by the recorder
or its passage over his veto.
Providing that the company shall fur
nish free light and power to all city
words land all school buildings ap-
pears but this had been stricken off since
the first meeting of the committee).
Providing for the reservation of one
duct in each conduit and of cross arm
on each pole for wires for city use.
Providing that all poles shall be of
sound cedar or chestnut and that they
shall be placed no closer than ninety feet
nor farther apart than 40 feet. Crhs
amendment originally included a clause
reading, land not within a distance of
sixty feet of the poles of any other COM
pany," but this had been cut out in the
revised copy.
Providing for insulated guard wires
where lines parallel or cross the lines of
other companies
Providing that all wires shall be
placed underground within that part of
this city bounded by the lackawanna
railroad tracks, Adams avenue, Mulbcr-
ry street and the Lackawanna river.
Providing that the entire plant shall be
constructed in accordance with the rules
OF the national board of fire underwriters.
Providing that the grantee shall main
tain continuous electric service for
twenty-four hours each day of not more
than LOCO voltage throughout it's fran
chise limits.
Objection was raised to this last
amendment by Mr.. Capin on the
ground that it would be possible for
the new company to be harassed by
competing company. A man way up
on the West mountain could be secured
to ask for power to run a grindstone
ana the company could be compelled
to run a line way out there to ac-
commodate him.
Among the amendments which had
appeared in Mr.. Lewis set at the first
meeting, but through which blue pencil
marks appeared last night, was one
providing that no pole should be erect
ed without the consent of the property
owner in front of whose property il
was proposed to place IL,
An amendment offered by MIR. Calpin
and adopted provides for tax of .
per cent. on the company's gross re-
ceipts after 1905
An amendment offered by Mr.. Paine
and adopted provides that the COM
pany shall not be permitted under its
franchise to lease, sell out to or COM
bine with any competing company.
The franchise will be reported at the
next meeting of common council with
the recommendation that these amend
ments be adopted.