The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-02-21

corder's communication on the
Bond ordinance--ordinances Pass
ed on Third Reading.
The general appropriation ordinance
came up for consideration in common
council last night and persistent eff
fort was made to increase salaries
right and left a vigorous fight
against the proposed changes was
waged by Luther Keller, II, IL. Paine
and others, with the result that the
members favoring increases were
routed foot. horse and dragons.
The opening gun in the fight was
fired by E. j. Coleman, after the ordi-
nance had been passed on first read
ing by title. He offered an amend
ment providing for the increase of the
salary of the night watchman at Nay
Aug park from $3.50 to $500 per year.
The watchman is at present employed
only seven months a year. Mr.. Cole
man proposed employing him the year
round. lS
The amendment took the additional
$3.50 out of the item of $4,000 included
as an emergency fund for the bureau
of health, to be expended in coping
with the smallpox now prevailing in
this city, or any other epidemic. This
item was the one from which every
salary increase provided for in subse-
quent amendments was to be taken.
Mr.. Paine objected strenuously to the
increasing of the salaries of any city
employe and urged the members not to
alter the ordinance. Mr.. Keller made
| vigorous protest against the action
of certain clerks in lobbying for in
creased salaries for themselves over
the heads of the departments in which
they are employed. The heads of the
departments fix Il certain salary in
their estimate, he said. and councils
should be influenced by their judgment
rather than by the pleas of the clerks.
Gas far as I am personally con-
cerned," said he II believe any clerk
guilty of lobbying ought to be dis
missed
AMENDMENT WITHDRAWN.
Mr.. Coleman finally decided that
things were getting too hot for him and
withdrew his amendment. A. l.. Lewis
next offered an amendment providing
for the insertion OF an item of $1,000 to
pay the salary of a clerk for the board
of city assessors. This item had pre-
viously been stricken out of the ord-
nance by the joint estimates commit
tee.
Mr. Keller objected 20 this item,
stating that when the salary of the as
SCISSORS was increased from $1,000 to
81, 500 last year, it was with the implied
understanding that the assessors We're
to pay a clerk out of their own pock-
cts, If such an official We're needed. He
said he had 10 desire to cripple the
service of any department, but be-
lieved the assessors should pay their
| own clerk. Mr.. Paine served notice
that if Lewis amendment passed, he
would offer an amendment reducing
the salary OF the assessors from S1,500
to $1,000.
Mr. Lewis amendment was de-
feated by vote of 10 to II. A second
| amendment which he offered, provid-
ing for the appropriation of $525 for a
deficiency in the salary of the asses
sor's clerk, was also defeated by the
same vote.
Mr.. Gurrell offered an amendment
| providing for the insertion of an item
| Thomas Gerrity estate. A resolution
providing for the payment of this
claim has been,already passed by coun-
ellis and it was decided to include the
| item in the ordinance
| The appropriation for street repairs
is Jumped in the ordinance, the item
being $20,12G. Mr.. Calvin offered a long
amendment providing for the dividing
NJ l1i fl,a 4
wards. This precipitated debate on
the ft-discussed question of ward ap-
proprations. Messrs. Keller, Paine,
Snowden, j. T.. Evans and Robathan
spoke in favor of Jumping the appro-
| priation for street repairs and having
it expended according to the Judgment
of the director of public works. Messrs.
Calpin, Calvin and Casterline spoke in
favor of the amendment While in
| their opinion the money might be prop
erly expended in this manner by the
present director, it might not be in the
future when some other person took
charge of the department Alr. CAL
wins amendment was defeated by a
vote of II to 20.
AMENDMENT KILLED.
Mr.. Clarke offered an amendment
| providing for the increase of the salary
of The chief clerk of the department of
public works from $3.50 to $1,000. This
was voted down. An amendment Of
fered by Mr., Norton appropriating $500
for the equipment of the Keyser Val
ley Hose company was passed after
considerable discussion.
Mr.. Sykes offered an amendment pro-
Viding for the increase of the salary of
the building inspector from $3.50 to
81, 900. superintendent Brown OF the
bureau of building inspection was CIV
| en- the floor and asked if he could Sc
cure competent building inspector for
$3.50 year. He demured to this point
ed question saying that he had dis
cussed the appropriation for his bureau
with the recorder and that the latter
thought the salary of $3.50 proper. He
did not want TO be placed in the POSI-
tion of passing judgment ON what his
superior had done. The amendment
| was defeated.
Mr.. Graf offered an amendment
striking out an item of S2,06750 includ-
ed for the payment of the special ofll-
GERS employed by the city since the
street car strike was inaugurated. II
was bad thing, he said, to have SO
many special officers employed and il
was time for councils To set down on
the thing. 1t was explained to Mr.
Graf that the recorder Is empowered by
the ripper" bill TO employ special OFF,
GERS in an emergency and that the men
| so employed are entitled to their pay
His amendment was lost by II vote of