The star-independent. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1904-1917, 1915-03-09
Police efficiency Is
Tabled BY COUNCILMEN
Thomas Nelley, Chairman of Police
Committee, Opposed Use of Fire
Patrol as Reserve Force for Fear
of Causing Increased Taxation

Sanitary conditions of the West Side
section inhabited by Macedonians and
Bulgarians was discussed by the Bor-
ough Council at its March meeting last
evening and was brought about through
report by Councilman Capella, VINO
made an investigation of these condi-
tions. Through the discussion it was
brought out that conditions in this sec
tion had greatly improved recently and
that much of the credit for this was
due the rector of the Bulgarian Ortho.
dox church, who had made a personal
appeal to his parishioners to improve
their surroundings, and incidents were
cited how this was done.
The proposition of improving the eff
ticiency of the borough police force by
using the fire patrol of the borough as
reserve force in case of sickness to
one or more members of the regular
force, was tabled after Chairman Mel.
ley, of the police committee, explained
to the Borough fathers that to do this
at present would lead to an increase III
taxation, but failed to substantiate this
assertion with figures.
A committee from the Steelton Mer-
chants Association attended the meet
ing for the purpose Of promoting a
movement to have the vending license
of the borough raised for the purpose
OF equalizing competition between
Steelton and Harrisburg merchants and
venders. A petition signed by twenty
seven local business men was presented
by the association asking for the in
creased license. According to the pc
tition, the difference of license of So
year in the borough and that of 800
a year in Harrisburg encourages ire
sponsible hucksters and vendors to oper-
ate here. A meeting of the ordinance
committee of Council and a committee
from the merchants association was
arranged and report of this meeting
will be submitted to Council at spe-
cial meeting March 10.
A petition asking that Council re-
woke its action to pave Conestoga
street, between Front street and tne
western side of Christian street, was
presented by the owners of 1925 feet
OF property abutting on this street. The
petition set forth that it would mean
hardship to the property owners to
pave this street at the present time.
B. f. McNear, Jr., president of the
Merchant S Association and a member
of the Board of Health, who owns
considerable property on the section
1t is proposed to pave, talked against
the paving and said it would be un-
wise to do the work at this time. Upon
the suggestion of Councilman Zim-
norman the matter will be given more
consideration by council before it. is
acted upon.
A communication from the Civic
Club said that this organization was
considering asking the owners of unoc-
eupied land in various parts of the
borough to allow this land to be used
for gardening purposes by people who
are In Strengthened circumstances. The
Council provided for the tilling of this
land and place upon it refuse from the
stables of the fire companies as fer
tiiizer. A motion was passed to give
the fertilizing material but no provis.
ion was made for its hauling or for the
plowimg requested.
Borough Auditors Bechtold, Seal
and Mace in submitting their annual
report made several recommendation
for changes in the systems of handling
some borough affairs.
The report of the auditors showed
balance in the borough treasury
January /, 1915, of $43,685.61. The
receipts for last year were $19S,29O.15
and the expenditures amounted to
s154,604.54.
The ordinance committee was last
night authorized to have an ordinance
drawn up for the paving of Swatara
street, between Second and Sixth
streets and Elm Street, between Front
and Second streets.
The ordinance providing for the
changes in the streets lighting system
was passed on second reading.
Councilman Sellers reported that it
would cost $500 to install an add.
tional fire alarm whistle ON the pump
ing station in the West Side. No ac-
tlon was taken ON this matter.
A representative of street sweeper
manufacturing concern presented a
proposition to Council for the pur-
chase of one or two sweepers. The
matter was placed in the hands of the
Highway committee.