THE . SCBANTON TR1BTINE SATUKDAY MORNING, MATtCH T, 1896.
0
TEN YEARS
I ' vv - . . ..."
Great Strides Made By th? (ify of ScrantoD
; Daring -That Period. '
WISE PROGRESSIVE POLICY
as Placed tbe Electric City Among
the First of Its Class ia This
Country Extensive Public Improve
tnent9 Made and Credit Firmly
Established.
The Interruption which will next
month come to the Republican regime,
under .which the city has nourished
during the past ten years will be the
concluding work of Its greatest epoch,
which epoch will have for Its commence
ment the Initiation of Colonel Ripple
Into the office of mayor. It 1 tlie epoch
during 'Which thlsclty-pulled itself to
gethtr and resolved to become some
thing more than u town contented .In
the enjoyment of that one distinction
a larger population, than Wllkes
jBurre. It la an pro whose beginning was a de
termination to place the city on a foot
ing of permanency and whose ending
Was the consummation of this resolve;
an era during which the greatest dis
cretion hud to be exercised In the af
fairs of government,' lor during this
time, it lli-Ht dawned and then became
firmly impressed upon us that this city
could not hope to enjoy a continued
healthy growth If it had Us coal In
dustry alone to rely upon, and in con
He'iuence we had to present to the out
side world an inviting city that would
nttrm-t men of means who could aid In
lniikling a irew industrial foundation or
at leaser, wo hud to most diligently ana
rareCully avoid anything that would
tend to keen them mvuy. How well this
new foundation, this new and lasting
ieasr of life, was secured is evidenced
liv the fiirt that wo now lone sight of
oiir old nppelatlon "tho 'Anthracite
MetrojKills" in the contemplation of
our new name "The Electric City."
A resume of this all important epoch
of the city government can not help but
be interesting. To present, therefore,
a few facts that will remind the reader
of what Hcranton was ten years ago, to
call his attention to Its present status
by a few trite comparisons and to re
view in a summary manner the Inter
vening decade is the purpose of this ar
ticle. CONDITION OP THH CITY THEN.
' When, the Republicans took control
Of this city they found it experiencing
a sort of hand-to-mouth existence. Its
government . was In a more or less
chaotic state, its finances were in a de
plorable condition, permanent and sub
stantial improvements were unthought
of and there was no great Interest
manifested' by the people at large In
the affairs of tho municipality. Now
we have a well ordered, harmonious
government, a credit second to no other
city of its slip, conveniences. In the
matter Of improvements, bordering on
luxuries and a general feeling of Inter
est in the city's welfare.
In 1SS6 after twenty years existence.
Scranton. was still a town. City affairs
were administered lit almost as many
different offices as there were ofllcers
and if a person had business
which required consideration in
various departments it was a
case of hire a guide and start
out . on a day's travel. The mayor's
office was located on Lackawanna ave
nue; over the old Sutto clothing store
and was so Pliably in appearance thnt
it drew forth the remark, from the
mayor of a western city who was being
shown about the town, that out. In his
place they provided the vagrants with
better quarters than the mayor had
here. The city solicitor held forth In his
private office on Wyoming avenue. The
city controller and city treasurer occu
pied dingy rooms on the second tloor of
the Lackawanna Trust company's
building on Lackawanna avenue. Police
headquarters were In Center street. The
lionrd of control met on Lackawanna
avenue; The council rooms, city en
gineer's office andclty clerk's office were
in the Uoston store building. The poor
board had quarters at 4-.'l Lackawanna
avenue. Now all these and the several
new departments are clustered together
In a building which for convenience,
beauty and durability, will not suffer
by comparison with the city halls of
much larger and .more influential mu
nicipalities. In connection with this It might be
said that, the rent paid for ofllces by
the . city, the school district, and the
poor dlHtrlct almost equalled In amount
the Interest on the money expended for
the erection and maintenance of the
new city ' hall. The convenience and
a hundred other considerations how
ever, muke the question of finance a
secondary matter.
FINANCES IN BAD SHAPE.
"When Mayor Ripple came to the head
Of the oily government he found that
owing to the slipshod business methods,
antique system of accounts and disre
gard for the law, the city llminres were
.In pretty bad shaoe. Hv reason of re
peated overdraughts a Homing debt of
some forty or fifty thousand dollars
was contracted and as a result city or
ders would not be honored anywhere.
City ofneluls and employes were forced
to peddle their warrants every pay-day
and they were glud to get them cashed
for 85 per cent, of their face value.
Merchants doing business with the city
Were In the same plight. One of the
first things Colonel Klppledld upon as
suming his oHioe was to draft and have
parsed an ordinance prohibiting expen
ditures which were not provided for by
appropriation. This put a stop to the
growth of the floating debt ami an Is
sue of a funding loan of $45,000 soon
afterwards wiped it out entirely.
During the time required for affairs
to right themselves Colonel Ripple per
sonally arranged with a tlnaucial insti
tution in which he hud. an interest, to
have the orders of employes honored for
their full face value and to have the
order of officials cashed at a small dis
count. Just sufficient to repay the Insti
tution for the Interest which the money
would earn. Confidence in the city was
established and from that time on our
p
I CUT THIS OUT, IT'S GOOD FOR TWENTY CENTS (20c.)
I1 HOW TO GET IT Cut down on the heavy black line, fill in your full
The Best Ever Hade. name and address, also the merchant's name and address you desire to
u. . iv buy them of. When this is done, mail this ticket to THE FREEflAN
TH E Clr HANUFACTURING CO., Scranton, Pa., and on receipt of it they will mail
JrS vsV t? you an order on said merchant good for Twenty Cents (20c), to be used
tVSyS only In the purchase of a pair of the Celebrated Freeman Pant Overall,
f r . Pants No. 115, Price $1.00.
' OTeralls nnd Shirts. . , ' Purchaser's Name ' '
FREEMAN MANUFACTURING CO. Address
Lit 119 r' Price tuJ , Merchant's Name
Specially kUaaf utored for Fum Beta" TrsdJ -' ' Address
OF REPUBLICAN. RULE
credit continued to grow until to-day
our bonds command a higher premium
than those of almost any other city. A
sinking fund was about that time es
tablished and its affairs are now In such
shape that on next December $100,000
worth of twenty year bonds will be tak
en up without the necessity of issuing a
dollar's worth of redemption bonds,
something unheard of before in this city
and an unusual thing in any city. It
was during Mr: Elsele's term that the
present excellent system of accounts
was Inaugurated. In fact, the records
of every department have uudergone a
very necessary and desirable change.
The records of the city prior to the last
decade are meagre and disordered, and
any Information relative-to city affairs
during Its Hint twentif years of exist
ence is hard, it might be Said, Well
night Impossible, to get at.
NUMEROUS IMPROVEMENTS.
The most tangible evidence, however,
of the city's growth Is found In the lin
provenuiits. general and local, which
have been made duylng'these ten years?
The general Improvements are directly
resultant from the aggressiveness '
the city government: the local Improve
ments are" indirectly to be credited to
the government for tmjy were encou-s
aged by the general Improvements. To
people who have spent their lives here
a contemplation of the city's develop
ment. In this short' period of ten years
will, beyond doubt, muke them pause
and marvel, and those who have come
Into our midst in late years, after view
ing the present stute of the clly. will,
say, no doubt, that It almost siu-pusses
beliefs. Prior to 1SK6. virtually nothing,
had been done in the way of permanent
improvements. Such a thing as a paved
street was unknown, a few miles of cobble-stones
executed, and whn, Votild
leave tvoiu for urgument If thMty en
gineer's figures did not back M Up, Is the
statement that during the twenty years
prior to lastf, less than lU.Wll was spent
in grading, which was about the only
permunent improvement attempted in,
these days.
There were some bridges which might
In a liberal construction of the term, be
called permunent improvements, but us
they were all of the good old-fashioned
wooden variety and have since disap
peared, the construction aforemention
ed must needs be extremely liberal.
Hewers probably headed all other 'im
provements but many of these do not
owe their construction to. the progres
slveness of the ancient government, as
much as they did to the fact that the
panic of '77 led the city to build a couple
of sewer districts in order to give work
to its many starving citizens, who
would have to be supported at all
events, out of the city's money. The
following figures and comparisons, will
more than anything else show the
growth of the city in the decade being
considered:
SOME COMPARISON'S.
Miles Cost,'
flowers laid tirlor to 1886.. 7.IMW JlhU'ti M
Sewers laid since 1S86 32.WM 3,',730 70
Total
40. 190 $472,907 tifl
Mies. ITOst.
Pavements laid prior to 188U. 2. $ 34.4X8 00
Pavements laid since 188(i....l0.l 505,371 33
Total 13. fM.m 33
Since 18N Carbon street, the alley be
tween Matthews & Co., and E. J. Walsh
from Lackawanna avenue to Railroad
place and the alley between the D., L.
& W. R. R. nnd Gilmore & Duffey.
from Lackawanna avenue to Railroad
place, which were paved with cobble,
were repaved with the same material.
Portions of Lackawanna avenue, Penn
avenue and Center, which were paved
with cobble, have been repaved with
asphalt. A portion of Penn avenue was
cahnged from cobble to Wyckoff and
portions of Penn and Wyoming avenues
were changed from Wyckoff to asphalt.
Cost of culverts constructed since
liiWi '. t 4.,33t 48
Cost of grading (city contract)
since INN! 30,'jsr, C4
Cost of pipe drains since IKtiil 5,950 99
Widening of streets and avenues
since 1MM 14,050 00
Retaining walls constructed since
ISWi 1,184 00
Cost of all bridges erected In the
city since 18xit, including pur
chase of rlKht of way for Lin
den street and Roaring brook
bridges 377,053 73
Among the many bridge improve
ments since 1SN6 may be mentioned the
following: Old Lackawanna avenue
wooden deck bridge, replaced by an
Iron structure: Dodge town bridge, from
bow string girder to iron Plntt truss
Carbon street bridge, from bow string
girder to Plutt truss; Parker street
bridge, from wood to Iron Piatt truss
Market street bridge, from wood to iron
Piatt truss.
New structures were erected at the
following places, all iron Piatt truesses
Ash street, over Roaring Rrook; Elm
street, over Lackawanna river; Swet
land street, over Delaware, Lackawanna
and Western Railroad ;the Roaring
Urook composed of six (.pans Plntt truss
ana one deck span over the Delaware,
Lackawanna, and Western Railroad,
Koarlng Krook and tracks of Lacka
wanna Iron and Steel company; Linden
street, three spans Camel back truss
over the Delaware, Lackawanna and
Western railroad and Delaware and
Hudson railroads, the Central Railroad
of New Jersey yard and the Ontario
and Western Railroad, and the Lacka
wanna liver.
Plttstoti avenue nnd Cedar avenue old
Iron structures were replaced by stone
Ullages, the rurmer 171 feet in length.
The old lion structure 30 feet wide on
North Main avenue, over Leggett's
i-reea, was replaced ly a stone arch
culvert the full width of the street.
The old Ptttston avenue Iron bridge
over minium aieauow 11 look wus
moved to Stafford avenue over the mime
stream. The old North Main avenue
Iron bridge over LeKKett's Creek was
moved to Wells street over the same
stream. The old Carbon street Iron
bridge was moved to a point near Leg.
Rett's Creek over Legget's Creek. The
old iron structure over the creek on
Fourth street was repaired by a stone
arcn cuiven tne entile width of the
street.. The old wooden bridge over
tstarroru aieauow Krook was repluced
by a stone arch culvert 15 feet wide and
24 feet long.
Mere Is unother comparison which
will furnish abundant food fur reflec
tion and study. It is the appropriation
ordinunee of the year 1SSSH shown along
side of the appropriation ordinance for
the coming year as reported to coflncils
on Thursday night by the Joint esti
mates committee.
APPROPRIATIONS. 1886. -Salaries-
Chief of police ti.MO 00
Sergeant of police J. 00
Policemen j.i-'u w
City treasurer 4. 00
City controller v... 2.000 00
City mayor 1,500 oo
City solicitor 1..W 00
City engineer 1,500 00
Street commissioner I.)
City clerk J.1
Assistant city clerk 60 M
clerk of common council 400 00
Chief engineer of lire daportment w wi
Elgineers of city steamers 750 W
Stokers of city steamers , 600 do
Health omeer
Clerk or the board of health - 00
For payment of expenses
Board of health i R0 Oil
Fire department.....! , , 1,000 00
Providing for stationery l. 00
Light and water' 13.4M1 no
Telephones .,. V -. tSS hi
Assessors 4 2,500 00
(.'leaning sewers 750 00
Kent of city othVe nd council
rooms'.: i 8.20
Repairs of Culverts sod bridges.. 2.000 00
dualling puved streets 1.050 00
Payment of couucllnien 2.40 00
Board of appeal and revision ..... 525 00
Insurance - WO uo
Purchase of hose ....... em uu
Kent of tile department houses.. l.tioO uo
City engineer's department , 3,uoo 00
Feeding of prisoners 1 (M ou
Purchase of hydrants..... 500 00
Pavment of Interest on bonded
Jebt .. 21,350 00
Incidentals . 2,000 00
Deficiencies of Is
Stone avenue bridge 2.3uO 00
,l.gckawaiiiia avenue bridge l.ooo uo
Incidentals wu w
Building now abutments for
Jjodgetowu bridge 4.000 00
J-tierul Pliinney engine l.ouu i
Kxi;elBir Hose cuuipauy's house 2,ooo 00
ward appropriations 12,855 37
For culverts and other special
Items .. 4.03100
APPROPRIATION'S. 18'.
, i This lisllti ordinance as will be noticed
provides for euch item . separately
wliilu In the previous one nearly every
thing Is In bulk. Now when money Is
appropriated for.a certain ..need It must
be s!ent for that or turned buck into
the city treasury, und no more money
can lie spent than Is aPPfoprlated.
Should an appropriatlotr.be overdrawn
the head of the department would be
resnonsible for the overdraught. Thus
a floating debt Is provided against.
MAYOR'S DEPARTMENT.
Mayor's salary, per annum I. 2,500 00
Clerk hire 900 00
Stationery 150 00
Incidentals WOO
Printing and postage 50 00
Telephones 100 00
$3,800 00
CITY TREASURER'S DEPARTMENT.
SaHary of city treasurer $ 4,000 00
Salary of clerks 1,200 00
Incidentals , 150 00
Printing and stationery 300 00
I 6.S50 00
' . CITY CONTROLLERS'S DEPT.
Salary of city .controller, per an
num ; $ 2,000 00
Salary of assistant per annum. ... 800 oo
Incidentals 200 00
Supreme court expenses 100 0'J
$ 3,100 00
CITY CLERK'S DEPARTMENT.
Salary of city clerk, per annum.. $ 1.500 oo
salary or nssHunt clerk vn
Salary of clerk of common coun
cll 900 00
Printing ami stationery 1.0O0 00
Clerk hire WW oo
Incidentals 00
Telephone 50 CO
$ 5,550 00
MAINTENANCE OP MUNICIPAL
BUILDING.
One Janitor at $00 per month $ 720 00
Three .lanltresses at $25 permonlh oo W
llcHting, as per contract 1.337 00
Lighting i.. 500 in)
Repairs of building and grounds. 200 00
$ 3.K57 00
ITY ENGINEER'S DEPARTMENT.
Salary of city enalneer per an
num $ 2,000 00
Salary of first assistant city en
gineer, per annum 1,200 00
Salary of second assistant city
engineer, per annum 1,080 00
Salary of ortlce clerk, per annum. 720 no
Salary of levelman. per annum.. . 900(0
Salary of two rodmen. each ttiOO
per annum 1,320 00
Salary of four chalnmen. each
iitoo per annum , 2.4N) in
Incidentals 4noon
Printing and stationery ., o
Rent of telephone ...a 50 00
$ 10,270 00
STREET COMMISSIONER'S DEPT.
Salary of street commissioner... $ 1,500 00
Incidentals "5 00
Printing and stationery Co on
Repairs and supplies of road
roller 200 00
Salary of engineer of road roller
and crusher for six months 800 00
Yv ai d appropriations for street
repairs to be expended under
the direction of the street com
missioner and under the fore
men uobolnted bv the street
commlcsiontr 10,732 00
For epalrs to Mary rtreet bridge 000 00
For retaining wall on East Mar
ket street, between property of
the late Nuthanld Fitch and
the bridge over the N. Y.. O. &
W. It. R. tracks 7o0 00
Cleaning brick and stone pave ... 2.000 uo
Cleaning sewers nnd drains. 6.5uo 00
For euairlng brick, cobble, wood
and stone pavement 500 oo
For cleaning asphalt pavements.. 11, 0W) 00
For repairs of asphalt pavements
on streets for which contract
has .-xiilr id 4.5O0 00
For general repairs on Provi
dence turnpike 9u0 00
$ 4.2o7 00
CITY AS3KSSORS' DEPARTMENT
Salaries of three city assessors.
at Sl.voo each $ 3,uu0 no
Notices . . 2', no
Stationery, postage, etc ., 25 to
$ 3,0 .0 l
POI ICE DEPARTMENT.
Salary of chief of police $
Salary of captain of polliv -
HjIui v or four lieuleuants of po
lice Salary of de.l sergeant :
Salary if li:i) patrolmen, $HH0 per
annum
Salary of pullce surgeuu
l.'.OO 00
l.lWO (HI
4,0n0 00
'.100 if)
38.700 On
200 00
Rental of Second precinct
tiou hoiiMe
Rental of Fourth precinct
ma-"stii-
30U 00
lion ii'i-se
Fet 'liug prisoners
Repairs of station houses
Lighting and heating
Keeping horses
Prison ward for women
Repairs of hiirne and wagon...
Twenty telephones
Equipments of police
Printing, stationery and postage.
Incidentals
3011 lal
550 no
inn 00
2'H) 'H
1.000 00
35H ft
Km Ml
l.iioo ml
inn mi
15n in
2n uu
$ 50,710 00
FIRE- DEPARTMENT.
Salary of chief engineer $ 1,200 00
Salary of Ave engineers of city
steamers at per annum
tAin ..
Salary of live stoker of city
1,000 00
750 00
1,200 00
1,200 00
1.200 00
1,300 00
,1,200 00
1,200 0J
600 00
GOO 00
600 (0
600 00
COO 00
coo 00
oio 00
coo 00
COO 00
CM) l0
Coo CO
1.2110 00
1,100 00
2,150 00
3u0 (0
800 00
3,900 00
700 00
7w) 00
learners at iow per annum
each
Salary of two permanent men for
Neptune Engine Co
Salary of two permanent men for
Nay Aug Engine Co
Salary of it wo permanent men for
Franklin Engine Co
Salary of 4 wo permanent men for
Crystal Kngme 10
Salary of two permanent men for
Hook ami Ladder Co
Salary of two permanent men for
Uen. Phlnney Engine Co
Salary of one permanent man for
Eagle Engine Co
Salary of one permanent man for
1 Phenix Engine Co
Salary of one permanent man for
Chemical Kngtne Co
Salary of one permanent man for
Relief Engine Co
Salary of one permanent man for
Liberty Engine Co
Salary of one permanent man for
Columbia Engine Co
Salary of one permanent man for
umuenami nose x
Salary of one permanent man for
Excelalor Hose Co '.
Salary of one permanent man for
Century Hose Co
Salary of one permanent man for
William Council Hose Co
Salary of one permanent man fur
1'heiilx Chemloal Jnglne Co....
Light and Heat............
Reut of Fire Alamo.... ..
Maintenance of Fire Alarm (77
boxes) '.
Parade and limpaotlon. .
Repairs of Apparatus and Har
ness Rent of Engine Houses
Purchase of Hydrants
Repair and Ereotloti of Hydrants-..Vi...
4..
Incidentals
Veterinary and Medicine for
Huiaes
100 00
Soil OO
Purchase of Hose...' 1
Supplies .... .
l.OOo uo
.- , COO (10
,60 UO
: soo 00
Telephone for Chief
Subktltute for Vacation and Sick
lies Pulling Apparatus to Fires
Keeping of Horses, 35 at $140
' each ....'...:.T;. ,;
Repairing of Hose
Purchase of Harness for t'olufn
bla Huiu l'b '..'...
Purchase of Horses
Fire Alarm Kox for corner Vine
and Prescott
Maintenance Fire Alarm Box....
100 00
4.900 mi
loo iu
125' 00
. 1,(H1 00
125 00
27.79
.;'.' " . $30,447 T9
BUILDING INSPECTOR'S DEPAR'i'
t M ENT.
Salary of Building Inspector $1,500 00
Printing and Stationery OOOO
Incidentals 25 00
! $1,585-00
!. BOARD OF HEALTH.
Wages for Cremator Employes., $2,400 00
Running Expenses of Crematory,
Coal, Oil, Repairs, etc '. 1,100 00
Intercut due ou Lot to April 1,
is9 ..; 3ofloo
Dockets, Stationery and Printing 250 no
Incidentals .'. 3n0 00
Salary of Health Olllcer 900 '00
Salary of Food -Inspector Soo-ni)
Salary of Secretary ,. 00 00
$0,650 00
SCRANTON .-PITRLIO LIBRARY DE
PARTMENT. For Salaries and Labor ($430 iper
month) $3,100 00
For Incidentals ($200 per month). 2,400 00
For Books ($200 per month) 2,400 00
Special Expense, Insurance for
three' years 592 00
: $10,552 00
PARK COMMISSIONERS' DEPART-
MENT. .
Maintenance ami improvements.. $1,919 32
Park Superintendent COO 00
$3,119 32
WOODLAWN PARK.
Woodlawn park repairs $250 00
CON'NELL PARK.
Cornell park 1.000 CO
HOARD OF REVISION AND APPEALS.
Five men. 35 days at $3 per day... $."25 00
City Assessment Books 100 no
Stationery 25 00
$650 00
GENERAL CITY.
Water Rent I 5,220 00
Electric Lighting 46,500 00
For additional Electric Street
Street Lights to be erected Im-
mediately upon the passage of
ordinance 2.104 56
Incidentals and Judgments 14,000 10
Insurance 1,000 He
State Tax ou Loans. ... 3,012 W
$ 71,S) 50
DEFICIENCIES.".
Welles Street Bridge $ 212 01
Hoard of Revision mid Appeal... 750 00
Scranton Gas and Water Co.,
Franklin Avenue House 7 50
John J. Fahcy, Eighteenth ward
balance 25 64
Viewers' Costs, Webster Avenue
Grading 65 50
Viewers' Costs, Assessment of
Seventeenth Sewer district 2,179 (0
Linden Street Pave, Fror.t of
Jewleh Synagogue 388 90
Kressler Court Pave,- Front of
Second Presbyterian church.... 303 01
Scranton Republican.;.... 34 05
Police Department'.!'. 7 10
Fire Department......... 394 77
Street Commissioner's' 'Depart
ment 182 0-'
Judgments and Incidentals 56 21
Remt of Parks from May 1, 1895,
April 1. 1896, due the Lackawan
na Iron and Coal Co 458 37
Rent of Parks from July 1, 1893. to
April 1, 1H96. due Beckett Estate,
William Rawle, Agent 187 50
$ 5,312 87
Sinking Fund and Interest, to be
raised by Special Levy $ 60.840 00
$335,667 IS
THE MATTER OP TAXES.
Now nomes the most remarkable item
that this whole article contains:
INS'J. 1S9i.
Valuation I3.W,oiW $20,lx2.iiS1
Revenue from taxation 159,70,1 19s.ono
Of course, new special revenues, such
us the revenue I'n.in liquor licenses,
pules, dogs. etc.. have made It possible
to keep down the valuation and taxes
while till these Improvement huve been
or are being mude.
Protection, one of the pilncipal boons
guaranteed by a government to a peo
ple, has not been Inst sight of by the
government of Scranton. Both depart
ments, police and tire, are now a souice
of great pride to the city. Although the
cost of enlarging und Improving them
bus been lurte. the Investment, no one
can deny. Is a good one. While the tire
department now costs llve times uu
much as it did In 1886. the lufseu by fire,
comparatively speaking, are live times
as rmall. The increase of the police
force has not been us l.ii'ge us it might
appropriately have been, considering
the eidaged expanse and Increased pop
ulation of the city.
In U8ti the tire department had but
II I tit property, the companies owning
their own engines and can luges and
was not overly ehViciit. Now the clly
owns every piece of appnraltisnnd horse
in the department und has twenty per
manetit men under pay In addition to
the "call men," such as engineers, stok
ers und drivers. Home of the companies
have us high as four horses, und there
is an average of ubout three paid men
to u company when the call men are In-
eluded. The city also owns seven en
gines, seven of the sixteen tire company
houses, and the erection of two others
Is contemplated, the Nay Aug house on
Page court and the Crystal house In the
rear of tne city hall, where also will be
located the police patrol station.
THE POrjfcE DEPARTMENT.
The police force has grown from'
baker's- dozen, with a chief and ser
geant, to a well equipped, thoroughly
disciplined force of fifty men. Including
a chief, captain, four lieutenants and a
desk 'sergeant. The small number of
preventable crimes, with the inilnitely
smaller number of criminals who es
cape detection, attest the efficiency of
both the patrol and detective features
of tbe police department. Not tha
least commendable change In the de
partment has been the closing up of the
old, vermin-infested, disease-breeding
station house on Center street and the
equipment of the new, clean and com
fortable station in the basement of the
city hall, with excellent sanitary regu
lations, iron cages and the recently
provided for separate corridors for fe
male prisoners. Modern detention sta
tions have been established in the
South Side and West Side precincts und
a project is afoot to give the North Knd
better police quarters.
Another department which has grown
wonderfully In the last decade and par
ticularly within the last rew years Is
the street commissioner's. In Its early
days one mail, a team or two of horses
and a few laborers managed to till up
with ashes the gullies which the rains
would make in the principal thorough
fares, and doing this well they were
content. Now the street commissioner
hus the expenditure of $50,000 or so to
look after for general repairs and
cleunlug and there Is an agitation ou
In councils to place all the ward appro
priations under his care. Two gangs
of men are worked, one at night und
the other In the day time, and two fore
men are provided to direct their opera
tion. The oiltee work uloue requires
a clerk and office boy, to ouch dimen
sions bus the department grown. The
city now owns Its own stone crusher
and toad roller.
The board of health has also kept
abreast of the times. A garbage crem
atory lias been built and la doing a
most excellent work. The otllce of food
and milk Inspector has been created
and the city Is now free from unwhole
some or adulterated foods. The sani
tary code Is now being enforced us
rigidly as Is possible and the records
of births, marriages and deaths with
all other statistics pertaining to the
department are now kept In an accu
rate and orderly way. This depart
ment is now one of the best organized
In the city.
A BUILDIXO INSPECTOR.
The department of building Inspec-tot-
is another Institution born during
the present epoch. The annexation of
Betllevue was another commendable
piece of enterprise effected. The es
tablishment of the public library also
occurred during the present regime and
while not directly responsible for this
grand acquisition It Is made one of the
departments of the city government and
the epoch under discussion Is at least to
be credited with seeing it consum
mated. The acquisition of Nay Aug. Connell
and Woodlawn parks is something that
will for all time to come be a lasting
recommendation to the men who perr
sonally and as city servants "have been
Instrumental In providing them and If
an administration had nothing else to
mark tt then this one thing It could
consider Itself a success.
These Items will Bcrve to remind
Scrantonluns who are proud of their
city's property and growth of what
wonderful, strides she has made under
beneficent, influences and should tend
to impress new comers with the turn
sibilltles of this "western city of the
east," which In a decade has crown
from a struggling carelessly governed.
debt-burdened, unimproved mining
town to u well ordered, prosiiernus anil
permanent city lending all other cities
of her slue in many respects and being
second to none.
THE FACILTYOFOBSEBVATIOX.
It Ought to lie Cultivated but the I'act Is
That No Three Persons Looking at a
Certain Object Evor Sea the Same
Things.
From the Times-Herald.
A new study has been added to the
curriculum of Columbia college, one
that Is certain to be fruitful of great
results In the future. It Is the cultiva
tion of the faculty of observation. Ev
eryone who has paid the least attention
to the matter knows how dlftlcult It Is to
reconcile the testimony of two or three
different witnesses of the same state of
facts. Euch one, equally honest, has
had under his eye the particular thing
that Is the subject of Inquiry, and ench
one relates the circumstances In a dif
ferent munner. How can they be re
conciled'. Professor Hunke, In his "History of
the Hopes," gives an Illustration of
the difficulty a historian encounters In
writing past history, and says that when
men and women dispute without end
over the occurrences of everyday life,
that take place under their own eyes,
how cun It be possible for a historian
truthfully to recount events ten centur
ies after they have happened'.' It was
the fa tn 1 1 In r uuixltii of Kobert Wulpole,
who did as much as any other English
stutesmun town i d the making of his
tory', that nil history was a lie. lie saw,
as we all see. how dlllicttlt u thing It Is
to report events Ul'lght.
THE CASE HE WITNESSES.
The question comes up in courts of
Justice every day. and lawyers who
couldn't for their lives tell what had
happened on any particular day a
month before will gibbet witnesses uo
peijurers, because they cannot say with
precision whether u certain night, two
or three years before, was cloudy or not,
whether It rained, whether the distance
between one doorstep and unother was
twenty or fifty feet, or whether tne
color of a horse wus black or blown.
The truth is, no person carries In his
mind, Except Involuntarily, the ordi
nary things that come under casual ob
servation, and that Is where the law
yers Ure often able to confuse a wit
ness. If .the cuses were reversed the
witness might us easily put the lawyer
to confusion.
it is becuuse of this defect In our
mental constitution thut Professor J.
McKeeil Cattell, of Columbia College,
New Yolk, has Introduced Into his lec
tures to students a series of questions
calculated to develope their powers of
observation. One of the questions he
started wllh was. "What was the
weuther u week ago today '."' Now no
body can dispute that tills Is an ex
tremely simple question, depending for
Its answer on the memory, and upon
such observation of the weather thut
everyone must naturally muke. And
yet. "f fifty-six students thus Interro
gated as to the particular day, sixteen
answered "clear." twelve "rain." seven
"snow." nine "stormy." six "cloudy."
and six "partly stormy and party
cloudy." Such a disparity In the nn
swers shows how easy It Is for wit
nesses to be mistaken.
Another question was. "In what di
rection do the seeds of an apple point?"
Thousands nnd thousands of people
have eaten apples ever since the dis
obedient couple were driven from para
dise, and yet how many people could
answer correctly offhand? Other ques
tions were put. such as the weight of a
certain text-book used by the class; the
distance between two buildings; the
time taken by students to walk from
one building to another, and other com
mon Inquiries. . .
The professor reports that a majority
of the answers were correct, or nearly
so. but a large percentage was lament
ably wrong. Most assuredly It is an
engaging study, well calculated to in
crease the habit of exactness in matters
coming within the range of thp senses.
It is good, not only for students but for
everybody. Further reports from Pro
fessor Cattell will be looked for with In
terest
for Infants and Children;
MOTHERS. Do You Know
Batemaa's Drops, Godfrey's Cordial, many soolled Soothinj
most remedies for children are composed of opium or morphine f
( ' IK Vow Knew that opium and morphine are stupefying narcotic poison X
Ho Ton Know that lu most countries drusgUts are not permitted to sell-
narcotics without labelling them poisons?
Do yon Kno.r thut you should not permit any medicine to be given your.
child unless you or your physician know of what it i composed f U
i Do VOW Know that Castoria U s purely vegetable preparation, and that sUst
of its ingredients Is published with every botUe
' Do Vow Know that Castorla U the
Pitcbbk. That it ha been lu use for nearly thirty year, and that more Castorla U
jiow sold than of all other remedies fur children cooiblucd t . ' .
' Do Vow Know that the Patent Office Department of tbe United States,' and of'
other countries, have issued exclusive right to Dr. Pitcher and his assign to use the word
Castorla" and Its formula, and that to Imitate them Is a state prison offense f
Do Von Know that oue of the reasons for granting this government-protection '
Vras because Catoria had been proven to be absolutely barxuless T
t Do Von Know that 35 average dose of Castorla are furnished for 33
trenla. or oue cent a dose ?
I Do Von Know that when possessed of this perfect preparation, your childrea .
will be kept well, and that you will have unbroken rest
Well, these things' are worth knowing. t They are facts.
The fflonitniie
wtgnntnre of
Children Cry for Pitcher's CastorlaA
T OINT.UH OOMWWT. TT "U.II.T .TKCIT. NIWTOSH CITY.
CUBA IN Til OF PEACE
Glimpses at Men and Customs in
an Interesting Isle.
OLD CUSTOMS ARE DYING OUT
The t'pper Classes In Cuba Aro Well
Educated, l'ond of Novelty and
Travel and Cultured to
a High Degree.
From the New York Herald.
Havana, the capital of Cuba. Is the
renter of art and literature, and Cuba
numbers brilliant poets and writers,
whose fame has spread throughout Ku
rope and Spanish America. One of her
poets Is now a member of the French
academy and tnkes a proud stand
among the "Forty Immortals." Jose
Maria Heredia bears the same mime
as the famous author of the "Ode of Ni
agara." an ode unsurpassed In litera
ture as the most magnificent and sub
lime description or that niasterwnrk
of nature, Niagara Falls. No artist has
ever produced so faithfully on cnnvnss
the blue sky of Cuba and Its marvelous
tropical scenery as Chartrand, one of
Cuba's most gifted sons.
The tlrst stone, or site, of Havana was
laid In the early part of lull), and In
some portions of (he city traces still re
main of the crumbling ruins of walls
which once guarded the town, while the
distinction Is yet mude between the
old and modern quarters by calling the
former within the walls and the latter
outside the walls.
Havana In some parts reminds one
of the old Latin quarter In Purls. The
streets are narrow, sidewalks Inllplte
strets are narrow, sidewalks Infinites
imal, with barely room for a foot ims
senger, while tho buildings are high
and close together. The modern part,
called nu'.slde the walls, Is better laid
out, and there are many handsome
residences, with wide portals, piazzas,
balconies, spacloiu rooms, marble
floors, high ceilings wnl apartments,
overlooking lurge courts, with foun
tains, nlunts and flowers to render the
atmosphere cool and fragrant. Within
the court there Is usimlly a btith, some
what after the fashion of Hnninn buths,
handsomely and luxuriously fitted out,
with ull the requisite appointments,
the pavement and bnth being Inlaid In
mosaics.
"TI1K F.VEH FAITHFl'L ISLE."
The Cuban aristocracy huve ulways
lived in great style, keeping up estab
lishments suitable to their rank. Some
families have been compelled to reduce
their exnenditures of late years, owing
to the Impoverished condition of the
Inland, produced by (he Insurrections
and struggles for independence, which
huve been of frequent occurrence In
the "Ever Faithful Isle," us Cuba Is
called.
Nearly nil the children of the upper
classes are educated abroad, particu
larly III Paris, which Cubans, as well
as many Americans, consider Paradise
1111 earth. A l.uge number are educat
ed in the l'nlted States, where they
have Imbibed American ideas. And
there are a jreat many Cuban families
who have taken up their residence in
New York und in Paris.
Cubans are cnsmopolltun und exceed
ingly fond of novelty nnd travel. The
men are vlvuclouu und like gayety and
amusement, while the women are lan
guid ami listless as a rule. In their
family relations the latter are true and
coiiHtuiil, and pass the greater pint of
their time at home, while the men are
' at their ollieeu or clubs. Cuban .women
are noted for their beauty, of nil ui
ental type, but there are some lively
Cubuii blondes, with golden 'tresses,
blue eyes and fair complexions, as full
ns (Kiel he's Marguerite. The Moutul
vos, of the Cubuii aristocracy, who de
rive their title from one of the oldest lu
Spain, me noted for their fair wmiien,
remarkable for Ihelr milky white,
satinlike skin, golden hair and high
bred aristocratic feu t tires. Several Cu
ban beauties were allied .to royalty
by their murringe to scions of the Bour
bon race in Spain.
Women In the higher circles are vo
taries of fashion nnd import their
gowns from some famous French mod
iste. They nre particularly fond of
rich Jewels and on some grand occa
sions a Cubun dame Is decked with dia
monds worth Jlii'l.000.
As the Human Catholic fnith Is the
state religion In Cuba, as well as Spain,
the best training for Cubun girls is ac
quired at some good convent.
HAVANKSF. MEN SMALL.
People reared in lnrse cities are not
so robust as those who live in the coun
try, and this may account for the fact
that as a rule the natives of Havana
are small, somewhat effeminate and
have small feet and hands, while their
brothers in the eastern, western and
southern districts are large, hardy and
robust.
Cubans are fond of dancing, and their
danza consists of a slow, languid move
ment to plaintive music, sud and sweet,
with a peculiar rhythm, to which the
dancers keep step, slowly gyrating,
without lifting their feet from the tloor.
However, nowadays this dance, some
what voluptuous in its movement, is no
longer considered good form in. society.
Several prominent . members of the
I Cuban aristocracy bear Irish names, as
1 C
that Paregoric -
I Soothing Syrup, ao4 '
I
prescription of the famous Dr.
I
their forefathers were of Irish extrac
tion and settled In .Spain vis.: Count
O Farrel and the Marquis O'Kellly.
Grocers have been so successful In
trade In Cuba that there is a'Spanlgto,
verse, as follows:
Abuelo, bodeguer- '
Padre, caballero, )
Nijo, Pordlosero.
Grandfather, grocer.
Ills sou, il gentleman, .
And grandson, pauper.
Rich young Cubans usually ehnos
law or medicine among tho professions
or engage In commercial pursuits. A
few enter the army and navy, but the.
most coveted otllces under the govern
ment are held by Spanlnrds.
Until the outbreak of the war now go
ing on deputies were sent to represent
the island at the Cortes.
The island Is rich In natural re
sources. Its mountains have never
been prospected because of the lack of
railway facilities and absence of local
enterprise. There are vast forests of
precious woods, numerous mines which
have never been worked out, and land
which has never been tilled.
LIFK IN THE COKNTKY.
Country llfo Is patriarchal, and. the
people ure hospitable, und. in times of
peace, visit between the widely sem.rat
ed estates. Some of the country dwel
lings ure very handsome und supplied
with every luxury man could desire.
It Is a rather weird sight on a dark
night to watch the negroes grinding
sugar cane, preparatory to boiling the
Juice for sugar. As they pass In and
nut with their heavy loads, their dusky,
half naked bodies lighted up by the
glow from the lire, they appear as wild
and grewsomo as some vision of the
night. Their low, monotonous but
musical chunt adds to the novelty of
the scene.
Moonlight In the tropics Is bright and
silvery, und so radio nt one can easily
read by Its light. Hut lJluna Is con
sidered malevolent even to her admir
ers, for it is dangerous to sleep In her
rays. It Is suld that they produce a
fever, nnd even Incline tine to lunacy
afterward. There does appear to ho a
subtle connection between luna and lun
acv. Many of the traditional customs,
such as the extravagant observance of
Carnival and King's Day, have died
out. Some years ago Cuban Indies
would drive out In liandsoiim equi
pages, with spans of horses and out
riders lu handsome costumes, wiille the
coachmen und footmen wore powdered
wigs. Havana beauties would attlr
themselves lu fancy dress, powdered
hnlr and painted cheeks, resembling
the aristocratic dames of the court of
France during the reign of the Louis.
The line of carriages would extend for
miles through the drives nnd piinclpe.1
streets, lint that pageant Is now u,
dream of the past, as well ns the cele
bration or King's Hay und Epiphany,
when negroes in their war paint, senil
nude und grotesque, would disport
themselves to the sound of uncouth and
baibniic Instruments, their dusky
bodies contorted ns they danced
through the streets with banners, ap
pealing to their imuxters for largess.
; 1
GAIL BORDEN
FAPJP Brand
I m -CONDENSED MIUL. 0
I Has No Equal
3 ni n fvpuvwhppr
rvr. PLEASANT
COAL
AT RETAIL.
OmI et the bast quality for domi
tse, and of all sizes, delivered IB
Cn or toe city at lowest price.
Orders left at my OHica
NO. 118 WYOMING AVENUE.
Rear room, first tloor. Third Nmai
teak, or sent by mail or telephone to tiM
Ulae, will receive prompt attention.
Special centrtvots will be made far
Ml aad delivery of Buckwheat CeaL
WIS!. T. SMITH.
AYLESWORTH'S
MEAT MARKET
The Finest In the City.
The latest ituproTCtl furnish
tats and apparatus for keepiaf
it, butter and eggs.
223 Wyoming Ave. .