Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1853-09-21
The BOARD of Public Works.

0lAuSnip OF the WORKS OF internal I'M
Provement, in which the State isinterested,
IS placed in the hands of q Board of Com
missioners elected by the people. I'm
der tine old Constitution the same inter-
ests were confded to the superintendent
OF certain officers of government, who
were constituted. er o6fcio, the Board of
Public Works. The new system has
been in operation Just two months, not
long enough, one would suppose, to test
its merits. Nevertheless, we understand
that that brief experience has made de-
velopments that go very far to attest the
wisdom that dictated the change. At
this we are rejoiced, not because of any
particular objection we had to the old or
ganization, but simply because valuable
Improvement has been effected in that i'm
portant department of governmental ma
chinery. For fear of misrepresentation.
we at once emphatically disayow all in
tention. direct or indirect, of rejecting
upon the gentlemen who composed it
previous to the first of July last. On the
much credit for the manner in which they
discharged their er offcio duties. But
they had, for the larger part of the year,
fully enough to attend to in their respec-
tive offices, and therefore, it could not be
expected that, with divided energies,
their labors would be as successful as
those of others entirely Invested of such
embarrassment. Each of those officers
had frequently to be called away from
the labors of his particular department,
no matter how important or pressing, to
attend to other duties pertaining to State
interest, probably equally as important
and pressing; and under such circumstan-
ces, the wonder to us is, that they did so
much so well as results have demonstra-
ted. Besides, from the nature of their
peculiar position and duties, as Governor.
Treasurer, Auditor, Second Auditor and
Register, with the exception of from three
to six weeks in summer, they were COM
PEELED to be in the city of Richmond /;
and, thus deprived of the privilege of
inspecting in person, the various public
works, under their control, and their &C.
tion respecting those works, large and
small, was mainly and necessarily ba-
sed upon Information derived from 9TH
ers.
The Commissioners constituting the
new Board of Public Works, are elected
by the people, and not permitted to hold
any other office. They reside in the re-
spective districts they represent, and they
are compelled to hold their meetings in
Richmond, at least once every month
In going to and from the several meet
ings Of the Board, each Commissioner is
obliged to travel over portion of the
State traversed by our most important
improvements, and, therefore, unless he
be in the condition of those who, s'haying
eyes, see moi" he must personally inspect
some work of greater or less magnitude,
HeOHMiy. In this way, they bring with
them to each meeting, information based
upon n knowledge OF what they have ac-
tually seen and heard and examined. and
are, consequently, much better prepared
for intelligent deliberaIion and useful &C
ton. The opportunities for observation
anil inspection being so various and
abundant, and the time for reflection and
consultation so ample,it would be strange
indeed. if the new organization were not
more efficient than the old. Nothing
less than downright stupidity or unwar-
rantable negligence in the newly elected
commissioners could, under such circum-
stances, make it less efficient. But, when
we regard the character and capacity and
business habits of these gentlemen, we
are not surprised to learn that they have
fully met the wishes and the expectations
of those who suggested and urged this
particular reform; that new impetus
has been given to Virginia improvements,
and that the whistle OF the steam engine
is verify waking up our mountains and
making our villages glad. That the pre-
sent Board of Public Works are possessed
of a large degree OF energy, industry and
promptness in fact, that they are lust
what they ought to be, intelligent bust
ness men-may be gathered from the fact
that at their last meeting, they went en-
urely through large docket of impor-
tant business; and, that they are ''bent'
upon doing their duty, even ut the ex-
perEe of personal Inconvenience and sac
ritice, may be inferred from the further
fact that, since their last adjournment,
each has been almost constantly travelling
in the central or remote portions of the
Commonwealth, and one has gone rs far
as the Ohio and Big Sandy rivers, in the
execution of orders passed ut that meet
ing. When they meet again on Monday
the 9th inst. they will, doubtless, bring
with them much new and valuable infor-
nation for their consideration, which will
result, we sincerely trust, in the develop
ment of still further permanent good and
prosperity to the Old Dominion.-RicA.
Enquirer.
A THRILLING ScENE.-A few days since.
as the express train from Baltimore was
passing the vicinity of Naaman's creek,
at the rate of forty miles an hour a hnr.