The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1872-07-20
CkrGtteIligEtar.
I. Matter thu. Need, Attention, is.5,r

4 - n
W. have been surprised, and presume @ ae
~, We s.a1srs n1sr readers will likewise be- to
S,y Ias,r 'tSs tSst nothing has yetOecn done by
M lel'n n,,n sa'' authorities to repair the damage
Sonc lnSc''y y, even to guard against further
uOue, so.'sa - by tho washing out Of Jefferson
S..no, Iam,SS 4 = chssn runs from the river
sssIv ...,lv up to Main street-pFooa6!y two
trndyed u'm iect-so deep that q two story
building might be buried in it, ,.o and 50
viJ. vis that for a great part Of the distance ,,
~" % vbole street is swallowed up, the
fence being undermined on one SIDE anu /.
carried away on the other. The break
beplns about twenty feet belo" Aaln
.,reet. opposite the fine residence Of Col'
DEwY on one side, and within a lew lee'
ol ,bo building known as the "old Bey'
mer House" on tho other. Nothing has
nsep done TO guard against further extern
.ion NJ The break except q temporary
hoard tlume put in it at the broken end OF
,bo sewer by Mr.. ArrLEoATE's men
Thursday afternoon. 1t is not believed
tbIs would stand long in severe rain
We fear the city authorities do not
realize the extent Of damage that might
vet be inflicted by another rain, nor ap'
Dreclate their own duty and responsible
", Otherwise We do not SEQ how they
could have delayed the work of repair SO
loue. The formation where this disaster
occurred is fine sand, which, when satur.
ated with water, is treacherous and un.
manageable. In another heavy shower
the bank around the broken sewer would
soon crumble and make another break
that would FENDER the board flume USE
less. Then the process Of Wednesday
evening and Thursday noon would repeat
itselE and what that is our readers will
understand when we say that the stream
thrown from the sewer by the little
shower Thursday noon, carried the chasm
twenty feet up the street in half that
many minutes. The Caving in stopped
only because the rain stopped. The
change in the weather was most timely.
II the rain had continued IN hour or two,
the washing away must have gone on till
The large sewer running along Main street
was reached. We arc informed that that
sewer is on the upper side Of the street,
so that Main street would first DC cut
away and the 2Oinch water pipe, on
which nearly all this part Of the city is
dependent for water would be broken.
The consequences Of that would Of course
be most calamitouS. II such deplorable
results would have followed an hour or
two more Of rain Thursday, is there not
some reason to apprehGnd the same re.
suits il another severe rain should visit
Ibfore the present break has been made
safe? We may have fine weather for a
week, or may have heavy storm within
tTenty.lour hours. In view Of the certain
perls to Main street, TO the water pipe
and to the adjacent property involved in
another storm in the present situation Of
Jefferson street, the official Indifference
that could permit so much precious time
to pass unimpEoved IS surprising.
We hear that some OF the city fathers
think they ought not to do anything in
this matter because the Railway Company
are to blame for having cut tho street.
We express no opinion about who is
TO obIAmeIo for the mischiefdone or who will
DO responsible for the costs OF repair. We
suppose no small share Of the blame will
rest on the Almighty for sending such
heavy rains just when the contractor had
scuIVcFt cut and not yet lined with stone
Possibly the city government, which with
'nc'ediOle stupidity expected a three foot
sewer to drain six.foot one and an 1s
inch one to drain both, is entitled to a
share But the question of blame or re.
SponSlbiIity need not be considered or
settled now. 4'ho Courts will have to
decide that; and Jefferson street cannot
wait Tor their decision. The case is one
that must have attention Immediately,
Inc streets are the property of the city,
and The city alone has Jurisdiction over
'aeh' The city government Is bound to.
P'V'eVs '@oWn property and that Of citi.
1SaS' Oy the most energetic measures
nleFe " y Inc emergency requires. If the
taltoad ~. Company is responsible to the
Guy then let saitbe brought, and in due
uae the city will recover what she IS en-.
''. "Isa TO- The Railroad Company can
ue''AeF Y be expected nor required to take
.uAsse Of the work Of repairing Jefferson
.4se' Or Of protecting the private prop.
ivy = OF citizens The city must do
~, y necessity; and any damage that can
- U''AoEn own 10 have resulted from DELAY on
@ Is part Of city officials that might have
0een avoided, can uuquestionably be re-.
SSeEA S from the city. Certainly no time
Vasat TO belost, especially after what has
OSsa lost already, in adopting the most
sutige'c measures to provide against a
.Vaungency that might cost the CITY a
SSoa ~ a, deal for damages and stop the sup.
pg wy, VI water for the southern part of the
Hon. JAMES CARsKADoY and Hon
rS"Srn rona., l. hoxE, of New Creek, are an.
"0UaVeu as candidates for the RepuhIicar
N.,gaN NTG.na'l0n for Congress in the second
y DAtrct' MF. ]. NELSON WrsNEn ot ,bo