The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1874-03-28
PAVING THE STREETS.

llgeutiy done 10 oruer Tue paving Vi Tue
four principal thoroughfares OF the
civ. The most troublesome question
20 determine was how 10 raise the mon
ey. Mr. HILDRETH in the second
hyaoch suggested that there were two
ways in which the needed funds might
probably be procured. The first WAS
By the direct levy OF a tax of 2 per cent
upou property iu The city, by which
means sufficient sum might be pro-
cured to pay at once Tor the work 10 be
done. A direct tax OF this amount is
authorized by an act Of the Legislature
passed in 1878, and known as Chapter
l4l OF the acts OF that wear. The 9TH
er method suggested by Mr.: HILDRRrH
was the appropriation Of $4,000 now
On hand to the cancellation OF q por-
ton OF the bonded debt of the city; and
slight increase in city taxation, the
proceeds OF which were 10 be devoted to
Il 'urIher purchase OF bonds; thus re-
IuciDg the present debt SO far as to ala
.Ow OF the issue OF q sufficient amount
OF bonds TO cover the cost OF paying the
streets, without exceeding the five per
cent. limit OF indebtedness fixed by the
Constitution OF the State.
The suggestion Of tex Of two per
cent for the immediate payment
OF the cost OF the work seemed
to meet with very little favor. Doctor
UAzLErT presented scheme for rais|
ing the money without any reduction OF
tue present bonded debt He stated
that according to the best Information
he could obtain the assessed valuation
ot real and personal property IN the
city is about $l2,000,000. Five per
cent. of this, which is the limit OF in
lsh. elness fixed by the Constitution, is
100000. The present debt OF the city
including the gas loan, is s507,OOO
leaving $4,000 as the amount for
which new bonds may be issued. lie
rLcuybt that this sum, together with
the $4,000 on hand and the reve,
me received from an increase Of
,sxation from 80 cents to 80 cents
Oh the hundred dollars would
furnish all the money that would be
needed for the contemplated improve
meut. lie thought, however, that ad-
iitionsl legislation would be needed
10 order to legalize the payment OF a
higher rate of interest on the bonds
than per cent, and that they could
not be advantageously negotiated at
the present legal rate.
Concerning this latter point an act OF
the legislature was read, showing that
ior the payment of an existing debt the
CITY might issue bonds bearing such
rate OF interest as the Council might
approve, and it was the opinion OF
many members OF the Second Branch
that when the work to be done
had been contracted for, debt
was thereby created that would
come under the provisions OF the oct in
question, aud that the council might
then issue bonds for lis payment bear
ing any rate OF interest that might be
deemed necessary to their sale. This
point being not exactly clear to the
minds OF all, the manner OF providing
luRds for the paving OF the streets was
upon motion, recommitted to the Fl.
nance Committee, with instructions to
procure legal advice in relstion to the
matter.
Such is, 10 brief, the result OF last
nights elaboration in the second
branch OF the council in relation TO this
subject.
In the first branch nearly the same
difficulties were discussed. The cons
stitutional prohibition Of the creation
OF total debt greater than per cent.
OF the assessed valuation Of real and
personal property was felt to be 3 bar
rier to the issuance OF sufficient
amount OF bonds to cover the cost OF
the work which all agreed ought to be
done during the ensuing summer, There
was also some lack OF Information as to
the estimated cost OF the proposed im-
provement, and. accordingly, the SUBJ
ject was referred to q committee for
further investigation.
Upon these proceedings there is little
to be said in the way OF comment. The
councils seem anxious TO have the
streets paved and there seems to be nc
serious opposition in any quarter to the
immediate performance ofthe work, pro-
vided its coat can be betrayed without q
ruinous increase in immediate taxation
We notice, however. that in all the
statements presented showing the exs
listing debt of the city there was includ-
ed s60,0OOT Ie gas loan. Although
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