Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1876-01-06
THE BRIDGEPORT sIUDDLE.
Why the Corporation was Di-
Vided into Wards.
BRIDGEPoRT. O., Jan. Sd. 1876

opened your columns (through your Bridge
port correspondent TO our village affairs,
will you, therefore, please allow US Council
men to express how badly we are feeling, on
account of wounding the highly refined se7lsi-
5ilities of your correspondent, by what he
terms our disregard Of the 'Vor Poprh Vor
Del He could not do SO we know. But
he ought TO have charity for US, seeing We
have never got up higher than to suppose the
world was to be ruled in righteousness and
did not know but what that principle might
yet be understood, even by some people in
this neighborhood. May We ask that you
would please publish the following statement
which shows the animus of this movement
and opposition:
Sec. 81 of the Municipal Code reads thus:
The legislative authority of all incor-
porated villages shall be vested in Council,
consisting of six members, except in incOr-
porated villages divided into three or more
wards, when such authority shall be vested in
a Council composed of two members from
each ward"
The law requires 8 majority Of all the men,
bers elected to said Council to pass law or
ordinance. The division of Bridgeport into
three wards naturally gives two wards to the
people and territory north of kirkwoOd, and
insIres them equality Of representation for the
future Some parties in kirkwood, or the
First Ward of Bridgeport, became exceeding
ly indignant over the division thus made, and
for no better reason. as it would seem, than
that they desired and intended to rule over
Bridgeport for an indefinite time to come.
Hence their recent so called indignation y
meeting, and hence also their denunciation OF
the act of Council dividing the town into
three wards as ''ill-timed," which expression
simply means in plain English that the act Of
division did not suit them. The animus of
those who inspired the meeting is probably
clearly shown in an expression let drop by
their orator, Mr.. Ross j. Alexander, who said
that the Kirkwood people had the dollars and
dimes and therefore should hold sway over
their neighbors. Perhaps the orator is famil-
lar with the old story Of Dollars and Dimes, u
as it used to be published in the papers, tlie
moral of which was that in this world 'dOl-
lars and dimes" are everything and the rights
of the people of very small account in COM
parison.
.'Dimes and dollars, dollars and dimes,
An empty pocket is the worst Of crimes.
The powerful orator of the massive meet
ing proclaimed with great vehemence, as is
his wont on all occasions, that there was a mig
ger in the woodpile somewhere, and warned
his hearers to look out for him. 1t was the
opinion of more than one citizen present on
the occasion that although no niger in the
business was uncovered, yet there was an un-
mistakable fragrance that betrayed the close
proximity of skunk.
1t is proper, Mr.. Editor, that your readers
should understand that we have on this side
of the river two "Rings,' one in Martins
Ferry and the other in Kirkwood. The latter
one has been in great favor with the first on
account of its efforts to assist it to a large
slice of territory in this vicinity. The Kirk
wood ring was willing to help the Martins
Ferry ring in this way because the members OF
it well knew that the enormous tax prevailing
in Martins Ferry of tooo dollars and ss0eysty-
fire cents on the hundred dollars would effect
ually prevent any improvement on any build
ing sites throughout its incorporated territory.
Therefore they were willing to hand over to
Martins Ferry the property holders adjacent
to that corporation, regardless of any justice
or right in the case. This attempted outrage
has been checked by an appeal to court, and
thus the matter rests for the present.
Meanwhile comes the ''ill-timed movement
that is the source of so much unhappinesS just
at this time to the Kirkwood ring, a move
ment. by the way, that the ring leaders of that
ring perceive will frustrate their schemes of
future manipulation and domination over the
balance of the Bridgeport corporation. 1t is
the fact that the ''ill-timed movement as they
call it, SO effectually shears their power over
other peoples property and other people s
rights, and reduces them to common level
with their neighbors, that is the source of sc
much disgruntlement to this ring. If instead
of adopting the resolutions they did an0pt a:
their late meeting, they had adopted two Oh
three of the following tenor and effect they
would only have openly expressed to the pub
lie what is their well understood secret desire
and intention. For instance, something like
these:
RasoIred, That we have heretofore ruled and
we mean again to rule the corporation Of
Bridgeport and its vicinity.
3 Resolced, That some people are created
to rule.
3. Resogred, That we are that people, ant
therefore it is the height of presumption fol
the Council of the corporation to interfer,
with our prerogatives.
| write this with no feeling of personal IN
kindness for the people of Kirkwood. Many
Ol tllN
reside in that place. and they know full wei
/ that | would do them no act of unkindnesS
But they must not expect me nor my col
leagues to go back on our record in Council
nor yet on our convictions as expressed in tina
record, at the dictation of interested partie:
on the other side What has been done is but
simple act of justice and self-protection IL
all our citizens. They must remember tha
the citizens of the Third Ward were joined tt
the corporation of Bridgeport against theil
emphatic protest, and being thus joined to ii
they have rights to be protected. Little die
the Kirkwood "ring" in the Council chamber
or in the Commissioners office at st. Clairs
vile. heed that protest of our citizens, when
we told them that we did not want to be an
nexed to the corporation for the benefit Of
kirkwood.
II. CRAWFORD.