The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1878-01-23
Taxpayer VS.. County Roads.
esnondence OF the Reglster.


Were it no. that my name is dragged
il to communication which appeared In
YOUR rsper last Friday on County
Roads" in "willful and malicious
manner, to use the expression OF the
writer, l do not know as l should make
any reply; and what shall say can not
be in the nature OF personal Vinoica-
ton. Several personal attacks have been
made upon myself and my course as q
public officer, through the columns OF
the other city papers, to which l nave
made no reply, although l admit to DO
over-sensitive in regard TO these attacks;
vet / discovered that the dirtiest anil
NAL can throw the most mud, and feellng
conscious of the rectitude OF my lnten-
tions, and having no personal spite 10
crafty, and no motive for "wllltu!ness or
righteousness" have felt confident that
time will make all right. IL tsc:, II |
had any personal enemies, l have always
treated them with the greatest conce-
scension, TO show them that In following
what l deemed to be my duty
do not act from any personal motive, and
think they will bear me out IN TINS
Those who have attacked me have been
from the ranks of those whom L cor
sidered my personal friends-and some
of them lifelong friends-who, think
ing, probably from this very fact, that
they had some hold upon me and that l
should coincide in their views, whatever
opinions L might have myself in regard
to my public duty. 1t often took a strong
personal effort on my part TO go against
the views OF others, but this is my hum
BILE it.ea OF the duty of public ofiiccr.
Excuse this much of a personal nature
Il believe it is more than ever allowed
to 90 into print before-but as "Iax-
psyas" is winning about how much the
public is interested in this matter L
thought it necessary to make the above
statement. If taxes are spent merely to
grstily personal "malice and wllltulness"
1t is time taxpayers" should know II,
and AS one of them has made this dis
covery and called me on tho stand as
chief witness, or, indeed, one OF the parties
IN the case of Taxpayers Us. County
Roads, you will please excuse this COM
municatlon.
An Item in the local columns OF the
other city papers informs us that near
one-hali OF the taxes are spcnt on the /.
w. & X. raIlrosd and county roads.
This, indeed, puts one in mind OF the old
gentleman who went out to lay in some
supplies for the family, and returned with
five gallons of whisky and loaf OF bread.
The old lady complained of the purchase
of so much bresd. SO some OF our gran
MES complain of the largo expenditure
for county roads, just rs ii they were not
as necessary to county as bread to
family.
We have been whining here in this
State and county, as far back as the men,
ory of the oldest inhabitant can run,
about bad roads. The law makes IT the
duty of the Board of Commissioners to
see that roads are properly made and re.
paired. Recognizing this fact. the need
of roads and the duties OF this Board IN
regard TO them, they, it is charitable to
suppose, have been simply trying to per-
form their duty in the matter of county
roads. Mistakes have been made. To
err is human, and considering the imper-
lection OF the road law, and the vague
ness of the act under which our county
system of government was organized,
this Board has probably done the best it
could.
In regard to the "Dcnnison road" the
writer lays particular stress upon "spir-
IT," one individual exhibits his malice,
&c. This one individual has considered
all parties engaged i'll the Dennison suit
as his personal friends. A petition was
presented TO the Board of Commission
ers for road. They made examination,
and concluded that q road was needed.
The land was condemned by jury OF
twelve citizens, summoned by the Sher-
i'll in proper manner, all under dlrec-
ton Of the proper legal advice. The
road was built on the ground condemned
by this jury, from stakes set by w. Z.
Smith, County Engineer. The trouble
about the matter is: The Dennson peo-
pie take preliminary survey, which was
made without cost to the county; never
was put on the record, and never intend
cd to be; simply made TO ascertain dis
tsnces and grades, and to see whether
road was practicable on tho route pro-
posed. 1t may be further stated that it
was not customary to make survey OF
road matter of record in every case.
The law does not require 1t, and in most
of the counties of our State no surveys
are made. The road law making pro-
vision for this is IN the words: "And
every road worked rs public road un-
der the direction of the surveyor OF
roads, shall be deemed public road IN
all courts and places" The Dennisons
were awarded 500 damage, and the
road opened for over year before suit
was entered.
Taxpayer" says: "Not Satisfied with
the verdict of two difierentjuries-or the
county being put to large amount of
COSTS. ID. Whitman offered and passed
a resolution at the last meeting of the
Board" The Board psssesIthe resolu-
tions, not j. ID. w, who offered but did
not write nor dictate the resolution which
passed the Board unanimously. F. Nj.
Henderson merely acted under instruc-
tions from the Board, not j. ID. w. or
the Road Committee, and l presume
they will see Mr.. Henderson through, so
long as he acts for them, or back down
on themselves, and they are not that
kind of people. The Circuit Court will
probably have something to do with it,
and as for "hard listed" taxpayers,
feel able for one, no matter how hard his
fists are.
Anything j may have 10 say IN regard
to Judge Boyd, l would rather say face
to face most cordially endorse your
correspondents opinion of him, as being
q "high-minded and honorable gentle
man" as for as my slight acquaintance
goes. As for knowing smiles" &c,
think that = little Imagination. although
l have heard of decisions beng given
against the Judgment of the very sttor-
neys pleading for the decision. THIS
will happen IN any court.
Hoping you may excuse length, am,
yours, &c. j. ID. w.