The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1878-06-13

OF Tuesday, and we only regret NuA' We
oould not larry with the brethren until
the close Of the session. In some respects
il was a peculiarly interesting session.
There were some new features in it, or
rather in the full development Of the leg.
i~slation Of the past year or two 1t
would have done our late correspondent
"a" good to have been there. He would
have found food for reflection and per-
hap. q theme for several letters.
The frs. thing Of importance that
offered itself vas a motion by Mr.. Boring,
that the Branch reconsider its action
In nonconcurring with the Second
Branch In the payment Of Cayanaugh d
Co.'S bill for curbiDgs and crossings set
and laid by them, and asking a committee
Of conference. This meant to pay the bill
without further questioning, nolwith.
standing Mr.. Brice, the member from the
Eighth Ward, had asserted In his place
that a certain crossing had not been aid
in accordance with 3 contract made with
the city. Mr.. Brice had raised the objec'
lion not go much on account OF the par
ticular crossing In question a. upon The
statement Of the contractors, CavAnaugh
4 Co, that the Htoue objected TO BY him
were Of the kind that they had laid for
crossings all over the city, and that the
same had never been objected to BY any
body before. This development happened
at The regular meeting Of the Council in
NAV. The Street Commissioner was
called 10 account for having signed q Ger.
ti6cate that tho bill oil C%sysnaugh x Co.
was correct and that the work was
10 accordance with their contract.
He was compelled 10 acknowledge that
The atone which the contractors had com .
menced 10 put down at this particular
crossing were not according to contract,
and that after the contractors had COM
pleted the Job, he himself had been
Obliged to lake a squad Of his street
hand. and partially do the work over
again: and yeths signed a certificate that
The work was done in accordance with
the contract! To the motion OF Mr..
Boring for reconsideration, on Tuesday
evening, Mr.. Brice made objection, and
reiterated bis former statement, and call
ed for the City Surveyor 10 make astate-
ment In relation 10 the crossing In ques-
tion, here came in an interesting con
.troyersy arising from Mr.. BlAir,s obiec'
tion 10 hearing anything from the City
Surveyor, who is an officer Of the city,
pdrt Of whose duty it is 10 measure the
work done by contractors and GER
tify the same. Mr. BE- objections were
looked upon as fActious, and moi
in that spirit Of courtesy which Ia usua.
with him. They we're promptly oyerrulet
by the BrAnch,and the CitySurveyor made
his statement, in which he stated thai The
stone, or q portion oil them outside oil the
railroad track did not comply with the
contract in thickness, being only from .
10 z inches thick, while the contract calls
for not less than ten inches. Mr.. Blair
took the very singular ground that the
bill Of C~avanaugh & Co. having been
certified by the Street Commissioner, the
city had nc recourse, that the certificate
OF that officer was 4 fnality and bills so
certified must be paid, This, TO say the
least, is q very pernicius principle upon
which 10 Justify violations Of contracts.
According to Mr.. Blair's theory II a
Street Commissioner, either from want OF
time TO examine work done upon con.
tract, or from carelessness fails to fulhll
his duty, or by collision with ~aswindling
contractor should certify that his work
was done according 10 contract, the city
would be bound TO pay the bill. Upon
this unrighteous principle the Tweed
Ring operated and swindled the city OF
New York out OF millions. But, untor.
tunately, the principle does not hold
good, or did not In New York, and the in
famous Ring we're forced to diigorge or
10 wander in foreign lands, while the
great Boss died in jail.
We were astonisked 10 hear certain
members OF Council insist that the small
difference OF Two or three inches in the
thickness Of crossing stones made no dit-
ference; and can only account for the
seeming tenderness OF some such adVo-
Gates on the ground that they themselves
have been contractors with the city.
They have been there, and know how
II is themselves. Let us ask then in all
candor, what Is the use in the city draw.
log up specifications requiring crossing
stones to be not less than ten inches thick
II five or six or seyen inches are Just as
good1 What Ia the senIe 10 asking bids
Tor work Of such q character and putting
men under bonds 10 furnish stones OF that
thickness when ak inches would do as
welll What justice is there TO the tax.
payer In paying the price Of ten.Inch
stone for six inches, when II the specif.
cations only called for stone Elk inches
thick contracts could be given out at a
large saving 10 the city treasury? But,
says Mr.. Boring, it Is hard TO get stone
Of that thickness. He ever says that it
10 impossible 10 get sufficient stone ten
inches In thickness to fill the wants
Of the city. Then why in The name Of
common business senie require al i'm
possibility, and pay the price Of It? II
Il the thinnest kind OF an apology Tor a
system that allows the city 10 be grossly
sWindled at every point We say At eve.
~ point, because the matter in hand Is
representative. II Is the same criminal
CArsleRneSs; the same Stolid Indifference
in relation 10 the interest Of the tax pay.
er, that charRcteriIes the action OF Coun-
Gil now aud for years past. 1t runs more
or less into all The departments OF ex-
penditure with perhaps single excep-
lion. Not one Of the gentlemen who thus
tribe with the prosperity Of the people
would tolerate any such breach Of 0 IN
tract in the management Of his or their
" private ~Sffairs.
Il is a long lane that ha no turns.
This loote management Of city Affairs
has brought is legitimate result. Il has
about brought the city business TO u stand
still. The street department has con-
sumtd not only it, own appropriation Of
some fifteen thousand dollars, but near
about all the surplus OIL the other depart.
ments. In place Of being confined to
$4,000 the expenditures reached $50.
900 last year, or $1,000 more than lie
appropriation. What is wore, the com.
plant d that there is little or nothing OF
permanent character to show for II,
The streets Of the city Of Wheeling were
never In worse condition than they are
to-day.
Another very interesting item to the
general public and the taxpayer, was The
figuring Of the Finance Committee, the
substance OF which may be reduced 70
this, that when provision il made for
the pAyment Of fntRfNaI nm honda anJ a..