The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1879-01-29
! observation-disclosures

TO be Investigated city Sergeant SWee.
ney's Appointments, Etc, Etc. ,ti
There was a. dense throng Of people
about the city building last night, long be.
fore Council convened. The building was
packed almost to sutiocation, the steps
were crowded, and the pavement for the
distance Of nearly half a square was OBJ
structed by the throns that assembled
to gather all that was possible Of the &c.
ton Of Council on the proposed gas inves.
tigation, tho salary question, the City
appointments and other inter.
esting matters which were expected to
come before the body for consideration.
So dense was the crowd in the halls and
about the doorways that members OF
Council and reporters were Obliged to en-.
ter from the rear Of the building, and
some even came through the rear win
doWB, lf ~ 'tlr e'ffaTfN iFfN W.
'a'it SECOND RRAScH. w
The following members answered TO
their names Of roll call In. the Second
Branch: Ankle, Alfred Caldwell, u. i.
Caldwell, Ewing, Fisher, GoodielIow,
landlan, Haller, Hamilton, uOrkheImer,
Houston, Jefferson, Kimberly, l.arkin,
Peters, Pollock, Reeves, Simpson, Vockler,
Wait, Waterhouse, Mr.. PEestdent-2g.
The minutes OF the previous meeting
were read, approved and signed. -
ATessrs. Simpson and Peters, who were
not present Of the first meeting Of the new
Council, appeared andwere sworn.
10 m loNDS APPROVED. ts1a
Bonds Of officers elect were approved
as follows: A. J. Sweeney, Mayor, in the
sum Of $40, 900, withiLucius Hoge and W.
]. W. Cowden as sUretios; James II.
Riddle, Superintendent OF The Water
Works, In the sum Of 81, 600, with G. W.
Kennedy and Alex. Morrison MS sureties;
]. Nv. Sweeney, City Sergeant, IN the sum
otSl0,0O0, with Andrew Wilson and ex-
Gov. jacob as sureties; James Nicholl,
Street Commissioner, In the sum Of 81 900,
with August Miller and August Wiede:
busch as surotleS; Alex. UpdagrafE, CITY
Clerk, In the sum OF 5000, with Andrew
Wilson and Michael Reilly as sureties.
Mayor Sweeney, City Sergeant Sweeney,
Clerk Updegratf, Superintendent Riddle
and Street Commissioner Nicholl appear
cd in open Council and were swornby the
President OF tho Second branch.
COMMUNICATIONS FROM THE MAYOR.
The following communication from the
Mayor was read. p...,
To he Council of City Of lFheding;
During thelaat Councils term the matter
OF o suit instituted against the city by
John Robrccht for ST., 900 damages was re.
ferred to the Committee on Claims for set.
tlement with power to act. The commit.
tee and the counsel for Robrecht compro.
missed the suit, the city to pay $3.50 In full
OF all claims. Some delay occurred by
suggestions served on me as Mayor, and
also by my insisting that taxes due the
city should be. deducted from the amount
10 be paid. ~
The counsel for Robreeht succeeded In
Arranging aremoValOf the suggestions, and
also agreed to pay the taxes, but not unit
Saturday afternoon the Goth, after the new
Council had been organized and as ali
orders not executed die with tile Council
which made such orders, the money will
not be paid. Messrs. Deiters, Goodfellow
and Warehouse, OF the Second Branch
were on the former committee, and can
no doubt inform you il the compromise
was dpsirRhle one for the city; II you
deem it good settlement, 1t will be ne,
cessary to renew the order to pay the
money, and | append resolution at the
end OF this communication.
On Sunday, Goth inst, at about a:2C
p. n, on alarm Of fire was sent in and
sounded from box A, city building, which
was promptly responded to.
On arriving at the city building few
moments later l found Officer Short and
Mr.. Swami, a reporter OF the Register news
paper, in the Second Branch Council
chamber, with three or four books belong
ing to the Gas Trustees office, which were
much injured by fire. The officer inform,
ed me that the alarm WIS caused by a fire
found in the Gas Trustees office; that the
alarm OF fire was brought to the
city building by Mr.. Thos, MoNahb
that the telegraph was instantly put
In operation by Sergeant Porter Smith
and that he (Short) and Officer. Flynn
ran to the gas office, Short arriving first,
and entering by the front door, which was
shut but not locked; that on entering he
found several large and some small books
the large ones standing on end and spread
open and burning. They were all on the
marble counter. There was, also, on the
counter, one gallon tin oil can partly
filled with kerosene or. some burning
hpjAj that he dashed the books over, and
a at 3D. " L.. sons athar RaFsoasi aStIngulsA;
some OF them into the street; that he
gathered up what burning books he could
and carried them for safety to the city
building; The BOOKS were saturated witt
oily fluid.
After hearing the above statement,
went to the gas office and found there q
considerable number of citizens and Mr.
Andrew King, an employee or officer of the
Gas Trustees, the only person present &C
far as l know connected with the city gus
Torks or with the Trustees,
Alter an examination and hearing sew.
crpl statements, II was evident that q
crime had been committed and that It was
proper to caro- for tho property and hooks
until the Trustees could be convened and
take some action. accordingly placed
the burned books in place OF safety for
the night, closed and locked the office and
directed the Sergeant to summon the
Tr4steas IN the way committees are us III.
ally convened, TO meet me at the city
building at s o'clock 4. ~. on
Monday, and also requested the Pros.
ecuting Attorney, Mr.. Jordan, to be
present., All were promptly prasant
ut tho time named, and aftpr q fill con.
siaeration Of all the facts known, Tic ru-
mors circulating, and the desire OF the
Trustees TO have a thorough investigation,
it was decided that they would procure, al
onces new books, and would deposit the
injured books and those still in the Office,
and all vouchers and papers pertaining to
Bank Until adtIon could bS taken 6y
Council, which was accordingly done, It
was expressly stated and understood that
nothing that had occurred lnterferetl In
any way with The rights or control OF The
Gas Trustees For myself desire to say
t t ! deemed i my duty is. Me Mayor,