The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1879-01-07
!Gkre GnteltiQetteer,
OaIss, Noa. as and ~ ROurteenth street
1he NomInatIons for Council aud city
OaleeFa,

IHAt III thc HWltltuue Oh cOunSellOTS tller
is safety. II this proverb applies t
a multitude OF candidates for office
the city will be in tOlerably safe Condi
tion at the coming election. The crop il
certainly very abundant this year, an,
will be more abundant still after the Dem
Gratis put out their line OF nominations
The Independent voter will have plenty o
material to choose from, even suppOsini
that there should be no Citizens Conven
tion, OF which there has been some talk.
Our own view In regard to nominations
for city officers, especially Councilmen
has been pretty fully expressed, viz.
that party lines should not be the
measure Of the public choice for office
for the reason that the interests involved
are too important to be lost sight of. We
hold that there is lboth, abundant room
and urgent need FOR reforms in our city
financial affairs, and that to this end the
best men we can get should be elected for
the epublic service. We will briefly illus.
trate what we mean.
The revenues OF this city, outside Of the
revenue from the Gas Works, are about
$l75,OOO per year. Last year they footed
up slsO,43S Of this sum We pay about
$4,000 for salaries, or nearly one.sixth Of
the whole amount collected. This is an
enormous per Centage on our receipts, and
illustrates anew the old complaint of Eng
land, that the revenues Of the Kingdom
like the cheese whose substance was con.
sumed in the pairing, are absorbed by the
official body OF the State.
We hold that there is great need for re-
form in expending the resources Of this
community, and now that we are on the
eve OF an election it is proper time to
bring the matter to public attention, to the
end that those who solicit the suffrage OF
the public may do so on the understand
ing that there may be some changes that
will more or less affect the desirability OF
the places they seek.
For instance, take the office OF City Ser.
geant: We expend for that office 81, ,OoO,
out OF which II deputies are paid s65 each
per month, leaving $40 for the Sergeant.
In addition, the Sergeant received last
year 81 900 for fees paid by the city for
the arrest Of buInmers and dead.beats,
who were sent to the jail or the
workhouse; and 81 900 more from fees col
lected from parties who paid their fines.
In addition, he receives fees us Sheriff Of
the Municipal Court, annually, to the
amount OF ZOO or 81 800 more, saying
nothing Of his fees for summoning meet
ings OF Council and Of Council committees
1t strikes us that there is margin for a
very decided reform in the regulation of
this office. Suppose that the Sergeant
should be paid 81 900 as a salary BY the
city, and allowed his fees US the Sheriff of
the Municipal Court. He would in that
ease be in the enjoyment OF an income Of
say $500 per annum, which in these days
isa very large salary-quite sufficient to
bring out any number OF respectable
candidates for the Office. Suppose
further that his deputies were paid $50
per month instead OF S6j. Here would be
another large saving to the city. Suppose,
further, thatthe salaries c:thekccper OF the
Lookup and Of the Overseer Of the chain
gang were, in like manner, reduced to so
per month. This would make still further
saving to the city We would then have
thirteen police officers on salary Of so
each per month instead OF S,i5. The saving
in fees of the Sergeant and salaries TO
thirteen officers would amount to some.
thing like $500 per year to the city.
Next, take the Clerkship Of the Munci.
pal Court. The fees Of this Office are cnor-
mus. The Office is supposed to be worth,
as at present run, 5000 per year, md it
will continue to he worth that amount
during the term Of the present incumbent.
fought not to cost the city over $1,000,
There should be no fees paid by the city
where prisoners are committed to Jail or
tOthe work house. Further than this the
fees collected from parties who pay
their fines should go TO the city. Any
amount Of competent parties will seek the
office at $1,000 per year. We want a
Council that will see as soon as the pres
ent tenn expires that il will cost the city
no more than this. In this way VI
would save the 81 900 PNid for hummCrs
fees, 81, ,OOOmore from fines pail, and 81 ,O0L
more for fees from civil business, In
other wOrls,a clear saving Of 5000 can
easily be made in this Office To do this
however, will require further enabl
ing authority from the Legislature, which
should be asked at this session.
Next, take the office Of City Clerk. Itis
now worth $l,5O0 salary and 500 in lees
A salaryot 81 200 and these fees would nc
doubt secure the continuance Of the pres
ent worthy incumbent or else some equal
ly competent person.
Next, comes the Superintendent Of Wa
ter Works III" salary Of this officer il
$500, ont 0i which he in required To pa,
two engineers 50 each per month, an,
two iirencn S'O each, making say $3,Ww
leaving lin 5000. Mr.. Cummings il
very worthy officer, but as II matter Of fact
III an old river engineer, he is aware tina
in his day he has been quite willing to Ne
ccpt Sl2j per month and then be idle
Tart OF the year. We propose to make III
office worth &l9j per month the yea
round or sl,5OO per annum, This wonl
+aye 500 TO the city,
Next comes the Fire Department. a
each engine house there is IL hostlrr ut 81
per month and quarters found, The sam
duties, even more arluous, arc pcrfonne