The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1879-07-12
SECTION book 40. 3.
VIII s: Y SGi IL s:. 9a y *. " q. Ss ..

"nfst vMS ss nhm Lutneu up Win HIS
Public interest in the frauds at the Gas
Office, which SO startled the community
In January last, was revived Yesterday by
q rumor current on the street to the effect
that one Of the missing books, supposed
70 have been burned at the time Of the
incendiary attempt to fire the Gas Office,
had been dug up in the cellar underneath
the Office. Inquiry at the Gas Office prov
ed that the rumor, unlike street reports
generally, had o pretty broad foundation
80 broad In fact that the half had NOT
been told.
When itbecame known that there was
really more truth than fiction in the street
talk upon the subject, there was naturally
quite futter Of excitement over the dis.
covery, and the Gas Office was besieged
during the day by eager inquirers, who
piled the attaches Of the Office with ques'
tons concerning the matter,
II seems that Mai. NJ. B. @. Wright,
Clerk Of the Council Investigating Com.
mittee, has been occupying for some time
past the room In the rear Of the Office,
which was used as a repair shop during the
administration OF Messrs, Maxwell and
King. When Maj. Wright moved into
this room, the repair shop was transferred
10 the cellar, Q portion Of which had been
covered by board flooring. Recently II
became necessary to enlarge the accom-.
modations Of the repair shops, and the
Trustees decided TO lay down some addi-
tlonal flooring. For this purpose Mr.. Jas.
Dyson, an attache OF the office, was work.
ing in the cellar yesterday morning.
While digging In the ground for the pur-
pose OF leveling 1t so that the joists would
lay level, he felt his pick strike against
something, and feeling around the OBJ.
strucuon with the point OF the pick, pull.
ed It TO the surface and found II 10 be q
book. The book was lying flat several
inches underneath the surface, with NO
covering whatever except the dirt, and liz
position and surroundings indicated that
It had been carefully placed where 1t was
found.
Mr.. Dyson took the book up stairs,
where 1t was examined and found to be
Section Book No. 2, covering the period
between October, 1877, and August, 1873
The city, 1t will be remembered, is fol
thu, convenience OF the Collector and bis
assistant divided into three districts, each
one OF which Is represented by what Il
called Section Book. The three Section
Books for the period named have been
missing since the FIRE, and were generally
supposed to have been destroyed. The
Importance OF these Section Books may be
imagined when it's known that their con,
tents correspond with the burned "Reg
lister" and will supply much material
data for continuing the investigation OIL
the books now in charge OF the Council
investigating committee. Indeed, Major
Wright informs US that only so late as
Thursday he discovered what he was sat
isfed was an overcharge OF 10000 feel
upon one consumer, but had no means oil
verifying it. The Section Book exhumed
yesterday was just exactly what was de
sired 10 effect comparison Of the figures
OF the amount Of gas with which the con
sumer stood charged, and the amount
actually consumed, and upon examining
the Section Book, the Major discovered
that whereas only $500 feet Of gas had
been registered, the consumer had been
charged with Il, 800 feet.
1t is the intention OF the Gas officers ia
dig up the remainder Of the cellar floor, in
the hope that they may come across the
other two missing Section Books, which
they think may be secreted there. DR..
Reeves, chairman OF the investigation
committee, is confident the missing books
will be found 1t is his theory that the
missing Section Books were secreted qtter
the fire at the Gas Office; that the guilty
parties, realizing that exposure would in.
evitably ensue in case the books were pre-.
served, and dreading repetition of the
occurrences of the Sunday night when the
build Ing was fired in case they attempted
to burn them, had quietly buried them
in the cellar, never anticipating theil
ultimate discovery in that remote spot
The long lost book is now in the posses
sion OF the investigating committee, and
every effort will be made to find its two
companions. 1t certainly looks now al
though the investigating committee has
more work 10 perform.