The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1880-01-23


sTRErr AND Alley INPRoyEMgsTs,-I
There Is never ending complaint these
days about the condition OF the streets and
alleys, and every proposition for improve
ment In other directions is met with the
remark that until something Is done 20
better our throuVhfares, there Is no use IN
trying to do anything in the way OF other
public improvements. -.
Il seems to have been entirely togotten
however, that ut the last session OF the
Legislature, q plan was perfected for the
paving OF our city streets and alleys, not
already paved, and that all that Is lacking
to put IL into operation, is It's adoption by
Council.
Talking over various propositions look.
ing TO street improvements reporter Tor
this paper was led to examine into the
legislation had for that purpose, since the
new State organization. Itbegtns back In
1873 at which time an act was passed by
the Legislature at Charleston, amending
the charter OF the city Of Wheeling in re.
lation 10 the paving or matchmaking o.
It's streets and alleys, and the payment Of
expenses OF the same. The act provided
for the creation OF Board OF Commits
sioners who should assess the value OF the
cobblestone pavement in front Of each lot
in the city, which had been put down at
city expense, and the collection OF tive,
thirds Of such value from the owners 81
said lots, measuring 10 the middle Of such
street or alley in fixing the amount due;
The fund thus collected was TO be called
The street pavement fund.-" and when
ever thereafter persons owning tue greater
part OF lots on both sides OF street or
alley between two streets, petitioned Tor
the paving or matchmaking Of such street
or alley, Council was required to have the
work done, the lot owners paying two
thirds OF the cost, and the city the remain
ing one third, which one third, together
with the squares at the intersection OF
streets, was to be provided for out Of said
street pavement fund"
This act although never repealed was
never put into effect, some doubts exist
ing as to its constitutionality. Suisse
quently, enactments contemplating SINH:
lar means oireaching the end desired, and
which 1t was thought were exempt from
objection on account Of unconstitutional.
| ity, were sought, but the bills came to
grief either through the failure Of the leg.
Islalure 10 adopt them, or their unauthor-
lied subtraction from the files OF the clerks.
Last winter, however an act was passed
which differed materially from any OF its
predecessors, and which 1t was expected
would be utilized at once by Council. Il
was passed March 8, 1870, and reads as fol-
lows:
Be II enacted by he Legislature Of Vest Tir.
gaia:
The Council Of the City Of Wheeling ID
hereby authorized in addition TO their
present authority to levy taxes, TO assess
levy and collect an annual tax for the pur,
pose hereafter named, on the personal
property and real estate in said city sub
| ject to taxation by said city, not to exceed
In any year ten cents on every hundred
dollars OF the assessed valuation thereof
the money so collected shall be used fol
the purpose OF paving and matchmaking
tho streets or alleys Of said city that have
mot been heretofore paved, and such mon
ey shall In no case be used to pay for re-
pairs to old paving or matchmaking or fol
anything except new paving or macadam.
izing.
SEC. 2. The money collected by virtue
OF this act shall be assessed, levied and
collected in addition to the money as
sessed, levied and collected for ether pur.
poses by said city under the present laws
SRc. 8. The money raised by virtue
hereof shall be used for no other purpose
than that named in the first section, and
the use OF such funds for any other pur'
pose, may be restrained by injunction
upon bill filed by any one or more tax
payers OF said city.
1t was expected that the Council OF this
city would take advantage OF the authori.
| ~ granted 1t in this act, and provide fol
| the assessment and collection Of the tax
mentioned in 1t, ct the time the last levy
was made. So strong was the impression
that this would be done, that the city
collector deferred printing his blanks for
some time in expectation that section
would be required to note this particular
tax in the bills rendered. No action how.
ever was taken by Council, and the levy
was made without any mention OF this
particular tax. 1t may be that the fac,
that the money to be collected was to be
applied exclusively to new work, had
something TO do with the failure to pro
vide for It's collection. The fact TO be kept
in mind, however, is that ample authority
exists to provide for streets that need i'm.
proyement most, and all that the people
have to do, who are disguised with their
present situation, Is TO push the two
branches up to the point of using the
m. ans provided for their improvement.