The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1881-01-18
-..I plan for the Improvement
The PFop" t,nur streets aud Alleys

.a,ya,t.d COmDehl OIL '"e o'N'"""S
vsfy P,.Jinlo Council by Dr. Logan las
TlI',n inhDup,S .vsoing. He does gross ininstic
= snS.' ,5s .oirit 8, well as the language oil tn
.ho.sS to lnS s5l ordinance, and gives notice tina
% p,Vp pi11 oppose the passage OF an enabling
w w. h, ,bs legislature, He brands th'
,'n,s As' ny 'I ss "iniquitous and unjust" ant
..It. about "trickery" having been re
'o,tsl to to secure its Paseaga'
Lat as see how far the facts will sustain
AZ, .o,t Of comment, To begin with
,L' %.,. we're but six yotes in opposition tt
,so ma,,ure alter i. had been read ant
SI'on.sed in both branches, while there
ws,s twenty in'i4yor Of it, In other words
u Hn,.,ed Council by a IourfiIhs vote' A
,b,sn6lth, vote ia all that Is required un
Js,our SlAo laws to make loan or vote
mb,cription to any public enterprise
nTss for which are to he collected from
Svs,v property holder in the city, the
vilipv and the unwilling, 1t is not often
Ms,any measure receives 80 largea ma
iorty in Council as this proposed ordi
nance received.
wbee then does the idea OF "triCkery''
,ome 10? Are fourhIhs Of the members
unupil as to be tricked byS measure
,bs, has been read AID discussed by them
And il they arc not stupid, are they sin
iooiloas and UNJUST" seeing that they, in
omuon with their fellow citizens gener'
,lly arc to be affected by the ordinance
Doe, It look reasonable that such a whole
mo majority Of Council would be q party
na measure "pslpsbly unjust and .oppres'
,Iys in It's bearings," People are not apt
10 be "pspably unjust and oppressive
towards themselves. This being the case,
ID not the language employed by the Regis
r correspondent simply childish aud ridi'
sulOus?
Ia order 10 show just:how childish and
ridiculous It really Is we quote from the
proposed ordinance tho provision assailed
byMid correspondent, as follows:
Whenever three fourths Of the owners
Of lots, fronting on any street or alley,
Ihsl by petition In writing ask lle Ooun'
I'll to pave or maGadamiZe tho street or al.
lev upon which their property Ia located,
or to construct sewer therein, the Coun.
oil shall proceed to consider the said peti.
tirn, in ils relation to the pnblic interest
affected thereby, and in It's rela'ionsto any
general system Of paving and sewerage
which may be adopted by the Council, and
1.-THE said petition is isSpprOved the Council
shall then proceed to advertise for propos.
Gls for the paving or mJcadamiSing OF the
said street or alley, or the construction oil
the said sewer; and shall award the con.
tract IOr The same to the lowest and best
bidder, taking a sufficient bond for the
faithful inlaIlment Of the contract.
Upon The completion Of the said paving
or maCademizing, or Of the construction
oIthe sSd sewer, 1t shall be the duty oil
the Committee on Streets, Alleys and
Gndep, or such persons as Council may
appoint, tn ascertain and assess upon each
lolor parcel Of ground, its proper share oil
the entire coat Of the improvement, such
assessment to be made upon the value oil
The said 10. or parcel Of ground as may be
found upon the book Of the City Assessor,
The public will notice, not only from
The above quoted sections, but from the
whole ordinance, how carefully the rights
and interests Of every property holder
are guarded In the first place, II
requires three.iourths Of the people who
are TO be Affected by any proposed i'm.
p'ovement to petition Council for psrmis
sion 10 make it. This ls q guarantee o.
wise SAd conservative action on the part
oI a body Of petitioners, to commence
With 10 this country we only require a
m'l'dty to pass the most important laws
AHd people do not generally feel that they
N OUTRAGED by the rule Of the majority
pnl,top b,s 90, n como hoto,a Corroi
b.5n ,,in,le s,on looLjn,, - ,ho os.,,,
iusop, ot,ho no,t,ion os,, 80 mi,
Is @ie guard number two, and certainly
a'sFy effective one. In the third place
all The assessments IN ada nv the dsaivna.
lad commi,,.o o,o .nl,,oo, - ~ -,
IA r,.aan 'sO ~ S'e '"'l''' W su "ppea
Vou"vu' anu 10 " tee'Ilicstion at III
hands. This Is safeguard number three.
We are at loss to know how a measure
could DO drafted so as to more etfectuall,
protect the rights OF individuals. W,
~ to 'ee in the proposed ordinance th,
slightest excuse Tor the language employed
BY the R'ot'isr correspondent. 1t Is emf
aeasIy wise, cautious and timely tneAl
ate.
The fact ls that the opposition to thi
ordinance proceeds largely II not who'll
itom very narrow view Of the public an,
private interests involved. The explana
ton of ia to be found in the following
extract from the RrJislbr'S rnytasnonJant