Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1882-01-09
A RADICAL CHANGE
Proposed In the Entire Municipal
System.
The Citizens Meeting On Saturday Night
The Gas Office System Approved
and Similar Plans Proposed for
Other Departments.
puDLlc COMMENT on THE PLAN.

The call, signed by the insurance COM
panies and principal manufacturing ana
commercial houses of the city, for the pur-
pose OF considering the question of a relia-
Die wster supply, drew together good and
representative audience. The city building
was entirely too small TO accommodate the
gathering. and the Academy OF Music was
loaned for the purpose. At eight o'clock
some two hundred citizens had assembled,
including many business men, manufac-
turers and merchants, few councilmen
and a sprinkling of lawyers. At the hour
named Mr.. w. L. Hearn called the meeting
TO order, and on his motion DR.. 1. ID. Logan
was made chairman and b. A. Galiigan
secretary. DIR. Logan, upon assuming the
chair. said il was scarcely necessary to state
the object OF the meeting, as 1t was well
known, but Mr.. George b. Caldwell had pre-
pared a preamble and resolutions which
would be read.
Mr.. Caldwell accordingly took the stage
and delivered short speech. The meet
ing, he said. was called for the purpose OF
considering what should be done in regard
TO that dilapidated old shsnty, that super
snuated grand fathers clock on the river
bank, known as the Wheeling water works.
in applying the whip of his keen sarcasm
the lash when he came 70 refer to the com
mittee and officials. who had, he said,
worked we'll and arduouSly. The fault was
in the system. Very graphically, yet
humorously, he portrayed the situation
last week, during the famine, referring
particularly TO the loss incident 10 the stop
page Of the mills, which loss fell most
heavily upop the thousands of working
men thrown out employment. He in
Weighed against any system which placed
the important position OF superintendent
among the spells q political party and
thought he should be selected, not elected
on account OF ability snd that alone. At
the conclusion of his remarks he produced
and read the following preamble and resolu-
tons:
WHEREAS, The present water works and
its mode Of management having been pro-
Yided when Wheeling was comparatively
2 village, and adapted only for the limited
requirements and wants of that period,
while the growth of the municipal corpora
ton in buildings, population and manu-
features has clearly demonstrated that the
water works and their present manner OF
management are insufficient, unsafe, un-
certain and Inadequate for the increased
demands and consideration of the city in
its present development, and regular
system and organization being now an i'm
perative necessity upon which the water
supply and consumption shall be conduct
ed and become well ordered, uniform and
Unfailing: and
WHEREAS, The frequent breaksges of
machinery, the repeated failures to main
tain the supply, the want Of order in re-
pairs and additions and of timely execu-
ton thereof, the present deplorable condi-
ton Of important streets for want of seas
oh 10 IaN. ~ ha 1arua uro m al n
the unreasonably prolonged Inconvenience
and annoyanceS thus caused 10 all using
vehicles, and to citizens on foot as well;
the St0ppage of our factories and mills
time and again for want OF water, throwing
thousands of our workingmen out OF
needed employment, diminishing the ag-
gTegate product of our manufactures and
thus intliCting serious pecuniary loss on
every class OF the people, and seRsibly
hindering the general prosperity, and the
repeated exposure OF the entire community
TO the awful calamity OF wholesale con-
tlagratiOn. have made ii only too apparent
that a great reform is needed, and that it
is impossible for q single individual, how
ever well qualified, by his unassisted ef-
forts 20 arrange, oversee and regulate the
enlarged water works projected and al
ready partly built, the repairs, additions
and extensions of such works, and OF the
many miles of pipes, with their multitude
of details in contracts, consumption, en-
ployment OF meA, accounting and other
necessary matters;
WHEREAS, The liberal appropriations up.
on tue streets and alleys OF the city have
heretofore resulted in extravagant expon-
ditures with but Inadequate and dlSap-
pointing results, which it is the sense Of
this meeting are to be mainly ascriDed to
the influence OF party politics;
WHEREAS, The general non-partisan
scheme upon which the city gas works are
run, commends itself TO Judgment and ex-
perienCe, now 70 separate the merely bust
ness departments of the city from politics,
and to place them on a nOn-partisan and
effective basis for the public service, it is
at this meeting
Rcsolrcd First, That committee consist
ing of one member from each ward be and
are appointed TO confer with the joint COM
mittee on legislation of the city council,
anu in conjunction with them to mature,
recommend. advocate and labor for legisla-
ton and amendments 10 the city charter
from the approaching session Of the Legis-
lature. designed to remedy the evils refer
red to with these resolutions.
Resolred Second, That such legislation
should provide for the appointment by the
city council OF a board of three commits
SlOucTS, 10 IlAlldSe, ulllcT IUltS lllN TtSuld-
tons to be adopted by the board and ap-
proved by the council, the water works
and pipes, repairs, improvements and addi-
tiOns thereto, the supply of water to con-
SumerS, including the receipt of the reye-
nues from water rents, and the works, 70
account TO council for money collected and
diSburSed by them, and to employ and dis
charge 4 superintendent and such other
officers agents and servants. as may be
oil, T,fi 10 fao
confirmed by council, the whole system as
to the water works to be upon the general
plan upon which the gas works are now
operated by the city.
Res0lred, Third That a similar board of
three commissioners should be provided
for, to be elected by the council, for the
management of and TO contract for the inn
proyement, cleansing, care and repairs OF
the street and alleys Of the city, to employ
an engineer and other officers and employees
as may be necessary in the premises, TO SUI
pervise the execution of such contract and
the disbursement of all moneys for or up
on the streets and alleys such officers to
be appointed and confirmed by council.
ReSolpcd Fourth That the present system
of operating the gas works under board
of trustees, chosen by Council, is wise and
iudicious, prudent and economical, and
should be sanctioned and embodied in the
legislation contemplated, and continued
thereby.
RcSOlred Fifth, That no member of the
City Council should hereafter be eligible
for election or appointment as a trustee or
commissioner on any Of such boards.
ReSoireld SiIth, That our county Represen
tatiyeS in the Legislature, and the Senators
from this district, are hereby earnestly re-
quested touse all their influence and their
best efforts to obtain the passage of laws
carrying into effect the recommendations
of these resolutions.
Mr.. Caldwell, in conclusion, moved the
adoption of the resolutions, to which the
meeting unanimously agreed. His motion
authorizing the chair to appoint a commit