Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1882-01-17
A BREEZY rImE
In Proposing Certain Changes In ths
CITY Law. =.

~ EEePOesnk NeFtoah NnuuScs N s1c
City Law. e Hs
The several committees. on legislation,
in accordance witha concerted agreement,
met at the city building, last night, the fol-
lowing gentlemen present:
Council Committee-Nayor Egerter. 4.
L. Kimberly, Samuel Langhlin, Solicitor
Caldwell, VIM. II. Simpson and William
Schocky.
Council Citizens Committee-M. Reilly,
J. A. Miller, Robert Simpson, VIM. Hast
ings andT. II. L0 IAN. ~, :,
Citizens Conlmittee-George II Caldwell,
A. Wilson, Caspar He'll, John Hobbs Benz,
Fisher and A. J. Clarke.
Commissioners Committee u. w.
Schultze and Joseph Spedel :.
The Mayor, stating that he supposed IL
Council committee take the Others into
the brotherhood, called the meeting TO
to order, as its chairman. Clerk Galhgah'
for the benefit OF all concerned, READ over
the proceedings OF the former meeting.
Solicitor Caldwell, Of the subcommittee
reported that the examination of the char
ter had been gone through with and sney
desired to call attention 10 the secuoh
which provides for the division into wards,
without regard to colored voters, as already
stated in the REGISTER. The bearing OF thls
section is principally upon the representa-
ton in Council. The next section 20 whAch
attention was called, was that which pre-
scribcs that wards ana maSisterlai districts
shall be indentical Thishas always been dis
regarded, aS they are not Identical. Again,
the charter provides that reapportion-
ment shall be made every five years, winch
has not been done. IL also appears that
any person. otherwise analited. may ne a
member OF the Second branch of Council
fhnlIOh iksk
resident OF that ward The present
rule of Council is that any two members
NAV demand the ayes and noes, but the
charter saws that five must demand to
make the call. There is q conflict between
the charter and ordinance in relation to-
the terms of officers. The former says
''twoyears" and the latter until his sue
cessor shall be elected and guallhed-
There is no authority for the Mayor ait
ministering oaths, which is thought neceso
sary, in many cases.
These points were all briefly mentioned
by Mr.. Caldwell and the Mayor called for
remarks, upon which the body went into
committee Of the whole. There wa> no
general, but private discussion, ~ the con
Clusion of which, the report OIL the SUD-
committee was taken up"riTtim.
1t was first agreed To strike out thc word
''white," wherever it occurs, SO that wards
are appoTtioned according 10 all voters col
| ored as well as white. This was DIR. Logan S
motion.
The question of ward districting was next
! taken up. Ii seems that under the act Of
1853. only the Legislature can fix the num-
! Der of wards, and that now wards must con-
/ form TO the magisterial districts. This is
/ highly undesirable, and it was decided TO
! ask not only the repeal of this section, but
| an extension of charter privileges so as to
! leave such matters 10 Council.
! There was some lille discussion as to the
/ ACCESSIBILITY of Increasing the representa-
| ton in Council, and finally it was decided
/ that hereafter the reapportionment should
! be made every ten years, and on or before
the first of January, 1883,
1t having been deemed advisable to have
wards represented in Council only by resi-
/ dents, il was decided toasG for an amend
! ment to that effect
| 1t was resolved, also, to ask for an amend
/ mcnt to the charter, so that 1t should re.
/ ouire only two and not five members OF
} Council to demand record Of the ayes aho
/ noes.
The power to administer oaths is already
| conferred on the President of the Second
Branch. and it was thought the Mayor
/ should have the same power, especially rs
he has already been exercising it. On mo-
ton il was decided 10 ask for such amend
ment.
This wound up the desired changes in
/ the charter. as far as the subcommittee
had gone. SO, there being no special bust
ness on hand, DR.. logan moved that the
citizens committee be heard. The motion
prevailing. Mr.. Geo. Il. Caldwell rehearsed
/ The action of the citizens meeting ut the
| Academy OF Music, and asked that the
. In INC IN
this committees report TO Council. lie
backed up the request with an argument
I in favor of the plan of placing the
water works and streets under the
/ direction OF Boards of Commissioners OF
/ three OF course he said, the plan would
meet with objections, rs any new plan
would There would be cry that the
| "dcar people" would howl against loss OF
/ their privileges in electinga SuPerintend-
I ent and Street Commissioners, but he ap-
! pretended that if they got 4 good water
! supply and good streets they would not
/ care who elected these officers. Then, ii
would relieve unpaid councilmen Of the
great burden now upon them, and give
/ them only the general supervision OF the
| Commissioners work. He cited the gas
works rs q better system of government,
and thought it would be better for the
! Water Works and streets were they under
| 2 similar system.
! At the conclusion OF Mr.. CaldwelTs re-
marks, Mr.. Laughlin moved TO embody the
action of the citizens committee in this
| committees report to Council and ask for
| a favorable consideration.
Mr.. Kimberly said he would not oppose
| this now, but lie gave due notice that when
! it came up in Council he would there
| attack it and cndeavor to meet the argu-
ments which might be brought forward.
! He would show that Mr.. Caldwell and
the Others who got up that
| citizens meeting were more responsible
| for the present dilemma than anything
else The old Council had announced and
warned the people of the danger of Il let up
| in the water works and these gentlemen
| and the E,teiIigcBccr had worked up feel
| ing against remedy and here we are. He
was not going to oppose the action now, but
| before COuncil;he would have the figures
/ ready. He stated further that the Council
! resolution under which this committee was
! formed was offered by himself and "bless
| your souls! nothing was farther from his
! Intentions than reyoiutionizing the city
! government in such manner rs this.
Mr.. Caldwell said he would have no op-
| portunity to say any thing in Council, and
| would therefore now disclaim any thought
of implying lack Of duty on the part OF