The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1883-07-20
THE WHARF a QUESTION.
The Present DeplorabIe Condition, aud
Now &c Came bout.


Away back LAST March, there was tesoln.
ton offered in Council that provoked one OF
the biggest fights that had ever disturbed that
body. 1t was 70 the effect that the wharyes
OF the city be turned over to the Board OF Pub.
lie Works. The Board was receiving the reyG-
nues and the wharf was in most deplorable
condition; there was not square ySrl oft that
didn't need repairs, and there was no money
in the city treasury for the Wharf Committee
to expend. Many reasoned thatit was no
more than fair that the Board should make
the repairs. This resolution however, was
to the Great Commoner," Rat that p. L. KIM
berly was member) and few Others who
we're strongly opposed to the Board, like red
dag TO q wild bnll. They Just howled about,
what b them appeared u be, desire on the
part OF o Board to monopoliZs everything.
After hot fight the paper was referred TO the
Wharf Committee, Of which Mr. Kimberly
was chairman. The conimittee viewed the
leyee and ordered artport drawn up embrac-
INK the resolution. This Mr.. Kimberly re-
fused 10 sign, and when It was read In Coun-
ell, made the claim that 1t was not what the
more chin music and the report was referred
back to the committee. At subsequent
meeting OF Council 1t came back signed by all
the members except MIR. Kimberly. He had
q minority report which was n jected. He
also preferred charges Against CLERK Galligan
because that official had not prepared his
minority report About that time Mr.. KIM
bsrly was declared t9 be net amembsr Of
Council.
While all this had been going on. an ordi.
nGnce had been adopted making the Island
landing aud the foot Of Twenty. bird street
public landings the same % the main
wharf. The report oil the Wharf Committee
being adopted the Solicitor drew up an ordi.
nance making the transfer to the Board. He
did this by striking out OF the old ordinance
"Wharf Committee" wherever 1t appeared
and inserting Board Of Pablo Works" He
alSb acded as 81 clion, the ordinance referred
to above. The new ordinance was Il st intro
duced In the Second Branch and adopted
there, with the amendment that in pl sce OF
the foot OF Twenty. third street, that landing
should extend from the south side OF Twenty
third street TO the north side Of Twenty
fourth street. This strip OF property was
purchased number Of years ago by the city
at cost OF between 50 900 and 81, 000 anu
has been used nearly ever since BY the River
side Iron Works and Hoffman's Tannery,
together with one or two other firms as q
dumping place.
The mover OF the amendment called atten-
ton to the fact that unless the cit ! asserted
her right to this property 1t would ere long
be claimed by some concern or railroad cor
poration, aud the city then could whistle for
her money. Another fact that he might have
referred 10 Is that the landing at twenty.
fourth street Is much better than at Twenty.
third street. In fact IL is as good as any here
abouts, deep water being there all the time.
When the ordinance reached the First
Branch 1t was fought vigorously by Mr.. Hof.
man. He claimed to see The line Italian
band OF theIBoart 5, ald that 1t was seeking 10
deprive him OF dumping ground. For some
reason this Branch struck out the amend.
mebt The Second refused to recede, and
asked for committee OF conference. Three
members were appointed on this from the
Second Branch, but the first has a. yet taken
no further action.
Thus It II, that the wharf question Is In
what might be termed state OF state quo.
The Board has not yet got control OF the
Ieyees and the Wharf Committee has no
money 10 do anything with. The main leyee
grows worse AMI worse every day and the
people are Justly complaining. The season Is
gro wing laie, and the Board when 1t does get
control will not have time 10 more tbsn { RI Q
the bJulders back III their PLACES. Had the
Board been given charge two months ago 1t
would probably have torn the entire bus'-
ness up and filled 10 with cinder or else flag
ged 1t, like the Cincinnati leyee.
The city Il is generally thought should
have It's property bstween Twenty third and
Twenty-tourih streets. II dumping is al
lowed there much longer, 1t is pr bible that
the Government will interfere. Already 1t
has intimated that unless dumping is STOP.
ped about the mouth OF the creek II Will not
again be responsible for the removing OF the
bar formed there. The water at the main
landing Is not as deep as 1t formerly was, by
teenth street has turned the current and
channel towards the Island, Becessitating
heavy hprappiGg there. Ifdumping Is cons
tinued on the South Side, that good landing
Is also liable TO be ruined.