The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1884-12-11
BACK AT THE MAYOR.
THE HOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS
Through One of Its Members, Makes Answc
to the Mayors Arrangement Of Tint
body In Ills Communication to
Council Warm Language.

Souhich- wan" Lhukuukts
To he Editor or he Inidiigenoer.
SER:-In his communication to Cour
ell tho Mayor seeks 10 convey the impre.
sion TINT the Board Of Public Works
guilty Of gross acknowledgement In cor
tracting for paving blocks nj SIS w pc
thousand, anl that the contract wn
made with John Porter without mn
competition. Ilisintcrse desire 10 thro,
dirt nj the Board leads him to become boil
untrutliful and malicious. lie signed al
Of porter's contracts, by order OF Council
and knew tho price as well rs We did. Ill
waited until the working season had clos
ed, andthen spent two days marching VI
and down both sides OF tho river, from
Browns island to Blacks Island, careful
ly conccaling his name but unable 10 dis
guise his person, asking for bids for from
10000 to 100000 paving blocks, which
he falsely said lie wished to purchase, and
at lastsuccecded In gettinga proposal from
n company, which frankly said It would
not try to make over 250,0O0, or o%ne.iourth
the number he @ked n proposal for. lie
also received another bid from n firm
which Is virtually an otrshooto Of this com.
paly, which firm cannot mako 5e0, 900
blocks In q year. ,
The attention OF the public Is right here
asked 10 this combination. The Calumet
Company furnished the city with sewer
pipe, and has constant intercourse with
its agent in this city, and is fully posted
by him in matters pertaining to its bust
ness. The paving block has been laid on
several streets in our city and during the
entire summer there has been not a hint
OF any desire on this company's part to
ask for the privilege OF bidding.
The Mayor has been NIL summer trying
to have the rules OF the Board amended,
and finding his term drawing to u close
without accomplishing his purpose, he
takes himself up to the friedrich yards
after all the paving has been finished
which the present Board proposes doing,
and makes n diligent search for u bidder
on blocks. He, the enemy Of the Board,
finds tho Calumet company, an enemy OF
John Porter's, and the two lay their heads
together to scheme for revenge, and the
result is 4 proposal to furnish blocks by a
company unable to do SO, to n person
without authority to purchase them and
with this he hurries back to Wheeling TO
paralyze tho Board, and lay plans for his
reelection n Mayor.
Two other cases OF "mismanugement''
arc mentioned by tho Mayor: First, the
taking OF the blocks contracted for for
Eoir street, and paving Virginia and
Huron streets; and second, TINT the citi-
zens on thoR two streets did not pay ST.
600 bonus for having the paving Ibid.
The blocks for Eotr street could not be
laid. and his implied desire to have them
piled up in the Eighth ward and an addi-
tionai $4,000 purchased for the Island, is
n complete exposure Of his hypocrisy
when he complained OF the price paid for
the blocks. Why should the city store
away 5000 worth OF blocks and buy $1,000
worth moreF The levying Of a bonus is
not one OF the rights Of the Board, and if
the citizens do not voluntarily puy it the
Board cannot compel them 10 pay.
II these are the acknowledgements the
Mayor wishes all ordinance to reach, and
a penalty imposed on the,Board for being
guilty Of them, well and good. But with
as much respect rs the subject will per-
init, it is gently i%nsinuated that it is not
SO. The Mayor is too cowardly to charge
the Board with fraud, although he makes
n statement to Council which he intends
the enemies OF the Board to construc into
such charge, and towards every one who
does so construe it he will entertain Il feel
iny of gratitude. II he is not manly
to bring n charge Of m~alfeasance
against the Board, make oath to The truth
his charge and have 1t referred to n COM
mittee Of Council for investigation, he
would better resign his office. lie fears
such acourseo on his part would give an
opportunity to show the malice which he
has entertained for the Board during his
whole term Of office. He has been
partially successful in co%ucealine it from
the people until now, but the approaching
end OF his term has hurried him, for fear
he would not get q chance before his term
was ont of damolisoing the Board and ac-
sufficient glory 10 reflect himself.
The Board mskes this proposition to the
Have yosr charge properly made
ont, verified by affidavit, present it at the
next meeting OF Council, have it referred
10 Il committee, produce your evidence
the committee, and tho Board will
produce It's, and by the decision OF the
tee and Council let one or the
other sl.Nnd or fall. Either make good
your summers talk about tho Board, or
be honest enough to acknowledge that you
have been governed by motives unworthy
Of q man who LGs ..been elected to the
place in our city government.
In other words, quit playing Miss Nancy
md be 4 man. c..
Wheeling, December 10.