Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1884-12-10
A JOLLY ROW
Between the Mayor and Board OF
Public Works.
Ne Writes Council of MisdOings Of the
Board and the Board Comes
Back at Him.

In the First Branch of Council, last
night, Mayor Miller submitted the commu-
nicaiion which appears below. On moaon
of Mr.. Hoffman, it was referred to the Com
mittee on Ordinance; without comment.
The communication was as follows:
To the Members of Council:
In communication to you, some months
ago, called your attention to the fact that
the Board of Public Works were entering
into contracts for large quantities OF hire
brick blocks at q price Sl8 per thousand,
without advertising for bids. / now desire
TO submit herewith the offers OF responsible
FIRE biick manufacturers, who use the same
quality of clay and will furnish the same
size and quality Of brick blocks as the city
has been using. About two millions OF the
brick have been used during the past seven
months and these offers show that about
$4,000 could have been saved the city in the
item.
Here follows an offer of the Calumet
Fire Clay Company, of Calumet, Jefferson
county, to furnish the following:
Brick, 9inches long, Al inches wide and
q inches thick, 9 pound weight, $l3 per
thousand, delivered at the factory, or SIG
per thousand, delivered by boat at Wheeling
wharf The company will make only 25O
thousand, as it would interfere with regular
custom.
Bowles and Goucher, of McCoy's station,
agree to furnish 100000 hard burned FIRE
bricks of not less than ten pound weight, some
as sample, any shape desired, for $3.50 per
thousand, freight on cars, or delivered at
Wheeling wharf, and will give satisfactory
bond.
In regard to the matter Of paving Huron
and Virginia streets that job cost much
more than 5000, and was therefore under
taken by the Board in violation of at least
the spirit of the ordinance governing it.
Part of the brick that were used IN
the Job were purchased under contract
for paving Eof street, Eighth ward, and
were diverted from that street by the Board
in violation Of the stipulations of the con-
tract Furthermore there will be at least
81, 900 lost to the city on account OF the
property holders along Virginia and Huron
streets not being required to. contribute to
the cost of the improvement as has been
done elsewhere. The property owners along
Sixteenth street. Fourth ward, subscribed
81 900 toward paying for the paving of that
street. Eoff street. Eighth ward, was also
ordered paved and 81 900 subscribed toward
it by citizens of that locality. No doubt the
Virginia and Huron street property owners
would willingly have done likewise, If they
had been requested to do so at the proper
time.
These instances of mismanagement by
the Board of Public Works are brought to
you notice for the purpose of indicating to
you the necessity of amending the ordinance
governing them; and in order to correct
any arbitrary method of the Board in the
future, some penalty should be prescribed
for violation of any the rules. in addition to
security heretofore required of the members
constituting the Board
]. A. MILLER, Mayor.
The document was not read, in the Second
Branch, and is now on the table OF that
body. After the meeting a REGISTER re-
porter caught DR.. Baird, desiring in the
REGIsTER's usual spirit Of fairness, to get
his version of the affair. The President of
the Board said he thought it would have
been more manly of the Head Of the City
Government to have preferred charges, in
the usual way, so that the Board might have
q chance to be heard.
But" said he, in regard to the COM
munication, have this to say: The charge
of making contracts without advertising is
untrue. Mr.. Campbell went to the Fire
CLAY Association, which then embraced this
Calumet company, and it refused to make
the block for less than $50. Then Mr.. Por-
ter offered to do it for SIS, saying he would
make no money at it. Now, there were no
other fire brickcompanies,s so where could we
have gone for bids? And will say here
will give So for every brick block of the
kind We are using that can be brought here
without a lawsuit The Mayor, after trav-
cling up and down both sides of the river,
refusing to give his name, but giving out
that he wanted to purchase 100000
blocks, got but one bid for
really the Calumet company and Bowles
and Goucher are one and the same concern
an offer CD for 100000. Where will he
get the 100000 of his l. 100000? Paving
Virginia and Huron streets did not violate
the spirit OF the ordinance. The contract
for 100000 brick for Eof street had been
signed by him and the Second Branch de-
Geated resolution offered by Gleason to
have the ten cent levy spent on that street
Every member of Council who was present
when the ten cent levy was passed knew it
was to be expended on the Island. If the
Mayor failed to call Councils attention to
this matter at the time the work was being
done, it is very small for him to do
80 now. His complaint about
the property holders on the Island not being
required to pay $1,000, as has been done
On Chapline and Sixteenth streets, is a
specimen of smallness worthy OF him. The
contribution on these streets were volun
tsry ones and by no construction of the rul rs
can the board be required to act as street
beggarS. The property owners refused 10
ntribute and the Board had no power to
compel them to. The animus of the
MAYORS communication is at the end. For
six months he has been striving to have
rule amended because it says he shall
sign contracts for less sums
than $4,000. His dignity is hurt that any
body can compel, not sue, for his official
signature Had he been worthy Of the
place he occupies as head of the city, he
was bound by every instinct of gentleman
to have asked for committee to investi-
gate his destinations and given the Board
an opportunity to prove not only the utter
falsity of his statements, but also to show
the malice on his part which prompted the
whole proceeding. The Board defes the May
or any of his clique to show any transaction
in which it has had part, where the Board
or any member of It ever defrauded in any
way the city or any OF its citizens. The
office is a public one, and the books and
papers are open to the inspection of any
citizen, and if any person believes the
Mayors insinuations he can be soon unde-
ceiyed by calling at the Office on Main
streets
tits probable the Board will demand an
investigating committee.
ROUTINE DoINGS.
Interesting Regular Matters Brought Be-
fore Council