Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1888-03-23
THE NEW
Justice" Attacks "PublIcola,' fos Aliege

Justice Attacks "PublIcola,' fos Alleged
Lack Of Enterprise.
To the Z d tor Of hE Register:
SIR:-Whenever any important work ID
proposed to improve our city aud make II
what it ought to be, there are always men
to be found who would retard this pre-
geess and put a curb Oh enterprise and ,he
spirit Of improvement. Such a 10 has
come out with a lengthy article against
the new reservoir, which is proposed by
the City Water Board and which has been
sanctioned by both Branches Of the City
Council with only one dissenting voice.
The writer of the above named communi-
cation, Judging from the non dc plume he
has selected f,r his signature, claims TO be
an advocate OF the pub.ic welfare, though
his language does hot give evidence OF q
great amount of knowledge as 10 what is
necessary to promote this public welfare.
He has the candor 10 acknowledge his
ignorance and desires TO be enlightened
though his Acknowledgement was q work
of superercgAtioD, rs any one who reads
his article can sre without being told. /
will try TO enlighten him on some points.
His first query is: What are the d.fcien-
cies OF the present system which render il
necessary to have q new ort?"
He says if there are houses above the
present water supply, he would ask
whether they were built before our pres
ent system of water was inauguIated OF
afterwards, and with the knowledge that
the water would not reach them; and
whether, in that case, the city is bound to
supply them. "PublicOla," in these two
questions, displays 81 amount Of ignor'
ance and narrowness Of thought that ID
really lamentable. II the affairs Of the
city were placed in the hands of such men
as that, we would never have advanced
beyond the little village we were when oul
present system of water supply was inau.
gurated. When the present reservoir wa,
built, Wheeling was about one-eighth o.
large rs she ia now, and then the water
system Wa the pride of the town. But
to assert that the reservoir which was ther
amply sufficient TO supply all our wants
will answer now, when we have grown Il
present dimensions, il about as sensi,
BILE as it would be TO assert that the Goa;
the little school boy wears will be larg,
enough for him when lie arrives at mans
estate. "Publicola" would prohibit mer
from building OF the hillsides; or, if they
persist in doing 10, he would make them
do without water.
What then becomes of the talk that has
been in eyerybody's mouth, of blooming
the old town." How are we going "a
boom the town without providing for an
increase OF population? and how are w
going to increase the population when VIZ
refuse to give them water to drink? II we
are to have an increase Of manufactures
we must have operatives, and these musI
have HOUSES to live in. Where will you
build new houses II you don't put them
on the hillsidesY for all the level ground,
except the bed and bottoms of Cild Wells
run. is already ii'led up.
What would Pittsburgh be if her city
fathers had been such men as 'Publicola''
and had refused b supply water to the
high places? Now, il "Publicolan Is of the
opinion that Wheeling ought not % in
crease, and that il is wrong TO expsnd any
money in trying TO make our city larger,
more commodious and more beautiful, he
is too nsrrow-miDded and too contracted
in bis mental calibre to be f. to live 10 a
rising city like Wheeling. The bet thing
he can do is to crowd into some
cav in the far of mountains,
clothc himself in skins If he can catch the
animals on which they grow, for, Of course,
he would not use guns and other civilized
weapons, for the original cave jewellers did
without thesei and, by his " showing,
be ought not to want anything that bis
predecessors did not possess. Then he can
dig roots with his fingers and knock down
animal onee in n while with q club TO
furnish him with food. Such Q man has no
place in q civilized community, for he is
opposed to all progress and would clog the
wheels Of advancement. Most Of his other
questions were very completely answered
by Councilman" in yesterdays Issue.
Nov If the writer Of that communication,
who 50 falsely and insppropristely has as
saHaea-Ahe-RaRe-af- PnhlicnlaIhavina
shown himself the very opposite Of what
that name imports, ia not by this time
ashamed Of his exhibition Of psrrow-miud-
edness, he would 90 well TO come out ever
his own signature, that we may know who
are some OF the enemies 10 the prosperity
Of the city and to the comfort of the inhab-
itants. JUSTICE
Wheeling, March %, 1888.