The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1889-10-24
THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
sitting ng Equalization and Appeals Gas
Companies Want Reductions,


The Board Of County Commissioner
; met yesterday as a Board OF Equaliza
ton and Appeals, and were in session
till late in the afternoon, All the mem
beTs We're present except Mr., Fritz
There were u number Of petitions ask
ing for rebates and corrections OF double
and erroneous assessments, many oi
which were acted upon. The amounts
involved were small in nearly all
the cases except in those OF
the two natural gas companies,
and it was in considering these
that the Board spent large part of the
time 1t was in session. The assessments
made on the property ofthese companies
were S2OO,l0O on the Wheeling Com
pany and 100000 on the Natural Gas
Company oil West Virginia, 1t was an
arbitrary assessment in each case, aud
the property was listed us personal prop.
erty instead OF realty, Tho companies
appeared by their attorneys, Messrs, W,
7, Hubbard and A. ], Clarke, and asked
that tue assessments be reduced to
$4,000 in the case OF the Wheel.
ing company and to $4,000 in
the case Of the West Virginia Com.
pany; and futther, that the property be
listed as realty instead OF personal pro-
perty. Prosecuting Attorney Howard
appeared to protect the COunty's inter.
ests, Messrs, Dean and MCGrew, OIL,
cials OF the companies, were allow
ed 10 give evidence, and the
question was thoroughly gone over
by the members, As the reduction
asked for is 30 large the Board
while feeling that possibly the assess,
ment is too high, decided it would be
best 10 hear some disinterested testi- |
mony and accordingly adjourned till |
this evening after directing Clerk Woods
to summon ex.Superintendent Of the
Water Works James Riddle, Gx.Secretary
Of the Water Board, Howard I. Wilkin-
son, Mr.. George Lutz, ex,Superintend.
ent OF the Gus Works Dillon and Super
intendeRt Cummins, OF the Water
Works, TO give testimony.
While the Board was in session the
Committee on Court House and Jail
presented voluminoUs report from
Architect I'D, W, Wells, who was em.
plQyCd by It, under direction from the
hoard, to inspect and report on the con-
dili0n Of the old Jail, aud whether il
ran be remodeled. Reference was made
10 this report by the lSrGILlGENCGR
and the substance OF Mr.. Wells recon.
published in this paper the
after he presented it TO the
Hegoes over in detail the
ground covered by the committee up.
pointed by Judge PAUL. 10 inspect aud
report upon tho Jail, and whose report
started the movement in favor OF tho
new Jail that is so badly needed.
In concluding his report Mr.. Wells
Iays:
In my opinion the building could
not be made to I'LL the requirements for
esS than $4,000 Nnd might require con.
'idelably more before you are through
with it, as it is a matter Of impOssibility
70 lorsee all that might 10 required in
such a vast Improvement, before the
building Is dismantled.
II would further say, am OF the firm
opinion that In consideration OF the
expense Of tearing out and removing oil
old and worthless materials, aud patch.
Ing in new work, and the difficult con.
struCtion to accommodate the remaining
shapes to tho building, that it would
cost fully as much US q new building OF
equal size, accommodations and Sc.
Curity. ANY attempt that might be
made for temporary improvements would |
bo an useless expenditure Of money"
This report was referred back to the
Committee on Court House aud Jail
with instructions to look further for sites
for new jail.