Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1889-06-30

The cold blOcded murder of Officer
/ GLENN is still fresh in everybody's mind.
The brutal crime would never have been
committed had the popular need for an
adequate police force been recognized in
time by Council.
Against two thieves, armed as well as,
or better, than himself, the brace officer
had no chance, and the murderers knew
it. Had there been two officers on that
long beat, which it was 3 physical impos-
sibiIity for Officer GLENN, alone, TO half
cover, in oil probability the murderOus
villains would have been captured and the
life Of a brave man and valuable officer
saved.
When Officer GLENN vas murdered the
urgent demand for an adequate police
force became popular clamor. The peO-
pie were loud and unanimous IN asking
that Council increase the police force go as
to afford reasonable police protection for
the city.
The demand vas ignored by Council and
at the next election Council, almost to
man, was thrown out Of power.
The people now reiterate the demand to
the new Council.
The need of additional police is more
imperative now than ever, and the demand
is growing. No one policeman in Wheel
ing can properly half cover his beat and
his life is completely at the mercy Of des-
psrate thieves, with whom he may at.
tempt to interfere.
Take, for example the Sixth, or Eighth
ward, or the Island. A policeman would
nave to be foct-racer 10 cover even the
ground of either Of these wards, not to
mention exercising supervision over prop
eIty. Oae ward, the Third, is altogether
without a policeman At night
This state Of affairs in city Of the size
and wealth Of Wheeling is nothing but
disgTaceful.
The present Council, if they are ordi-
usrily wise, will take warning by the SUM-
mary judgment their predecessors received
81 the hands Of an indignant people, and
hasten TO meet this imperative demand of
the people for an adequate police force.
The opponents of the proposed increase,
whose motives ore easily fsthomed, and are
no, based on a desire for the public wei
fare assert, as an adverse plea, that it
would cost the city from So 600 to 5000
more per year to support the additional
force
Even if it did cost that much the thing
is more than worth it, but let US examine
the figures aud see if it would require that
much additional to support eight addi-
tionsl police.
There are six months yet remaining in
this year. For these six months the Police
Department Gas the sum Of $l0,Sl4 for
salaries and expenses. We have now nine
teen policemen and eight additional would
make twenty-seven At sos per month
it would require to pay thee twenty
seven men these six months, SO, $50; the
chiefs salary for the six months, $3.50, aud
an other expenses, will amount to
81 900, making the total expenses Of the
Department, with thepropOsed eight sddi-
lonal men, 81, 100 Subtract from this
me money the Department row has or
hand for the remainder of the year and We
find a deficiency of only 1915 In other
words Council would have only that small
amount to appropriate next December to
meet The additional expense caused by the
eight additional policemen
The Police Department this year will
come within about 50 600 of being entire.
ly self-suppOrting; that is, the fines, etc,
acc uing from the arrests made, will amount
to sithiu about S.. 900 of the sum required
for the total expenses Of the De-
partmeut In simpler language, about
s.. 600 is all the invaluable Police
Department will coat the tax payers
this year. Taking this into consideration,
ale few hundred dollars additional to be
placed in the balance against the efficiency
Of this vital department of our city gov
erament2 Are 3 few hundred dollars TO be
weighed against the safety Of the lives and
property Of the people?
Couocl has no kind of excuse for re-
fusing to comply with the demand of the
people, for an increase in the police force.
They have ample warning Of the cOnse-
quenoes of further neglect