Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1889-01-04
FORMIDABLE ARRAIGNMENT.

A Prominent Citizen Gives tho Public IA
Interesting aud Useful Bit of History
About the DoirgI of the Present and
Past Councils.
10 ne Editor Of ne Register:
SIR:-Mauy citizens do not know Why
the Radical majority in Council is making
such determined efforts to pass the redis-
trictirg ordinance. Some of their fellow
Radicals think il is love for their party aud
to keep rascally Democrats from having
any say in the ci,y's Affairs, thus securing
an honest o. administration for the next
two years. II the history of the past two
years proves anything, it is that the city's
Interests is the very things the Radicals care
the least for. Going back to the beginning
of this Councils career, we find a caucus
held in the Lincoln Club room, at which
the present leader Of the Second Branch of
Council mOdestly nominated himself for
City Solicitor. Another member NOM
mated himself for Health Officer; a men,
Der was nominated aud elected Market
Master. and another member was NOM
mated ard elected Assessor for the Second
district
In tbs selection Of the standing commit
tees, tire City Solicitor wss made Chairman
Of the Board Of Claims, the Assessor Of the
Second district was placed on the Commit
tee of Equalization and Appeals, the un-
successful candidate for Health Officer
was iuggled onto the Health Committee,
ard cashier of a new bank was made
Chairman Of the Committee on Finance.
Section . of the ordinance establishing
the Board Of Clsims defines itl duty to be
''to control and manage all salts brought
Tor or against the city, and to determine as
IN the prosecution or delente 10 be made
in an such suits and 10 assist and Gdrise
,rih The Ctr Solicitor iH relation thereto. "
No Council before this present Cne ever
dreamtd of the City Solicitor beirg MEM
Der OF the body, which WAS TO advise with
and assist him in his duties. How ell
the Chairmarship has paid the present
solicitor. the Cry Clerks books will
show. His being candidate for re-elec-
ton is probably the cause Of his zeal in
pushing the redis,ricting ordinance through
Council. He comes high" but if he can
accomplish il, the city must have him.
Tha Assessor for the Second district being
on the Committee of Equalization and
Appeals gives him an opportunity to de-
lend his assessments when an appeal was
made to the committee for correction. The
assessments of the city, south Of the cree :,
are made by this man and he modestly
serves at three dollars day, on acOmmittee
when work for which he is paid a salary OF
$500 per annum is under review.
The Chairman Of the Finance Commit
tee WAS q little longer getting 10 his work,
but il ia coming now in the shape of new
loan ordinance, if the people are blind
enough 10 vote favorably on it. We have
some suggestions to make about this orii
nance, bat will defer doing 80 until sort
other time. We wish &c say hero that Il
approved by the people II will add from
ten 10 sixteen thousand dollars per year Ia
their taxes, as the loan is TO Re paid By 4
special lery Orer and ADORE all other leFges u,
city purposes
After the Ofiicss were passed around &C
far as Councilmen applied for them, sn or
dinanee was adopted forbidding member:
lofCouucil being elected TO city Ofices in
the gift Of Council, making a lsw for future
Councils, but carefully avoiding applying
il to itself Caldwell, Heller aud Shuttle
carefully refrained from resigning hat stuck
to their posts, and without doubt will I'LL
the same offices rext term, if they can
succeed in the present redistricting dew
iltry.
Another instance of tskipg care Of it's
own members was the purchase of work
of art that looks as much like Fort Henry
as II dos like Fort Warren, from a mem
Der of the First B.anch, for five hundred
dollars.
To strengthen themselves with their
own followers, COuncilmen increased the