Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1890-12-20
CITY LEGISLATION.
TEE SpsNlL COUNCIL COMMITTEE colds
ANOTHER SESSION.
S,ms New Suggestions Made ba, No D'halis A'h9n
Taksa-Anothss Meeting 10 b Held-0oun-
ell Asked for Suggestions.

The special Council Committee on
Legislation met at the City Hall, last
evening, for the purpose of resuming
consideration OF the plans for the mod
ifcatlon Of the present system oil city
government. There were present
Messrs. Brandfass, Ankle, Farrell and
Hadlich, OF the committee, Mr.. Robin
son. the fifth member, being absent
through 4 mistake in sending his notice
to Mr.. Tracy.
On calling the committee TO order,
Chairman BrandfaSS said he had thought
of one improvement in the administra-
ton OF affairs which was calculated to
work considerable benefit. lie had
submitted the idea to 4 good many citi-
zens. and il had been approved all
around. In brief, his suggestion was
10 abolish the existing Board OF Public
Works. the Water Board and the Gas
Board. and consolidate the three depart
ments under single Board OF Control,
consisting of three members, one oil
whom would be elected for six years,
one for four and one for two, there thus
being an election for one member every
Two wears. One Of the merits OF this
Board, Mr.. BrandfasS thought, would
be that there would never be conflict
OF authority between the departments,
Such as the city has witnessed in the
past, and another would be saving OF
money. lie said:
you all know how that works now.
One Board will tear up street to put
down sewer, and as soon as the eXca-
walton is filled up, another Board will
omen il 10 fix water pipe, or gas
pipe. keeping the street in bad condi-
ton, and costing lots of good money"
Mr.. Farrell-IlOw would one Board
prevent that?
Mr.. BrandfasS-In this way; if you
were President OF 4 Board of Control,
you wouldn't let one gang tear up a
street for one purpose, this week, and
another open it again next week Tor
something else. You would have the
general supervision of that sort Of thing.
and would naturally arrange to have all
the work done 40 once. That would cur
tail expenses By saving money now USE
leSsly expended. Then, You would have
one general Secretary, instead OF three,
with general clerical force under him.
only make this suggestion for you gen
tlemen to think over, SO that in the
near future YOU can take it up and act
on it intelligently.
Mr.. Farrell would like to see q
number of people about ii; | would like
to see some of the members OF the
! RoardS-to see IL one set of mon could
do all the work am afraid you would
have to have a high-Salaried Secretary
for he would have big lot OF work tC
do. What city are you copying after?
Mr.. RrandfaSS-None, that know OF
Mr.. Farrell-Wouldn't it require al
/ Auditor and Comptroller?
Mr.. BrandfaSS-I think it would re
onire an Auditor, an officer | think il
would be a good thing TO have, whether
this suggestion Is carried out or not.
I believe Council has authority TO elect
such an officer. without going TO thu
/ Legislature.
Mr.. Ankle said he didn't like the ide;
lof consolidating the Boards.
Mr.. Farrell then asked:
.How would it do 10 make the Mayor
/ of the city the Mayor? Give him 81 ,OO'
a year, and an Office in the City Hall
where lac would have to keep regula
business hourS-all Gay?
Mr.. BrandfaSS-I think that sugges
ton good one The Mayor ought Il
have an Office, and be in II.
Mr.. Farrell am opposed to on'
man power, but this thing OF sallopint
around from one department to anothe
To see whose business il is to do this an'
that. is all wrong. 1t really looks Il
me as if the city ought TO have Il head
and he ought 10 be man with Som'
knowledge Of law. A common Ordinar.
drunk-S2 and cOSts-is all right, bu
when it comes to anything else
Mr.. Arkle-A complicated drunk, 70
Instance.
Mr.. Farrell-No; mean railroad
cases, or something like that.
Mr.. BrandfaSS-How would IL do Il
give the Mayor control OF the police
and let him appoint 4 Captain, to b
confirmed by Council?
Mr.. FARRELL think We could hgur
out a Mayor who could run all the de
partmentS-a sort of Chief OF Public Al
fairs.
Mr.. Brandfass-That brings us bac'
20 my propoSition-a Board-and pa
them good salary. You can't eXpec
a man to serve on Board for 500
year.
Mr.. Hadlich-IIow would it do TO in
crease the Mayors salary, and max
him President of a Board?
Mr.. Brandfass-Oh, think the May
or ought to be Il member er-oficto OF al
committees. But let the Mayor Loo
after the police business and genera
matters, and then have a Board OF Con
troll for the departments. Then !
would run all right, and there would b
none of this danger of turning lot
good men out every two years anu put
ting green men in. My idea may no
strike you at first as being all right. bu
dive down into il, aud you'll see lots o
good in it. Then, appoint the Chief o
Police for four years, and you will hav
| a wOnt tulU- All tINuLu. ~ WIZ 49,
lof Police was appointed, he wouldn'
have to spend 4 small fortune every tw
years. to get into the Office, and make
lot of promises which he can't fulfill, o
which he ought not to fulfill.
From this point the Committee got Of
on general discussion of the system
in vogue In other cities, notably Pitts
burg, and Clerk llanke was instructe
10 write to the Chief Of the Department
of Public safety, in Pitts6urg, for
copy of the Wallace Act, under whicl
the city government Of PittSourg wa
reorganized, Il year or two ago.
The question OF ordering 4 revalus
ton of city property, real and personal
was discussed for while, and it wa
pretty generally agreed it ought to b
done. The committee discussed tn
topics brought up at the first meeting
hut did not seem 10 be ready TO max
any definite suggestion 10 Council, an
when it was found that the presen
Council had but two more meetings o'
fore it, it was agreed TO ask, next The'
day evening, for suggestions from tn
body named.
IL was announced that City Solicito
White was again Ill, aud as there was
desire to have him present, the CON
mittee adjourned until it could hca