Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-05-22
The Electric Light Question.
WHEELING, ". Va, May ~, $50

WHEELING, w. VA, May 10, 1891.
To the Editor Of the Register.
SIR see by the evening paper OF
the 18th inst. that some one who claims
to be an Eighth warder has the gall TO
try to mislead the public purpoSely, or
else he is ignorant. He tries to make
Us believe he is an Eighth warder. II
he is he no doubt is connected with the
electric shaking machine situated on
McColloch street in this ward, and mas
only recently come to it. Now, let US
reply to his claim of the city monopoly
on industry. We know, as the pubic
does, this is the same old cry that the
Wheeling Electric Company used against
the city in the last Legislature, ana the
,ame old argument about political ma
chine. Now let him inform the public
of the truth that the Wheeling Electro
cal Company has monopoly IN thls
city. No other company or firm can
build and operate an electric-light plant
To sell the light without the consent OF
the Wheeling Electrical Company:
These are facts, and defy the assumed
Eighth warder TO deny them.
burden Of taxes. We pay now, and nave
paid for years, 50 cents taxes on every
500 of real and personal property, and
10 cents levy. The 10 cents levy can
be used only on streets that have not
been improved. This is our limit OF
taxation, and can not be increased by
tbe city. How then will it be a burden
IN the taxpayerS D.? And in regard to
the loan and debt. The resolution OF
Council is 10 make a loan of $50, 900 TO
be paid out of the revenue OF the gas
works. the Gas Trustees have rendered
10 the Electric Light Commission $780,
600 spot cash and will agree TO pay S2O'-
600 each year for four or five years.
This pays for the plant without taking
one cent from the taxpayers or any
other appropriations from other depart
mepts. Has the assumed Eighth Warder
ever seen the outskirts of this ward,
where the oil lamps are situated, where
the laboring men have their little
homes? Has he ever seen these locail-
ties after night? How half the time those
lamps are not lit, and when lit how
dim they show? Now it would be
q great blessing and benefit for those
working men 10 have electric light when
they 90 and come from their employ
ment. Now, Mr.. Editor, the writer OF
this was born in the now Eighth ward,
and has seen it when there were but q
few houses in the then called Richie
town-haS seen cOrnieldS where
large manufactures and business houses
now stand: has seen it when plank
road came down on the river bank from
the city; has seen it as South Wheeling,
and distinctly remembers when 1t was
annexed TO the city, and got such vast
improvements as water, gas and ire de-
partmentS and others. We had kickerS
against these improvements then as
now, but nevertheless the improvements
went on, and have been benefit
TO every business and workingman.
In conclusion l will say, give
US an electric light, make the city as
bright at night as day, thus preventing
robbery, thieving and murder. How
well we remember the murder OF Officer
Glenn a few years ago, Of the assault
ing and rObbing Of citizens on Main
street bridge last winter, how the gas
lights were turned out on the bridge
and lonely places for the purpose Of
depredatiOnS. Give the citizens cleo
trio light and we will have less crime.
| challenge the Eighth warder in the
evening paper to send his name to the
REGISTER, or sign il to a cOmmunica-
ton in any other paper to show the
public if he is really an Eighth warder,
or only make believe; and when he
does this will do likewise. The even
ing paper has given Us the title OF Flee
tric Light statesmen. and of course for
this reason will have TO sign aS one Of
the statesmen from the
EIGHTH WARD.
Wheeling, Nay Fl.