The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1891-06-15
sao1 THO Electric Light ordinance.

/ To ne Etnot u nk Iatstigeneef'
Sir: / ask for space in your paper
on a subject that will soon be dis
posed of. as another monument to the
announcement of city affairs. The
champion Of the electric light scherners
has been heard from and we have the
reasons why, the loan should be ratified.
The whole argument is nothing but as
sertions, which does not prove any
thing. :,
Better and cheaper light. We ask
how is it possible that it can be done
By MAXI the price OF gas less, when 1t
ia claimed that the gas works is to pay
this bonded debt, principal and inter
est. The only deception used is by the
advocates Of the scheme, telling the
taxpayers that the gus plant is to assume
this debt, when any man who reads the
papers ,kpowaiwell that every year there
Il oyer 100000 appropriated for the
use Of this same bonanza. What have
they been doing with the surplus OF
this money-making bonenza for the
past nineteen years? A member OF
Council SAYS it will be a good thing for
the taxpayers7 to have big bonded
debt. a. Yes n these are the same fellows
that, threw up their hands in righteous
Indignation when Jay Cooke said that
national debt was national blessing
We don't see it that way. Corporations
are like firpsand individuals; the more
| interest you pay the less profit you
Ehaxe; the more debt you incur the
greater the taxation. do not know il
t will act some OF our streets paved,
nor do care. II some of these Cheap
lights" are put where we can see the
mud holes and man traps, We can do
without the paved streets.
We would ask the taxpayers II they
are, going to allow themselves to be sad
died with another debt from which they
can't see the wayout. The bridge bonds
are to be put upIat public auction next
month, which is another monument to
mismanagement. Another is the $7O,-
900 hole UP on the hill, which the organ
says woullibe serviceable if we only
had another water works.
.Nowiin tentyears the city will pay for
the expense Of a plant Of $50, 600, not
counting the gift from the gas works (for
that don't go, you know, interest in ton
years S4S, 900 cost OF running or operat-
Ing and repairs will be 100000 more,
making in ten years 1923 900, not count
ing peFpent0get to the commissioners. A
private corporation offered to do the
same work, for. the same time for $751;
1920 with the option Of buying their
plant for $4,000, which there would be
saving OF $s6,202.s0. Think OF that
ySu taxpayers, before you go into any
such schemeda.Qh, yes, We have the cry
that, the gasiworks pays the freight; but
who pays the gas works. Weknow that
the people are taxed heavily for lights
that are not lighted. And we know
that these same old $4,000 oil lamps
would still be left standing, as guide
nosts'I in the swampy district called
tspike, IsIanG,i and "Goose Town."
for no .ow beacon light shines
out from them to guide the poor me-
chanic to his humble home, and If this
system OF taxation is continued the poor
man will soon have no home tostumhle
into To pse his own words it is the
4veFiestrofa torlany intelligent man to
| persuade US bow they can pay this debt
and light the city with 36l lights for
$4,000 a year, when it takes now $eO,-
600 for gas and SIS, 900 for oil. Tell US
how you are going to do it. Don't say
we can do II, but show us; you must
have figures. Talk is no good; too
cheap; but it takes money to put up
Electric plants. ] am not in the pay Of
any corporation, but l simply
speak as a citizen, and l think
in spite Of Council or anyone else have
right to be heard. lido not believe in
rnoaopoliesi such us the Statesmen"
gave the natural gas company, nor do l
believe that the city has any right to so
into any sort Of business Of tho kind.
They point with pride to what the gas
works has done. True 1t was put up by
private corporation with proviso,
and when the time came it passed to the
city. The Wheeling Electrical Com
pany does the same thing, andnow here
Is the same chance. Taxpayers, ponder
over this scheme before you cast your
vote to keep "nest egg" for all the
petty politicians that have life tenure
on the public'wofks OF the city. Some
OF them hRye grown grey in the service,
but their zeal has out-lived their useful
ness. But am not ono OF them.
| EIGHTH WARD,