Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-10-02
TIRED OF WAITING.
,yv WATER BOARD RETURNS TEE MAOHM-
RRY BIDS UNOPENED,
r,,,sl Showing No Disposition 10 Ac!-Esan-
Wills There is Great Danger at the Works
The General Situation Outlined.

having been invited by the Board some
time ago, when there seemed a prospect,
in the face Of the joint recommendation
n the Board and Committee on Water
Works, that the Council would appreci-
ale the precarious condition of the
works, and promptly give the Board the
necessary authority to proceed with
the Improvements which arc so
essential to the welfare, not to
say safety, Of the city. In view Of the
apparent indisposition of Council, or its
Committee on Finance, TO do anything
in the premises, the Board, after an ex-
tended and mature consideration Of the
subject, came to the conclusion that it
was inadviSabIe to open the bids at
present, aud the Secretary was in
.,ructed to return them TO the bidders,
unopened, with a statement of the sit
uation, and aIequest that the Board
might be allowed to recall the bids at
any time in the future when a changed
situation would warrant them in so
doing.
There has been a good deal of COM
meut lately, at the apparent deliberate
shelving of the joint report OF the
Board and the Committee, respecting
the situation and necessities or the
works. and the question as 10 why the
Finance Committee has not seen ut TO
meet and act upon the matter referred
70 them has been often asked, but has
never been satiSfactOrially answered.
The excuse most commonly given. Is
that there must still, in the face or
al that has been said, be a de-
cIded lack of appreciation OF the gravity
Of the situation. That The city is TAX
ing long chances in thus dallying with
the water question, cannot be denied
for moment. Prompt action is absO-
Iutely necessary. The situation was
sntly put. at the joint session OF the
Board and the Committee, a month ago,
when a member Of the Board, in out
lining the state of affairs, said that even
were the necessary authority promptly
given by Council, 10 would take year
10 get the new machinery in operation,
and that was surely long enough TO
tempt Providence.
The fact Is, that the issue at present
is not so much matter Of getting water
fin the new eServOir-althOugh that is
important enough, in all conscience
bud it is question of the ability Of the
Water Board TO guarantee the pumping
OF water into the old basin, from day to-
day. Much Of the machinery in the
pumping station is old-all of it is mad
eQuate 70 the duties imposed upon 10.
IL is unequal 10 the task Of pumping
enough water when at its best,
and it is liable to be at its
worst-a scrap heap-at any mo-
ment. Two OF the pumps have done
duty for forty years, and the newer ma
chinery has only been kept in order, for
d l0ng time back, by the exercise of the
createst vigilance, and the expenditure
Of much money for the almost constant
repairs. The way things are going at
present, ia only requires the breaking
down OF two or three pumps az once,
instead of one at a time, and the stimuli
taneOus outbreak of a fire, TO teach
those who are stuck on policy OF mas
try inactivity that il is not good
thing, 10 some instances.
This del berate statement Of the sit
uation takes no account whatever OF
the great deSirability of getting water
into the new reservoir. which Is an I'm
possibility until more powerful pumps
have been provided. That the high
service is desirable, all will admit; that
the new reservoir is as good reservoir |
as any one could desire, no well-in-
formed person, despite the half-COCked
f.,h IN n
certain quarters for a year or so, will
deny. Hundreds Of families will be
without water, and other humid
reds must continue TO get along
without an adequate supply, until IL Is
available for distribution purposes
and for these reasons, il there were no
others, the Board ought TO be given the
authority 10 has asked for promptly.
As has been fully explained heretofore,
the purchase Of the new machinery
creates no Indebtedness, bonded, or
otherwise. All the bidders have agreed
% put I'm whatever machinery is needed,
and take their pay in such installments
as will suit the finances of the Board,
without interest, and upon this basis,
the Board had concluded that 1t
could make the improvement,
out OF its own revenues, pro-
yded the annual interest charges are
taken OF its shoulders. Certain sums
Of interest are upon bonds guaranteed
by the Water and Gas BOards-Or rather
the city, in Issuing the loan, pledged
the two departments named for the pay
ment of principal and intereSt-and this
is the particular matter which the FL
nance Committee has been asked to con-
slider. OF course, II the Boards named
must pay the interest, the city could
afford the same relief by appropriating
10 the Water Board enough money to
reimburse it for the outlay made on &C
count OF interest payments, and If this
IS the thing to be done, it ought to be
done.
There Is some difference Of opinion
Among members of the Water Board. as
TO the power OF the city to either com
pei the payment OF this interest, or 10
hamper them in case they should see fit
70 20 on with the Improvement, on their
own account, inasmueh as the new
machinery would merely be an item of
necessary expense, for which no one
but the Board would be responsible,
and the mourning Of which is an alb
solute necessity TO the proper mainte-
nance Of the department.. This
question has not been raised, how
ever, because the members preferred
that the improvement be made with the
endorsement and consent OF Council,
and relied upon the Importance OF
prompt action 10 remove any tendency
20 procrastlnatlon, pure and simple
Many. expenditures, often OF consider
able magnitude, have boen heretofore