Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-06-23
ELECTRIC LIGHTS.
TIE PRQJsOT GAINING FRIENDS ON EVERY
SIDE.
Gensral Recognition that it is Time for Wheeling
to Emerge from DEMONSTRATING Of the
Commission Last Evening.

In three days more the voters of this
city will be called upon to go to the
polls and express their opinion, by bal
lot, as to whether or not the present
costly and grossly inadeqate system of
street lighting is satisfactory; as to
whether or not they want the sixteen
thousand dollars spent for system Of
illumination which does not illumine in
1889: and the eighteen thousand which
went the same way in 1890, to grow to
twenty thousand dollars this year,
and twenty-one thousand neXt-aS it
surely will; whether or not they are
content to see such places as st. Glars
vile, and Bridgeport, and Bellaire, and
Martins Ferry, and Benwood, and
MoundSville, and all the little county
Court House towns in West Virginia,
adopt the modern system OF street
lighting, while we plOd along with
gas lamp here and an oil lamp
there, depending on the light from
store windows to make the darkness
visible in the business part of town,
and practically doing without light in
the residence districts; and whether, if
so much muu,. $ 20 be spent for street
illumination, in accordance with the
custom of the country and the demands
OF the times, we should not, for strictly
business reasons, get the best we can
for that annual outlay instead of put
ting up with about the worst.
These are some Of the many reasons
why voters should cast eyes" ballot
at Saturdays election, and the indica-
tiOns are that a very considerable ma
jority of the people are looking at the
matter from common sense standpoint,
and are prepared TO again demonstrate
the fact that when questions involving
the advancement, prosperity and ma
terial interests OF the city are submit
ted to them, that they will aid in the
movement by every means in their
power.
Last evening the Electric Light Com
mission met at the City Hail. and de-
voted considerable time to q discussion OF
the situation. Gentlemen present were
unanimous in the opinion that there
was no doubt of the result Of the cleo
ton if anything like full vote was
polled, and at the same time they pro-
duced evidence that the opponents of
the measure were very active, and that
a great many influences were at work.
One member Of the Commission report
ed that in his ward the people were
being told that to adopt the ordinance
would do away with all hope of brick
paving for years to come, and two or
three others said they had heard the
same argument used, although the
adoption OF the ordinance would have
no more effect upon the paving problem
than it would have upon the tides Of
the ocean. A comparison OF views
made il appear that some one had been
Systematically working this argument
for all it is worth, but that when the
matter was presented in its real
aspect, the fallacy of the thing was
easily made apparent, and voters had
acknowledged that an attempt had been
made to trick them. One member OF
the commission told story OF All Island
man who had come to him with the
statement that he would vote against
the loan because he wanted some more
street improvements over there.
"You want street improvements, do
you?" asked the commissioner.
YES" was the reply; ''we OF the
Island never get anything"
you never get anything! Well, you
don't get much, III admit, and for that
reason, when we are trying to give you
ever had, out Of gas and water, | am
surprised to find it.. OF all citizens OF
Wheeling, you Island people, with poor
streets. ought to be the most en-
thusiastic for the electric light, and yet
Won don't want it. How much brick
paving have you had done over there in
tho last five years, with no electric
light question up?'
"N0ne at ALL"
'.Wcil, then, how much less than that
vii you get if you defeat this ordi-
nancc?'
That's fact-we won't be any
worse Off"
eyes, but you will be worse off. You
will have aided In knocking in the head
the biggest Improvement you could posi-
bly, get, and then in years to come, you
will still wander around through dark
streets, and be getting a couple or three
thousand dollars year for crossings
aud. sewers, just as you have been. Let
me'teIl you something more, and this
Will apply to large portion of the
South Side, too. 1t hasn't been long
since last February, the gas was out
on the Island, and in the Sixth and
Eighth wards. II we had had the street
lighting electric plant then, the Island
and other flooded wards would have been
illuminated as bright as day, every
night, and much discomfort would have
been thereby prevented. You folks are
standing in your own light"
The Commissioner closed by saying
that the estwhile kicker went away con-
WINGED, and that the conversation
served TO show the fallacy of the oppo-
Sition arguments and also how little the
true situation was understood in some
quarters
After quite a general discussion OF
the which situation, the commissioners
and councilmen present, there being
quite 4 number of the latter, partially
prepared the list of election officers,
for submission to Council this evening,
and then adjourned.
A Pickpocket's Fate.
JOLIET, ILL, June 22.-Joseph Hayes