Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-02-12
D|SF|CURED! !!
The Wheeling Electric Light
Bill is Amended
IN THE SENATE YESTERDAY,
Which Destroys the Purposes Of the
Measure.
WHEELINGS FRIENDS DO MOLLY.
Senator Whitaker Makes Some Highly Col
ored StatementS---SenatorS GilkeSOn,
Watts, Stewart and Wiley Fight
Earnestly for the Nail City's
IntereSts---VOte on the
Amendments.
Special rsieoram 10 ne Reg,ster.
Amendments.


the Senate this afternoon. The bill
was not killed, but a. foreShadowed in
these dispatches last night. the bill is in
great danger, and was undoubtedly
badly crippled this afternoon. The ac-
tion OF the Senators who had expressed
themselves heretofore ~ being friendly
disposed toward the bill, and who voted
IOppOSitely to-day. was quite amusing.
The citizens OF Wheeling are beholden
Ito senator t'ilkeSOn for the able
manner in which he worked spoke
and fought for their interests,
and the electrical company should feel
equally indebted to Senators Whitaker
and 81. Clair for the victory achieved
by and for that company to-day. Every
Republican in the Senate also voted for
Whitaker'S amendment.
Just as the hands on the clock pointed
to the hOnr Of four o'clock and ten min
utes this evening the Wheeling Flee
tric Light bill came up in the Senate on
its second reading in the regular order
OF business. When the Clerk had fin
ishcd reading the bill Senator Whitaker
offered the following amendment:
But the powers hereby conferred
upon the city Of Wheeling shall only be
exercised upon the following conditions.
and when the city shall have complied
with the following requirements That
the city shall, before Offering 10 sell. or
selling any electric light 20 private con-
sumcrs. purchase 50 much OF the plant,
property and assets Of the Wheeling
Electrcal Company "a, may be- intended
and used for generating. distributing,
controlling or using electricity for light
! ing purposes, al a price and upon terms
! TO be agreed upon between the Council
of the city aud said company. or to bc
determined by the award. IN writing. Of
three persons, one named by said Couu-
ell, one by said company aud the third
by the two thus named.
The patron OF the amendment gained
the floor aud said that the expressions
OF the TWO leading papers oi Wheeling
must not be taken aS expressing the
views OF the people Of Wheeling. Il
will admit that few have spoken to
me in favor of the bill, but the larger
number OF the people oppose the bill
aud urged me TO oppose IL. do not
see the necessity for the indecent haste
in which this bill has been rushed.
Rut the amendment which offer j. not
intended to defeat the bili and II Is the
desire OF the people that il should be
Iadoptcd." At this point he reviewed
the history Of the Electrical company,
dwelling upon how it, members had
spent time, money and labor to build mp
an enterprise that the city was afraid
to embark in itself. aud again told the
Senate he was sure the people would
indorse his amendment.
Continuing Mr. Whitaker said: II am
Iopposcd tO giving the city the right TO
90 into this business because II has
shown itself unworthy OF the confidence.
am diametrically opposed 10 ccntcrlng
any more power In the hands OF that
city. and ! again declare that am OPP
posed To the whole bill. But, II IL must
pass, let IL pass with my amendment.
! In support OF this statement he said that
through the carelesSncSs Of the city au-
thoritics the old stone bridge
was allowed to crumble and fall
into the creek and be- washed away.
Instead Of replacing it with an iron
structure. another stone one was order
/ ed. and he intimatcd that considerable
money would be -quandercd on II. lie
said the city authorities had
gone 10 great cost To con
struct new reservoir and that water
could not be gotten TO it and that it
woud not hold It II put in il. The
city authorities are tending TO bank
rupt us all up there, and for that reason
| am opposed to giving them control
over the electric plant. have ilycu IN
Wheeling twcnty-right year, and II !
have learned anything it is that
the people OF Wheeling are dis
noscd to want fair. honest deal
ing and that is why they want my
amendment to pass. The covert aim Of
this hill Is TO strike down and crush ont
q privato enterprise which i carried on
by honest gentlemen, who in discharge
of their duties. have been made victims
If pcrsonal .pite. He admitted to Sen
ator Arbuckle that the city had never
held out any inducements h the Eiec-
tricai Company to get IL to engage IN
the business
Senator GilkesoR said: Il have lis
toned carefully to the remarks OF the
gentleman from ohio county ana h'
has failed 10 show wherein this Flee
trical Company has any vested rights
that this Legislature cannot take
away. / am opposed to the
amendment on general principles.
m this Legislature says Tho
civ Of Wheeling may engage In the
manufacture. sale aud distribution "i
electricity. IL has no right to say whs'
machinery IL shall hny, or what second
hand plan, il shall take. no matter what
the condition Of the plant. The amend
ment j. wrong.
Mr.. Wiley said that without commit
ting himself on the merits OF the piII' NJ
opposed the amendment.
Mr. Arbuckle spoke earnestly 10 De-
half Of tho amendment. and Mr.. 81
Clair also took particular pains TO op
nose Gikcs0u's amendment aud stated
that he did not think the ward polite
lians should be entrusted with any NOR
nower than they now hold. and tina
he WAS opposed TO any municipa
corporation engaging In an
business against her citizens. HI
ssid the city might as well run iror
mills and furnaces. Il am opposed 4
ANYTHING in the bill that will hur
Wheeling"
General Watts opposed the amend
men. on general principles. He said
1T is not right to force the city 0
Wheeling to purchase any particula
plant"
Mr.. Stewart said: The amendmen
seriously effect, the bill and should no
be- passed" He told how the Electri
Conn pany was found to be trespasse
on the city's streets, and the Counc'
had granted them permission to put u
poles and wires. He called attention
I the fact that this permission wa
not an exclusive grant and tha
the city could revoke the >a"