The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1893-08-22
MORE CITY REVENUES.
The Finance Committee has Pre-
liminary Meeting
TO GET IDEAS FOR FUTURE ACTION,
Some New Subjects for License Fees,
Direct Taxation for Street lighting
Might Help tho Gas Board Out OF a
Bad HoIe-Long Leases of City Real
Estate sugsested-some Peculiar
Inequalities,

An interesting meeting OF the council
finance committee was held last even.
ing to begin the thorough consideration
OF the large subject OF the necessity for
an increase from some source OF the
clty's income,
Perhaps the most interesting feature
OF the discussion was in relation to the
gas works and electric light plant. 1t
ia known that the gas board is about to
apply to council for immediate relief
from another deficit, One was pro-
Vlded for by the finance committee o
month or so ago, and it was then stated
that another deficit must exist soon,
AT this season the gas bills arc light,
and the expenses OF operating the
works cannot be reduced to us great an
extent as the income.
1t seemed the general opinion that
the city gives away too much free gas,
1t was stated that one institution which
got along with about 81 worth Of gas u
month when 1t was paying for 1t, began
TO consume between $50 and $40 worth
a month as soon as it was given free.
Mr., Cruise and Chairman Maxwell
still adhered to the opinion that the
gas office and other city departments
were not run as economically US they
should be.
RETRENcHMENT AND REFORM
seemed to them to be in great demand.
There was some talk, also, OF u direct
tax to pay tho expenses OF street
lighting, and some discussion as to
whether it was fair to make gas con-
sumers pay for public benefits which
all citizens share. The city solicitor
was finally asked to report as to tho
right to levy Il direct tax to pay
the expenses Of the electric light
plant. A very light levy would re-
lieye the gas board OF serious draw on
its treasury.
Then there was sort OF general can
wasting Of the situation. One plan was
to divide the "city commons" up into
convenient sized building lots and sell
leases for ninety-nine years. The
ground cannot be sold. There was an
inquiry, also, as to whether the city
could not collect rental for the park
plat out Caldwell's run, donated by the
late $. II. Woodward. This ground is
said to be used now by neighbors with
out paying any rental. There is u
valuable lot, also, on Seventeenth and
EoH streets, with street on all sides,
originally dedicated as a market place,
but now used by the water board to
store pipes, ETC., on. It was generally
agreed that it was too valuable to DO
used for such purpose.
NEW LICENSE FEES.
Milk wagons, ice wagons, coal and
other wagons, many from out OF the
city, were put down as fair subjects for
license taxes. Bicycles, also, were
noted down at 81 year each. Book
agents and picture fakirs were added to
the list.
1t was thought the tax on dogs should
be increased. Street railways, tele-
graph companies and express compan-
les were named rs snbjects which are
not taxed in fair proportion. Bill
posters were thought legitimately
chargeable with license fees. 1t was
also about decided to raise the tax on
public balls from IS to $40. Insurance
agents and companies, private electric
light plants and the Wheeling Electrical
company were considered peculiarly
good candidates for increased assess
ments, owing to the benefits the city be-
slows on them. So with natural gas
companies.
Soda fountains and street musicians,
including organ grinders, we're also
listed without o protesting voice.
Tho peculiar fact was again brought
out that the Wheeling breweries pay
taxes on real estate and personal pro.
perty, and the Milwaukee brewery pays
license aud tax on personal property,
while the Belmont brewery does bust
ness here and does not pay cent. No.
body suggested any way to remedy this
unfair inequality.
A good suggestion was that all per-
mits for digging up or obstructing the
streets DO taxed at so much per day.
This would reduce the continuance OF
the nuisance to minimum and add
revenue.
The committee got no farther than
this, but 1t is not nearly done.