Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1893-12-16

The question Of relieving the distress
In this city is taking on practical shape.
Yesterday morning Mayor Caldwell
appointed Councilman Richards, Cruise
and Morningstar. and President Dob
bins, Of the County Commissioners,
Messrs. McGregor, Tyson and Irwin, as
the special committee Of six suggested
at Thursdays meeting st the City Hall,
and these gentlemen met, with Mr.. Nc
Gregor in the chair and deliberated gem
orally over the situation going over many
items Of public work which might be
done. All the gentlemen expressed
their views fully, Mr.. McGregor taking
occasion, on behalf Of the Board, to say
that be believed it perfectly proper to
extend general temporary aid, as pro-
Vided for in Sec, Of Chap 40 Of the
Code. After an interchange OF views,
the Committee adjourned TO the room Of
the Board Of Commissioners, which had
been called to meet at two o'clock, as
was announced in the REGISTER yester-
day morning.
When this meeting was organized,
Chairman Maxwell, Of the City Finance
Committee, being among those present,
the resolutions Of Tuesday afternoons
meeting at the City Hall were read,
together with communication from
the Trades Assembly, advocating the
obstruction Of tunnel az Tenth street.
Mr.. McGregor reported the preliminary
meeting Of the Committee Of six, and
Mr.. Richards, from that Committee,
narrated what had been done the
day before. and the reasons act
uating the meeting Of Thursday. Mr..
McGregOr again spoke, saying the Board
thoroughly appreciated the situation,
and thought it had not deserved some
Of the apparent criticisms.
Prosecuting Attorney Howard, who
had been asked for q construction OF
Sections 6 and of Chapter 46 OF the
Code, and other laws upon the subject
then read the following report
MR.. HowARD's OPINION.
"To the Board Of Commissioners Of the
County of ohio:
"GRNTLEMEN: In compliance with the
request Of your President, have hastily
examined the law as 10 aiding the poor, and
respectfully submit the following:
SECTION /, Oh. as. Authorizes you to
appoint Overseers Of the poor.
"SECTION 2, Oh. 46. Gives you ali the
powers and devolves upon you all tue du-
ties Of the old boards OF oyerseers OF the
"SECr1oN s, On. 46. Provides for the es-
adjustment Of q place Of gensral reception
for the poor in the iuhrmary.
SECTION 4. Oh. 40 Empowers you to
regulate and control the inhrmary.
"SECTION 5, Oh SO. Fixes time within
which q legal settlement is acquired at one
years residence in the county.
SECTION g, Gu. 46. is as follows;
" SEC g. on application by OK Oh behalf Of
any person who Is unable 20 maintain himself
or by or on behalf OF the family Of any person
when he Is unable 20 maintain it, and the fam
ily Is unable TO maintain Itself, such person OF
family III he or they shall have legal settle
msnt 10 the county, shall be provided for or
assisted his OF ther necessities may re-
cure, under the order and CT 'tion OF the
overseer Of the district In which such settle
ment may be; and III he or they nave net legal
settlement in the county, shall nevertheless be
40 provided for or assisted, under tne order aud
direction OF the overseor Of che olstrictln which
he may be, until properly removed, as herein
alter provided. But the county Court ot the
county may change OF rescind any order or ol.
raction given bv such oYerseer, and may direct
anv person or family Co be provided iOr or AS
sisted though the oyerseer Of the district has
refused 90 DO So.
Section ca. 40 provides that
"'Any person 70 be proYised Tor or assisted "a
aforesaid may either De kept 90 the place of
general reception, or be supported CT assisted
elsewhere but In O county where there Is
county inhrmary no shall not De kept at the
expense OF the county at any place other than
40 such indrmary, except IN case Of emergency
or necessity etc.
"Sec. IA. Is and Is, Oh. 46, make the re-
lations of any pauper liable for his sup
port, n they are able % do so, And this
liability may be enforced in the Circuit
Court 10 a summary proceeding"
Sec. /, en-. "a acts 1873, was also read.
Continuing, Mr.. Howard said:
Il have no doubt of your power
To adopt such regulations, as 10 you
may seem wise, for the purpose
OF guarding against imposition and gener-
ally regulating matters Of aiding the poor,
as was done I'm ordinances passed by the
Board from time 10 time as amended by
the ordinance passed November To- 1873.
But, of course, YOU understand no Ordi-
nance YOU may adopt can annuN the statute
enacted by the Legislature. If you con-
strue Sec. 3 of said ordinance TO prohibit
the giving of temporary aid 70 q family in
which there is an able bodied man, vet
being out of employment, unable 20 afford
actual necessities while his family is in ac-
tual want, 10 is I'm conflict with the statute.
III BY section You merely refuse aid %
the family of the able bodied man, who
while earning sufficient money co maintain
his famil himself would make them bur-
den on the county, 10 is not in conflict with
the statute aud is, 10 seems TO me, a wise
provision against imposition.
0The main question which you submit to
me seams 10 be- this What power have
YOU under the law to aid those who are
able 10 work and maintain themselves and
families and willing 20 do so so but being,
at present, unable 70 find employment, are
in actual want and have no relatives 70
maintain them
ssNIv answer is: You have the authority
under the law 70 give them such aid as they
are in need of, but that only temporarily
while the emergency or necessity c0ntin-
ues.
sour law contemplates the maintenance
Of the unfortunates who can not maintain
themselves az the tDfrmdTU, and merely
permits aid % be given those who need it
at their homes as temporary relief during
an emergency.
ssThis temporary urgency may be re-
Heved by the Board. JIG has the power and
il is its duty 20 give this aid. But TO con-
slider such aid as permanent IS not, Lllnk,
a correct Interpretation of the law, and
don't think the Board ought TO do lt.h
THE DISCUSSION.
Mr.. Gruse-The report Of The Prescott
inc Attorney comedies with the general
opinion. that the Board ought 70 provide
for the temporary wants or the people IN
distress. No one is favorable TO making
the extension Of such aid permanent, but
where food and fuel is necessary, and the
ordinary support Of the family cannot pro
rida if then the Board ought % act. AS