Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1893-12-20
COUNCIL ACTS.
A RATHER TUMULTUOUS MEETING HELD
LAST EVENING,
Which Finally Results in Ordering the Boards to
Do Seven Thousand Five Hundred Dollars
Worth Of Work, To- Do Paid For by the
City Janury %, Orders 10 bs As-
espisd for the Same in the
Meantime Fifteen Cents
an Hour.
an Hour.

an Hour.
Both Branches OF Council met in spe
cial session, last evening, for the pur-
pose Of hearing the report of the spe-
clal Committee appointed to consider
ways and means of alleviating the exist
ing distress through public work.
Some change had been wrought in
the situation as outlined through the
report and recommendations OF the
Committee, by recollection Of the fact
that the city could not incur
debt by accepting the $500 proposed
to be loaned for Immediate re-
lief by the Board OF Commissioners,
without first complying with the pro-
vision of the law reqRiring three
ffths affirmative vote OF the people
upon all loans, aud for a tma yesterday
members of the Committee and Council
men and Commissioners generally were
a good deal at sea as to how to proceed,
and not a few were more or less dis
gustsd at the way the ques-
tions as whole had been
handled. There was general Inter.
change Of views informally, among
Councilmen, before the session con-
vened, about twenty of them gathering
in the police offices and going over the
ground in the new light afforded. The
general sentiment before the meeting
was that work might as well be COM
menced at once, and either the first pay
ment made January 1st, when city funds
would be available, or else issue orders 10
the meantime, for labor, which could be
accepted by the City Clerk and paid after
the first of the year After the members
hadr epaired 10 their respective
Chambers, the informal conference was
renewed. and the roll was not called in
the Second Branch until sos o'clock,
and in the First some minutes later.
In tho Second Branch the reading OF
the minutes was dispensed with, and
Clerk Thoner at once read the report OF
the Joint Committee on Relief, as al
ready fully published In this paper.
As soon as the resolutions attached to
the report, drawn in conformity there
with to facilitate the action OF Council,
had been read, Mr.. Hupp asked If any
thing formal had come from the Mayor
or First Branch, stating the origin OF
the Special Committee. He thought
there should be something OF that sort
TO keen the record straight.
Mr.. Maxwell didn't think the point
raised amounted to anything, while
Mr.. Wheat thought the point a good
one, and moved that the Mayor aud
FL st Branch be asked for formal
paper so as TO keep things straight on
the books. The motion prevailed and
the Mayor aud First Branch were noti-
fed in due and ancient form OF the
solemn conclusion Of the lower house.
The Mayor and members OF the First
Branch were In the chamber OF the
Second Branch as spectators, and they
had 10 rush over like sheep to receive
the message, and then paper, stating
the action taken, was hurriedly
scratched out for the information OF
the Second Branch, sent over and read,
being accom- panied by verbal state
ment by Mr.. Wheat, the messenger.
Being thus started right and afresh,
and the appointment of the Committee
of six being confirmed, on motion OF Mr..
Wheat, the first resolution In
the Committee report, author
ling the Water and Gas Boards, and
the Mayor for the B. P. W., to each
borrow 50, 500, to be loaned by the
| County Commissioners and expended by
the Boards named for relief work
came up. Then Mr.. Maxwell quo
ted from an opinion by the City
Solicitor. that the city could
not borrow in that way, and he said If
this was true, and he had no doubt 10
was, some other plan must be found. 1t
had been suggested by the City Clerk
that the men could at once be put to
work by the Boards and orders issued
! for the pay, to be met after January 1st,
by an appropriation ordinance, out
of the funds OF 1894, to be passed at the
next regular meeting OF Council. Mr..
Maxwell moved that the Boards be
authorized to 60 ahead and employ the
men.
Mr. Milligan raised the point OF
order that the Solicitor had made no
communication to Council.
The President said he had not, but a
member OF Council had a right to offer
a resolution.
Mr.. Hupp took the floor, and was
proceeding to inquire what the adherence
wos in incurring a debt by orders and
in borrowing the money, but Mr.. Milf
gan interrupted and insisted on his
point. aud quite little discussion en-
sued, which was stopped by the Chair
/ stating the Solicitor had made state
ment to the Clerk. Mr.. Hupp then re-
/ newed his enquiry, and said ne was not
/ able to see any difference.
Mr.. Wheat said be was not disposed
TO split hairs on the question before the
/ house, aud quoted from the ordinances
as to the liability Of members OF the
! Board for spending more money than
was appropriated to them. In the case
of the B. P. w. and It's clerk the penal
! ty was especially heavy. and there were
| other penalties on the Water and Gas
Boards. 1t was advisable TO make
haste ssvly aud do nothing which
might be snnulled or set aside, or do
ANYTHING which would prove TO be In
operative. He didn't think the resolu-
tions submitted by the Committee were
| in proper shape to be effective.
Mr.. Maxwell then said he was in
cliRed to change his motion instruct
ing" the Boards to proceed so as to
simply solicit them to put men to work.
This suggestion was discussed by Mr..
Wheat, who quoted from Legislative
acts, and then Mr.. Hupp offered the fol-
| lowing:
"ReSolued, That the Boards mention
ed be requested TO employ men to the
total Of So, 5OO-each, and that all orders
issued by said Boards will be honored
by the city after January 1, 1894. ="
I Mr.. Wheat amended by inserting the
Water Board, Gas Board aud Board OF
! Public Works, and this was accepted,
| -. -. - rncnl,nrinn was mt Mr