The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1893-11-18

way Company Certain Rights on
Zane strect-somo of tho Argu.
ments Advanced by Various Parties.
The situation in reference to the grant
Of right of way over the west end Of
Zane street, on the Island, to tho
Wheeling Railway Company, for a con.
nection with the tracks on the new
back river bridge, is now just where it
was before tho ordinance on the subject
was presented TO Council last Tuesday
night-unless council sees fit to ignore
the action Of tho committee and go
ahead and act on the matter.
All parties agree tina. the street there
is in about as bad condition rs it well
could be, and ali agree that it should be
remedied as soon as possible. The COM
mittee met at Up. IN. yesterday, with
the board of public works, the only
members not present being Mr.. Robin
son, OF the Island, and Mr.. Dobbihs.
The city engineer, Manager Jolly and
Mr.. Erskine, representing the railway
company, and several property owners
Of the locality were also present.
The lay OF the land was examined,
and the street seen to be. as has already
been said, almost blockaded. The rep.
resentatives otthe railway said they did
not insist on having the grade raised to
the established level, their only interest
in that part Of tine question being that
they feared ii the street was improved
OH tho existing level it would be only
temporary and they would have the
work and expense all over again.
On returning TO the city the members
Of the board OF public works took the
committee up North Main street to look
at the tracks there, which, us everyone
knows who ever Goes there, ia IN about
as bad q condition as they could be and
be used. Other bad places on South
Eoff street were also visited and IN
spected, and the committee en- route
stopped to look into some incidental
matters. such as proposed changes OF
grade and establishing Of new grades.
1t was late when the committee re-
turned to tho city hail. There Mr..
Erskine made 4 statement on behalf OF
the company, saying that ii the COM
mittee would prefer to have it so the
company would lay its double track
from the bridge to Huron street but
four feet apart, aud would pave with
brick the space between the tracks and
thn roilu of zach tPnRt-
The members OF the board OF public
work reiterated their position. They
desired that council should refuse the
company this grant until all the places
not properly repayed by the company
were put in good shape, because they
could not get the work done without
somo sort OF club 10 hold over the
heads OF the managers.
The committee had n free and inter-
esting discussion OF the proposal, and it
was finally decided to amend the ordi-
nance, addinga proviso that the grant
should be OF no force and elect until
the company should execute contract
and give bond to properly repair not
only this street, but also all others
which have been torn up. This seemed
to suit all ideas, and Mr.. Jolly was re-
called aud asked ii his company would
accept such a proviso. He said it
would. Ali Of the work, he added,
could not be done this fall, but if there
was any particularly bad place which
ought to be repaired at once, he would
agree to do that.
Members of the committee said they
thought the board could not reasonably
ask more.
Mr.. Jolly added that Mr.. Koehnline,
the contractor who had done the re-
paving, was already under contract to
repair Wherever it wai required, and
this work, to be finished next spring.
was specified by the contract to be
done TO the satisfaction OF the board OF
public works.
The original work OF repaying was
also let on the same condition, and Mr..
Gray, the boards inspector, was en-
ployed to be on the ground when all
the work was done. If the material
and the workmanship was not up to
what he thought it ought to be, why
did he not interfere? Mr.. Jolly said he
had always supposed tho work was
satisfactory when Mr.. Gray let it pass.
In regard to North Main street, he
said it was the desire OF the company to
take up the old track and lay new
one, and to put the street in proper
shape. The work was begun, but the
board of public works at once ordered
it stopped, and 1t was stopped.
While Mr.. Erskine was on the floor
he said in answer to a remark that the
railway company made blunder when
it tore up that part OF Zane street now
in dispute, but that it was tho idea OF
the managers that the work they in
tended to do was so manifestly for the
benefit OF the public that nobody could
object. When objection was made the
permission was asked.
1t was remarked by member OF the
board OF public works that permission
was never asked until the eleventh
hour, but Mr.. Erskine drew from his
pocket copy OF petition presented to
that board some time ago, covering this
ground, which he read to the committee.
Atlength the committee decided that
to draw up the suggested amendment
to the ordinance would necessitate the
presence OF the solicitor, and an adj
journment was taken to p. IN. that he
might be present
A meeting OF council was also called
for last night, likewise meeting OF the
police committee. Quite a quorum OF
both branches we're about the building
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