Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1894-03-28
THB ANNUAL MESSAGE
OF BIS HONOR, MAYOR CALDWELL, READY
FOR COUNCIL, LAST MIGHT,
But Not Read Owing to the Adjournment Of the
First Branch-Ciiy Affairs Reviewed, and
a Number Of Suggestions Made

The annual message OF His Honor
Mayor Caldwell, was ready to be read TO
Council, at last evenings session, but
owing to the haste Of the First Branch
in adjourning, thereby preventing the
transaction Of any business, it was not
read.
The document in full is as follows:
ITO the First and Second Branches Of tho
Council Of the Cuy OF Wheeling;
GENTLEMEN: Agreeable to Sec. 5 Of
an ordinance in relation TO the mayor,
herewith submit q communication Tor your
consideration:
81 I am glad 20 say that the Boards
that have the principal interests OF the
eli " in hand, are all filed by gentlemen
who have the confidence of the people, and
have no doubt but the interests OF the city
will be as we'll cared for 10 the
future as 10 has been in the past.
[ refer to the Water Board, Gas Board
and Board Of Public Works. have nothing
TO recommend in regard to the working or
these departments, having all commence IN
their management.
81 take pleasure in calling the attention OF
the public 20 the fact that the city now mas
one of the best pumping stations Tor the
water works 10 be found anywhere, ana tue
city now is being supplied from H. Ihese
works have the capacity 10 supply the
wants of the city for many years 10 come,
and believe with a better quality OF water
than from the old station. i cannotlet the
present opportunity pass without speak
ing particularly of the great ana gooQ
work performed by the Water Board, and
their completion in such thorough man
ner Of the pumping station Of our water
works, which YOU have had the pleasure
Of inspecting. and which seems 70 be sucn
satisfactory work.
II refer 10 this particular job, because II
has taken q great deal Of valuable time OF
the Board, for the last two years or longer,
and they are entitled 10 the thanks OF
Council and Of the entire people Tor the
faithful performance Of their work.
Council should encourage them IN the
construction of a settling basin as soon as
possible, Que that could be cleaned once
week or as often as seemed necessary.
III Council could be on hand at the an
uual cleaning of the old basin / feel sure
they would see the Importance OF such an
Improvement.
''The present basin is certainly one
fourth taken up with filth, and our poor
water is largely due 10 contamination from
this cause. and should be corrected as soon
as possible
Il wish TO call the attention of Council
% the fact that L am called upon often by
parties who make complaints Of the dan
ger from IRE, from bad construction OF
walls and chimueys; also old walls that en-
danger life and property. L have con-
ferred with the Chief of the Fire Depart
ment, and we find no law that will allow
us to cOrreat these troubles without pos
sibiy getting the city into bill Of dam
ages.
81 would respectfully ask that the Com
mittee on Ordinances prepare an ordinance
by which some officer could at once AGATE
danger from this cause.
Gentlemen, l wish to call your atten-
ton to a matter OF which you are all IA
miliar. 1t is that the city of Wheeling,
city containing 10000 people. a city that IS
strictly a manufacturing community, three
fourths of whom earn their living by hard
work, they and their children seldom see
anything but the paved streets and brick
walls of the houses, and who scarcely ever
get 10 the country. or if they do, IL is al an
expense which they can i'll afford. lis
true, they can go on the cars 10 the parks,
which are maintained by private enter
prise and which are delightful places, and
hundreds 60 but there are hundreds that
are deprived of the pleasure on account Of
the cost
81 have been surprised to see the parks
and public squares in places much smaller
and much less able than Wheeling. Will
we 20 along depending on private enter
prise and not making any effort in that
direction! This should not be. II is
the duty of the city to at once take
some action and see if some outlet can
not be secured where all can go
and spend their leisure time, where chill
dren can be taken for an airing, which they
so much need, anu without cost.
81 can select place that within my re-
collection was a beautiful natural park,
which could In a few years be restored 70
its once natural beauty by terracing and
tree planting. l refer 10 our own Wheel
ing Hill. where the city is already owner
Of quite lot Of ground and could get more
or either slope AT small cost.
81 would recommend that a committee,
10 be known as Park Commissioners, be
formed, to enquire into the matter'and re-
port from time 70 time such information as
they can and such recommendations as, In
their Judgment, will put the city in posses
slOu OF park.
"Gentlemen, I hope you will excuse me
If refer 10 our present industrial situa-
tion. 1 do so with the hope that something
may be said that may result in oettering
our present conditions.
First, L Will say our city has for fifty
years been noted for her Industries ia glass
and iron, and later pottery was started,
ind they have been in past years success
full. and especially have our Workmen been
successful in having good wages aud steady
employment.
This city in her early day was peculiar
lv situated 20 make her industries success
full. Before we were city our enterpris-
ing people saw a bright future for her, and
for many years she was the rival OF Pitts
burg glass and iron products, and to-day
she ought 10 be. Then we were on the
great high way between the East and
West, and for half the year we were the
head Of navigation on the Ohio river, but
now these things do not count.
Conditions have changed, and we must
adapt ourselves 10 the changed conditions.
1--WE have our water works, our electric
lights, our street car lines, our railroads,
aud many advantages, we did not have
fftv years ago, but now our nelghDors ali
around US have those things, and are our
rivals in sll industrial lines. This was not
the case a few years back, so that the ad-
vaptages we had in cur early days have
vanished. and we have to-day every vii.
lage as a competitor for any industry that
is looking for location. We have relied
too much on our past prestige; we have
been too independent, and allowed many
things 10 slip by and from our grasp,
that we should have gotten,
aud some we should have re
tanned. We can not fold our arms and say
10 the world: we can get along without
YOU We have got TO 90 in TO have our
share Of the business that the country
does. And how are we to Eetiti
q Nature has done her part We have
our ever-howing river at our feet; our hills
are filed with coal, and we lack nothing
but encouragement TO be given to enter