Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1895-07-23

bond issue A candle was burning at
one end of the room, and near it, writ,
ten in red ink, was the legend
This VIII BE Your Light if
the Loan Fails.
And Don't You Forget 1t"
IN the absence Of Chairman Robin
son. Mr.. Richards was chosen to pre-
side. He called upon City Clerk Dan-
nenberg to know what was before the
Committee.
Well" said Charlie 81 suppose you
all know the loan failed?"
"Yes." said the Chair.
"And now, an appropriation ordin-
ance - necessary"
The Chair reminded the Committee
that the preparation Of the annual APP
preparation ordinance had been post
poned until the result of the vote on
the loan proposition could be known.
That ordinance had been rejected, and
the preparation Of the ordinance ought
to be proceeded with.
The old schedule of appropriations
was produced. and the first item there
on was the contingent fund Of the B. T.
W-s22. 600. Somebody suggested to
cut it down. when somebody else sug-
gested that it ought to be let alone,
and the police instructed TO increase H.
..bv getting a hustle on themselves and
pulling the saloon keepers every sun
day c.
Eve ordered that done in the Sec
ond Branch, said Mr.. Far, DuI the
First Branch killed it,
Nothing was done with the item, sew
eral members saying the city needed
cleaning up generally, and that the
Board ought 10 have all the money loI-
merly appOrtioned to II.
In the course of the work Chairman
Robinson came in and took charge.
The subject of Real Estate approprla-
tions being under consideration MI
Robinson said:
.You gentlemen might as well lace
the music at one time as another. II
al1 very nice TO talk in the papers about
economy and cutting down expenses.
II is easy enough 10 talk about running
another mans business. but when you
come TO step right in and run II, II Is
a different matter
The item wasn't cut and the two
or three next following also went
through.
When the gas works item came up
DR.. StOtherS said:
Il want to ask q question. Perhaps
some one here can answer il. Why is
IL that the wages for gas making in 1877
was S23.675. while in 1893 1t jumped TO
$50. S26. and that, too, when only $4,000
more money was received for gas sold.
In other words, it appears to have cost
SO 200 to make $4,000 worth of gas?'
Nobody could answer the question. but
a discussion was started during which
Mr.. Richards called attention TO the
fact that there was an error IN the
printed statement of the gas works,
and the city clerk said he had asked for
report and had failed to get it. He
thought there was miSmanagement
somewhere Mr.. Robinson said that
for two wears the secretary knew about
as much about bookkeeping as he
did about making gas-and he did not
know but what that was true for four
years. The officials We're incompetent
and did not know how to handle a set
of books. On one occasion a statement
was called for and an outsider had to
make it up. and a man had to
be called on right along to look over
the books and keep them straight.
DR.. Stathers favored an investigation
of the whole matter and said the works
needed a thorough overhauling.
Mr.. Robinson said two of the trustees
-Buckman and HOlliday-had told
him that one position held by
Captain smith was utterly useless, and
ought 20 be abolished.
.'What was the place created for in
the first place. asked Or. Stathers.
To give Captain Smith q job, said
7 Mr. Robinson.
"There is one thing, said Mr.. Rich
ards. "and that is that the gas works
/ reports are utterly deceptive, and OF no
/ value.
"And there is another thing. said
Mr. Robinson. Council is to blame.
( You can throw as much odium on the
hoard MS YOU please, but Council went
10 work. as a matter of policy, and nNed
+ the wages al a higher rate than is paid
for the same class OF work in any manu-
/ featuring establishment
"ADd I have been told said Or.
| Stathers. by q very reliable man at
the Gas works. that they had a regular
pudding.
Mr.. Robinson said he knew the pres
ont board had cut down expenses a
s,od deal. They started in and made
= few reductions. and then stopped. II
/ the works was in control Of two or
three business men it could be made
good thing
The discussion ran along in this strain
for long while: almost every member
asking questions which no one could
answer
3 At one point in the discussion Dr.
} S+9tbers intimated desire TO cut IOWA
+ tho wages and number of tiremen, when
Mr. W3terh0use said he would inter.
nose mo objection if the police and all
otber departments were treated the
-o,,,e wav The subject was dropped
The work proceeded. and when tne
.,+,1 r-as footed no il was found 10 De
s449 495. 80. as against S4471S+20 result
inc from the first cut of six months OF
80 ago To that total $4,000 had 10 De
ad5ed for the new fire engine WnicA
b-oyeb- rbe total up TO S447.295.SO, tax
ing no account OF Jhe gus "Oi Ns