Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1895-12-31
A BIG PETITION IGNORED.
Folks Can Send Them In, but Council
Don't Have to Notice Them.

0-4AS NO@H EOiiU AVAu LIZ Uut OOuAU11
Don't Have to Notice Them.
Seven or Eight Hundred Natural
Gas Consumers Ask Council to
Pass the Ordinance Agreed Upon
in Committee-The Petition Sent
in After an Official Invitation by
Councilmen--The Document Ig-
nOred and the Ordinance Killed
Off Hand-"An Explanation, and
an Interview with Manager
Heard.
Last night for the first time in the
history OF Wheeling, a petition of our
citizens, prepared in answer to an ex-
press invitation from members Of Coun-
c.l, and signed by between seven and
eight hundred citizens, was ignored,
and was allowed 10 lie unheeded and
uncared for upon the desk Of The Presi-
denj Of the Second Branch of Council,
after the attention Of the President had
been called 10 It BY The Clerk of the
body.
And while the petition was thus viz
tualy consigned 10 the waste basket,
without a hint or intimauon Of Its pres
ence in the Council chamber, a measure,
the adoption of which was urged by the
petitioners, was read, voted upon and
killed.
1nis measure was the ordinance
amending the natural gas ordinance,
and the petition was from the colsum-
ers OF gas, asking that the measure be-
fore Counc. be passed. The circum-
stance IS scarcely one to be reNshed by
the gas consumers, whose supply Of fuel
has thus been put n jeopardy, w-5h
Wntr upon US; buc outside Of any ref
erence TO the subject mater Of either
the petition or ordinance the Unseemly
tecl;naGCn Of a representative body 90
regard the right oil petition by the peO-
PIE as a Jh.ng ct all worthy Of notice
VIII somewhat jar those who adhere to
The Cld-rtme notion that officers elected
by the people are servants of the DeOple,
and should at east lend a respectful
hearing to anything any considerable
number Of the people have to say.
what occurred last evening in this
regard s interesting, and this s how it
h3Dpened:-
When the special Committee Of C0un-
ell. appointed to confer with the Nat
ur3l Gas Company regarding some in
crease IN the rates charged in this city,
had made up its mind, after q fun hear
ing of all the details, 10 a report which
recommended a gross rate of zoe Der
1000 cubic feet and a net rate of 1Sc.
they submitted their ideas to Council.
and the matter was debated for some 1T
tie time in CDen session, about three
weeks ago. Beth in the sDecia, Com
mi,-ee and on the floor Of Council. sug-
gos-.On We're freely made 70 the effect
that the ComDany ougit to ascertain
The ideas CT -he gas consumers upon The
mater. and tt was more HA9n intimated
that If a majority Of the consumers IA
vored the advance Council would &C
QU'esce ir the wish Of the only folks A.
rectly iNr7re7-e1-the people who pay
for and burn the gas. In the EgNt Of
what occurred last night, f. would el-
pear that these suggestions were only
made IN the belief that the Company
could ne. show a sentiment IN It's favor;
but The Company Went 10 work in good
faith On the Job, whils CouncA referred
the report OF the special Committee to
the Committee on Ordinances to draw
ND q proper measure. This ordinance,
amending the ordinance ard contract of
the Company with the CRY. was duly
drawn. and was reported back to Coun-
CT. and c0ntemDC 0eOusly with its pre-
sentarion the Gas Company sent IN a
petition Of its consumers. signed by be-
tween seven and eight hundred names,
requesting the passage Of the ordinance.
Tbs brings us UP TO last evening
session.
The presentation Of the big petition
perhaDs the largest ever handed IN to 4
Wheeling CouQcil-,was in the nature Of
an unexpected Offering to a good many
Of The members. and they were in good
deal the same position Of the man who
was presented with 4 white elephant
thew didn't know what tn In the or
binary nature OF things petitions and
communications bearing upon matters
before Council are read for the .ntcrma-
ton of -ha members, before a vote IS
taken. This course, however, wouldn't
do ,ast evening. The ordinance rs IL
came frcnl,the Committee, was taken up
and read a first time. without any IN
-imqtsOD Whatever that there was petit
ton present. The Chair asked f there
was an objection. No one objected. and
the measure was read a second time.
The Chair asked f anybody wanted to
saw ANYTHING. Mr.. H9hTa arose ana
sad. Mr.. President" That was as
far As he got. for President Maxwell
told the Clerk TO read rhe measure by
IFS title for passage. and tbs done lAe
call Of the ROLL was .mmed-9te!y ORDER
ed As a result the ordinance was ee-
fsa+e1 nv vote Of: Ayes. S, noes. ~
as follows: Ayes-Ne Bachmarn.
C7mnber. Elliott Hamilton. TAYLOR
Wells Williams and wills. Noes
Nessrs. Bender. Bo1ley Bret Far
H9hne. Hess. J.. Kern. Lindsay keVar'
Usenon. Utermohl9n. and Mr. President
u.
MS settled :t. and other matters we're
proceeded with.
After the adjournment Of the session
REGISTER reporter asked Clerk Damien
berg what had become Of the peudon
Of the consumers.
why" said the clerk. Il took It up
and laid il on the Presidents desk,
and called his attention to it. i nat Is
oii co1Id do He said TO read the or