Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1896-02-20

The special Council Committee on
/ New Charter met in the chamber of
the First Branch Of Council last even
/ ing at a quarter after eight, there being
some delay in getting a quorum because
O.. The cold weather. President Haz-
/ lett presided.
The resolution adopted by Council at
the last session, authorizing and in
( strUcJing the Committee to proceed
with It's work, and authorizing The ex-
penditure OF not TO exceed $500 for
/ legal advice and other necessary mat
Jers, was read for the information Of
/ the members. The Secretary was in
/ structed to incorporate the resolution
/ IN the minutes of the body.
/ Mr.. Davidson then said the Com
mictee had told Council in its opinion
g. new charter was necessary. He
/ thought the members should not longer
sit looking at each other" but get
F down to business. He supposed that
q, least one member had formulated
/ some ideas. and if SO he would be glad
TO hear them.
No one responded to this invitation
for quite a little while. Finally. Mr..
f PAUL said for the purpose Of bringing
/ ON a discussion at least. ne would
] move that q subcommittee of three or
five De appointed 10 formulate a char
/ ter and employ an attorney. the sub
/ committee TO report back to the fun
/ committee. Explaining his motion,
/ he said he thought the full body was
/ TOO large and Unweildy. but that a
subcommittee could work much better.
and would have the advantage Of
| suggestions from the members Of the
/ fun body.
Col. Miller said he had an idea that
/ Council 10 adopting the advice of the
/ Committee might designate smaller
/ body, perhaps Of eight-but Council
! mad not done so. On the question of
a subcommittee, ne thought it might.
/ perhaps, appear like ignoring ma
/ Jority Of the membership. He sug-
| gested that the sub committee might
/ take mp one subject, like the legisla-
/ tive department of the city govern
/ ment or the executive department. per
| lect that and report it back TO the full
| body before taking mp ANYTHING else
| In jhal manner the full body would al
| WAYS be in touch with the situation
and would avoid a big mass of wor1,
/ thrown upon the Committee. as would
| DE the case if the whole charter was
I submitted at once. He thought. TOO
/ lnere would be some difficulty i'm Sc
( iectlng q representative subcommittee
Or three or five, as there were five dis
I tnct elements Or interests represented
i'm the fun Committee.
Mr.. Davidson did not ouita concur
with this view, as one Councilman
would represent all the Councilmen on
I me SUBCOMMITTEE. and so with the
I Cham0er OF Commerce and other ele-
ments ON The fun Committee.
Mr. PAUL failed. also. TO see the
force OF Col. Miller's suggestion. so
Tar as there being difficulty i'm select
ing o representative subcommittee
I but he favored the idea of taking mn
one subject at a time as suggested nv
/ Col. Miller.
OoI. bIlen was in favor Of a small
working subcommittee. and tbourht
| me attornet should be selected bv The
iuil body and that he should be- Wen
paid. Tie regretted that Council had
seen tit 20 limit the expenditure to the
| sum it had named $500.
Mr.. Britt favored the prevailing mo-
I ton, as amended by Col. Miler's sug
gesuon 10 report back from time n
lme Nr. Britt said a small commit
I zee would work faster and better than
a large one.
Coi. Miller fell in with the substance
| or the remarks which had been made
/ Tie said however. that fault was o.
I ways found with such work as was 7ro-
posed 10 De done by the sub-corn,it-
tee. but he thought that with eub-
committee of eight. representino an
lne elements on the fun Committee.
there would be a tendency to avoid
I that trouble. As far as the actual
work was concerned. one man generally
/ had TO do it all. with the advice or sug-
gestions of his colleagues.
Mr.. PAUL then made his motron
more definite by making TT commit
tee of five. with instructions to reDort
! back to Che full Committee as fast as
subjects or departments of the DroDOs-
ed measure were put into shane.
Col. O'Brien said three. five or eight
would suit him
Col. Miller moved an amendment
making the subcommittee consist Of
eight members.
Mr.. Davidson said he would favor
five over eight and three over five.
With a committee Of eight the sub
committee would be about as large as
tbe fun body had been. so far.
Air. PAUL said he would accent
nrrrf So Colonel NTf11nrs q
make three q quorum of The eight.
Col Miller thought that ought 10 be
q matter for the committee. Four was
q quorum of Council COMMITTEES of
eight. and ne thought that rule ought
tO obtain.
Mr. Tighe could see no serious OBJ
lection 10 eight members. Further.
he said if the Committee expected To- GET
up a charter which would meet with
unanimous approval by the people. il
would be disappointed All the Com
mittee had to do was to work honestly
and fearlessly. and that done the re-
suit would Doe such as to satisfy the
conscieuces of the members of the
body. and that would be as far as
they could so.
Nr. Britt offered another amend
ment. making a cOmmitte of five. with
the Chair. This amendment was ac-
ceDted by MeSsrs PAUL and Miller. and
i'm that shape The question was put
and carried
The Chair named as the committee.
after calling for suggestions from the
members. n. c.. Hamilton. Second
Branch of Councils Alfred PAUL. First
Branch of Council: George Lutz. Build
ers' Exchange: DIT. r. W. Hazlett.
Chamber of Commerce; Richard Rob-
er-snn. TRADES Assemhlv. Col. ]. 4.