Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1897-10-08

Humorous Evidence Adduced.
The Trouble Between Supsrin-
tendent Brooks and His Assistant,
Ed. Dick, Pretty Well Ventilated.
Temporary Remedy Applied.
For several months past it has been
known about the City Hall and else
where that there was a good deal of
trouble at the city crematory, between
Superintendent Henry Brooks, who has
the day turn, and Edward Dick, his as
slstant, who works at night, and that
as result the furnace was not burn
ing night soil as it did in the days
when matters ran along smoothly. The
Committee on Health determined to get
/ at the bottom of the trouble. and last
evening, after bills amounting to $50. IS
had been recommended for payment
and the monthly and half-yearly reports
had been read, set an investigation on
foot. The report for September show
ed there had been burned in that month
231 barrels Of night soil. 405 loads of
garbage, Is dogs, cats and one goat,
While for the six months ending with
September$1, AL loads of garbage and
3,040 barrels of night soil had been
burned. as compared with 1902 barrels
of night soil and l $50 loads of garbage
for the same time last year. The in
tod frr Nv ~. e.
Health Officer Jepson started the an
nual cleaning up good deal eralier this
year than usual
Assistant Dick was then called be-
fore the Committee and told his story.
He said Brooks did not properly at
tend to his work, had not cleaned a
load of ashes out of the furnace from
March until yesterday, allowing the
furnace to choke up, that he had told
witness he had left the stuff in the fur
mace by orders of Chairman List and
the Mayor, when as matter of fact no
such orders had been given, that Brooks
was late in coming in the morning.
that he had the gas partially turned off
and the valve fastened so there would
not be a proper flow of fuel, mean
while complaining that he could not
clear the furnace because there was no
gas, that he had come up to the furnace
after midnight intoxicated, and that
during the day he would go to sleep in
the office building when he should have
been working, while garbage had been
often dumped on the hilltop when 1t
should have been burned.
Then Brooks was called in. He
knew of no trouble with Dick. The
reason he assigned for not clearing
the furnace was that the garbage came
up very irregularly. He admitted hav-
ing had beer at the furnace; had
never seen Dick intoxicated; "gener-
ally" pulled the ashes out OF the fur
mace in the morning.
Garbage Collector Becker was called
as a witness for Brooks. Witness
thought Dick and Brooks were trying
to knock each other out" but knew
little about the trouble; was never at
the furnace at night.
Ike Johnson was also called for
Brooks. AS far as he knew both men
were all right; knew nothing OF
trouble between them.
Mr. Bennett was called for Brooks.
Knew the men were not getting on
well together; had seen Brooks STIR
ring up the furnace while loafing
there.
Ike Smith was called for Dick. He
said the furnace had been handled
badly of late, and told in detail OF the
| former good management as contrast
ed with the present; formerly could
take load of night soil there at IL
p. N. and have it dumped at once. be-
cause the furnace would be clean and
| in good order; now load taken up
at 1870 would have TO wait until. 3.
or a. m before it could be burned:
| furnace ran so badly had quit going
there at all, but hauled night soil TO
country; trouble was that garbage
| dumped into the furnace during the
| day was not stirred up, and simply
| burned from top while cold at bot
| tom. and as result furnace was never
clear at night when it should be ready
| for night soil.
| George Luno and Mr.. Redman tes-
| titled TO the same general effect. All
| the witnesses were Intercepted as To
| the origin of the trouble, and whether
or not il had grown out OF contro-
yersy about James X. Hall, but nons
Of them recollected anything material
! about that The question was put in
such a manner. however, as TO suggest
/ 10 the spectator that partisanism for
or against James K had something to
| do with Ii. or that Committeeman
were satisfied there was something OF
| that sort at the bottom A good deal
| Of the testimony was very laughable.
AS a means Of getting further in
| formation, the Committee adopted a
resolution changing on Brooks from
| day 10 night, putting Dick on in his
| place.