Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1897-06-29
GETTING BADLY MIXED Up.
Council Committee on Finance Is
Rather AStOunded,
At the Liberties Which Have Been
Taken With the Annual Appro-
priation o rdinance-The Example
Set by the Late Reform" Coun-
Gil is Bearing Its Legitimate
Fruit.

The Council Committee on Finance
was called to meet last evening with
the members of the Board Of Public
Works. to the end that the latter body
might be given an opportunity to ex-
plain why certain liberties had been
taken with the appropriations for street
work, by which large sum OF money
would be diverted from the purpose for
which it was appropriated by Council,
upon recommendation by the Commit
tee. Mr.. Frank c. Mccoy, the Demo-
cratic member of the Board, who has
had nothing whatever TO do with the
perversion Of the appropriations, was
on hand promptly. bur could throw
little light on the matter. Messrs. Van
keuren and Schmulbach, the majority
Of the Board, did not appear and after
a general discussion of the situation the
whole matter was laid aside until this
evening, when the Committee will have
another try at the problem.
The appropriation ordinance has
been "monkeyed" with in two distinct
ways. The first and smallest irregu-
larity discovered was where an appro-
priation made for alley A. in the Fifth
ward. was attempted to be diverted to
alley c, in the same ward, by changing
the measure after it had been enacted
into a law by Council. Just who did
this little bit of postmortem legislation
has not yet been divulged. although
two or three names are mentioned IN
connection with the matter, but the job
will do no one any good, for alley A
will be improved.
The next matter is more serious, and
involves over four thousand dollars.
This money was originally set apart for
the partial paving of Twelfth street,
from Water east, the partial paving OF
North Market street. from Seventh
south, and the construction of board
walk on one of the hill side streets.
The charge made before the Committee
is that the Board did not propose TO
use this money for the purposes for
which it was appropriated, but propos-
ed to put 81 200 of it on the Island, $500
on Twenty-ninth street, and other
amounts in various places, not designat-
ed in the ordinance as it passed Coun-
Gil. one of these places being paving in
front of the Pan Handle depot.
Members of the Committee declare
that this sort of thing won't go and
that the money must be expended ac-
cording to the law, or there will be a
strictly first-class row about the whole
matter, the Fifth ward alley c business
included, and if necessary the matter
will be brought to the attention of
Council. and it will be seen whether or
not there is any virtue in the restrain
ing ordinance.
Members of the Finance Committee
were wrathy about the whole thing, last
night. but under the circumstances they
could do nothing until the facts are
more fully disclosed through the ma
iority of the Board of Public Works
Neither Mr.. Vankeuren or Mr.. Schmul-
bach could be seen last evening.
The fact is that for several years,
notably the last two or three, there
has been a very loose method of deal
ing with appropriations as well as some
other things about the City Hall. and
the restrictions of the restraining ordi-
nance sit very lightly upon official
shoulders. The entire thing is off the
same piece of cloth with using the
public building for headquarters for
campaign clubs. burning gas belonging
to gas consumers for partisan meet
ings. etc. In other words, i is relic
of that peculiar but costly reform in
augnrated in January, 1895.