The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1897-11-15


tation TO be present to speak here to-
day. and. for the attention you have
given me-"
Then came City Clerk Charles II.
Watkins, whose talk was listened to
with attention, and at its close he was
greeted with hearty cheers. Said Mr.,
Watkins:
CITY CLERK WATKINS.
Mr. President and Gentlemen OF the
Assembly:-It is not my intention this
afternoon to go into n lengthy discus
sion of the subject OF the refunding or
dinance, nor to juggle large figures,
but to explain the matter in a way
that think 1t will be best understood,
THE committee to whom the matter
was referred, started out with the In
tention of doing what they thought
would be for the best interest of the
city and the citizens, and this idea was
adhered to throughout all its delIbera-
tions, and at no time was there any
thing of a partisan nature mentioned.
1t took several meetings of this COM
mlttee to accomplish what they did, as
many obstacles presented themselves
which had TO be overcome, and the final
outcome OF their work was the ordi-
nance which you will be asked to vote
upon on the 9th OF this month.
WHO will be benefited? ] believe
the ordinance, II adopted, win be bene-
ficlal to both the tax payer and the
workingman.
"The object of the rerunding ordi-
nance is to fund such loans as can be
refunded, and at lower rate of inter-
est, / wish here to impress upon your
minds that II is not the intention of the
city to go into the liquidation OF her
debts, and allow such things as should
be improved to go into decay, but to
continue in business at the old stand,
no difference who may be at the helm.
What mean by this Is, that II the in
tention of the city is to pay her debts
off and quit the refundlng of these
bonds would not be asked for, for there
would be no necessity for doing so, but
1t is presumed that we want to con-
tinue, for at least several years to
come, and TO thus continue, financial
plan must be adopted by which every
department under the clty's control
should be kept up.
CAN BE EXPLAINED.
"The question has been asked, why
are the cltys expenses greater now
than they were several Years ago, be-
Ing larger in proportion than the in
crease in population?
This matter can be explained. For
several years past large number of
our streets and alleys, old and new,
have been improved by paving with
brick, and as the years pass on, these
streets, being constantly worn, need
much more repairs than formerly, and
1t has been the custom In the past to
appropriate about the same amount
each year, and not to increase the al
lowance that necessity requires.
This year 1t has been out of tho
question for the board OF public works
to make such repairs to streets, &C.
as were needed. as most every citizen
knows, and at times, many complaints
were made about the condition of
things, of course, by persons who do
not understand how matters are.
Seldom do we have meeting OF
council without having more or less pc
titions presented for some permanent
improvement, such as curbing, sewers,
&c. These petitions are referred to the
board of public works, and II not acted
upon, the petitioner censures the board.
Now the board Of public works is no.
to blame for these matters. The fund
for new works, which is the ten-cent
levy. is appropriated by the finance
committee at the beginning of the year,
and each dollar to be spent is deslg-
mated by an ordinance adopted for the
purpose of new paving, &c. There is
no surplus given the board OF public
works, and Of course they cannot make
any improvements not authorized by
the ordinance.
THE SAVING IN INTEREST.
"The loan committee found the
amount OF interest that would be saved
by the refunding OF the bonds would
not be enough TO meet the required
amount for these repairs, and to re-
trench In any of the departments would
be very difficult matter, as some of
said departments are already made
quate.
"The city could not well get along
with less expenses In the fire and police
departments without Gripping them;
and there are other departments that
are in the same condition. And II un-
derstand correctly, this assembly Is not
n body organized to prevent persons
having work. but on the contrary, to
Increase employment whore It is legiti-
mate to do so.
'"They then concluded to extend the
payment Of the principal of the loan
ten years, knowing that the interest
could be provided for, and the saving
OF principal for the time being could
be applied to these needed improve
ments.
"The difference between the present
and new way in the finances would be
in favor of the latter; the new way Civ
ing the city in the neiGhborhood OF
about twenty thousand dollars per year
with which to make improvements, and
this amount, II judiciously expended,
should In ten years put the city in
Eenteel condition, and she could then
be In shape to commence the payment
OF the bonds.
without having made a detailed cal
culation, I believe that fully ninety per
cent. of all the money expended by the
board of public works, is for wages;
the other ten per cent. being for me-
terial, and much of that material p[o-
duced here.
Nov II the ninety per cont, Is paid
for wages, the wOrkingman gets all the
benefit of 1t, and he. most assuredly,
can have no kick coming,
BENEFIT TO THE TAX PAYER.
1.-THE tax payer ls also benefited.
"Thc probabilities are. II the loan Is
not adopted. other means will have 10
be used to raise the necessary money,
and what other way Is left to get It but
by the Increase OF taxcs7
Nobody, believe, more especially
the worlngmnn, wants any increase in
this llne besides this, II the ordinance
Is rejected he will probably have extra
taxes to pay aud be deprived Of whnt
money might otherwise be paid out on
city improvements.
"Thlg. gentlemen, lg my definition OF