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


isnged-The Assembly Adjourned at GAO
Without lransaCtlnE Routine business.
The regular seml-monthly meeting OF
the Ohio Valley Trades and Labor As
sembly was held at Trades Assembly
hall yesterday afternoon, and was mod
erately well attended. In addition to
the delegates, several outsiders We're
present by invitation, Including City
Clerk Charles II. Watkins, City Recelv-
er Alex II. Forgey, President Matt A.
Chew, OF the second branch of council;
Councilmen Morris Horkheimer and
Charles Ali, Mr., Frank Cruise, for
mer councilman and once chairman Of
the council finance committee, and Mr..
w. G. Wilkinson. They Were there to
discuss the city refundlng loan ordi-
nance, which is to be submitted to the
people for their decision at the special
election set for Saturday. November 27.
The discussion began at O'Clock and
ended three and one-half hours later,
after which the assembly adjourned
until next Sunday, when routine bust
ness that was to have been transacted
yesterday. will be taken up
President Sims called Chairman A.
L. Bauer, OF the committee on leglsla-
ton, to the chair The first speaker
was Mr. Chew who spoke OF the move
from the standpoint of the business
man, workingman and taxpayer. He
said:
MIR. cHEW's REMARKS.
"Mr. President and gentleman of the
assembly!-When Mr.. Bauer handed me
my invitation, he said that you would
notexpectan elaborate address, but that
you simply wanted plain statement
of the purpose OF the refunding ordi-
nance, and the effect of Its operation.
II was not a member of the refundlng
committee, but am member of the
finance committee, where the necessity
TO do something to improve the citv's
financial condition developed.
EARLY In each year the different
boards of control and city committees
are instructed by resolutions of council
to furnish the finance committee with
an estimated list OF the probable ex-
penses for the year, In their several de-
partments and the city clerk makes up
statement Of the receipts based upon
the revenues of the previous year. The
finance committee takes these estimates
and first deducts the fixed expenditures
from the total revenue, that Is, deducts
the amount for payment OF principal
and interest that will be due on the
different bond loans; for the gas and
water boards; board of public works.
collection Of taxes and all salaries fixed
by ordinance.
after all these deductions are made
II will leave but about $34 900 of bal
ance, which balance Is divided among
the different city departments to cover
their contingent expenses, by which I
mean, horses. feed repairs to hose
houses, fire apparatus, shoeing, etc.
etc, of fire department: Improvements
on the public building. keeping the
cemetery In repair, supplies for the po-
lice department, feeding prisoners In
Jail and the workhouse.
Beside the Items above enumerated.
the contingent expenses pertaining to
the city clerk have to be paid out OF this
thirty-four thousand dollars. This con-
tingent expense account is charGeable
Will every item tlliN CHI llOL he tAldIE=
ed to either OF regular departments. and
the items that are charged here are ad-
Vertlsing, printing, expenses OF loans
paid to the commissioner of loans. in
terest on all outstanding orders. taxes
refunded, blank books, law suits and
costs, and many other items which |
could enumerate. This account for the
first ten months OF the present yenr
has been charged with our fourteen
thousand dollars, and the end Is not yet
make this statement to show that by
no practice of economy that would be
approved by this assembly, could the
revenues Of the city be made to cover
the expenditures, and leave a balance to
be applied 20 ueede lmprovemuts,
"You would hardly advise US 10 de-
fault on the payment of our bonds or
interest, nor is 1t in harmony with the
ideas of this body to suggest thai the
city dispense with the services Of some
of its employees, or In other words,
throw some OF our citizens out Of en-
plogment. Neither would you approve
. Of a reduction Of wages, when You
have been for years. from time to time
importunlng council to advance wages
of city employees.
A PERTINENT QUESTION.
Now, II we are to pay principal and
interest on our bonds and have the
wages Of the city employees remain as
they are and keep them employed,
where are we to get the funds to salts
~ the demands for new paving, new
sewers and new CurblnF that council is
constantly being petltloued seF, after
the ten cent levy Ia exhausted?As this
is the only fund out OF which we can
legally put IN new sewers paving and
curb. and which amounts to about S22,
900 each year. and Ia divided among the
eight wards, and the cost OF new paving
about 81 per yard, you can understand
why the board OF public works does not
pave more OF the streets and alleys.
Nov II the people are elnccre In
their petition TO council, more money
must be placed In the hands Of the city
to be used for the purposes they re-
quest. They have the chG!co of passing
this ordnance and allowing the city to
use for the next ten years, the money
now appropriated TO pny parts Of tho
principal on Our bonds, or leave their
streets and alleys remain In their pres.
ent condition until they are reached by
tho present SLOW method OF one Rquarr
ench year You OlHo have thlR 20 con.
Ridcr n We pay of our bonds, oui
money n gone and we have not made
the improvements, but If we defer nay.
mcnt for ton years, we VIII have both
the improvements and the money ~
nearly all the money paid for street
improvements 10 spent right here In oul
city