Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1897-11-15

| the city as comprised in the bid
bonds sought to be refunded was reduc-
| ed, during the past year, nearly $780,
| GOO, but this reduction was accom-
/ plished at the expense Of the city, its
streets, alleys, sewers, its fire depart
| ment.
Will any taxpayer of the city say
| he is satisfied with the present hand-to-
mouth manner in which the streets,
alleys and sewers are kept in repair?
Is he satisfied that the fire department
| is as well equipped as it ought to be
| for city as large as Wheeling? The
cry is economic. Let us begin to econ
omize in the line of such outlay as
interest, an outlay that once paid out
| never returns.
| You will be told more than once to-
| day that the money spent upon our
| streets, alleys and sewers remains in
most part in the city, and as far as
/ have been able to learn none of it
goes out of the State. This is a truth
that should impress itself deeply upon
the mind of the voter.
The position of the opponents of this
measure is this: After the tax collec-
tor has been satisfied, two parties ap-
pear at the City Building, Mr.. Bond
owner, maybe a taxpayer and maybe
not, and Mr.. Citizen PAYER, always a
taxpayer.
The treasurer recognizes Mr.. Payer as
an old acquaintance. What can we do
| for you, Mr.. Payer?
| Mr.. Paver-Say | got in two days last
| week and / need the money. Can I get
it? The superintendent told me he
| might let me get in day or two this
| week, but now he says the finance COM
mittee has shut down on him. He has
| plenty of work that ought to be done,
but he is close to his appropriation that
| he has to hold on to what little ne has
! for fear of big storm coming On that
| may flood streets and create an urgent
use or the money. He is to let me
know again. l must have the two days
pay or my family will be without some
thing to eat.
The Treasured calls up the clerk Of
the B. P. W.)-Have you an order for
Mr. PAYER for two days work done on
the street last week? Mr.. Payer is an
old friend of mine and l don't want him
to climb up to your office until l know
you have something for him.
Only slight pause and hello an
swers no. His order is in the tax coll
lector's Office. The answer is repeated
to Mr.. Payer,who says yes, do owe the
city some taxes, but | was in hope the
collector would wait until | got in a few
more days. The treasurer explains that
by order of Council the collector must
not let orders be paid to persons owing
taxes until the taxes are paid.
no 10 Nv
er, who hands him card to explain.
have removed out of the State, and be-
fore doing so had bought some of your
| city bonds. The coupons are due on the
| first of next month, about ten days from
now, and l would like to know if l can
get my money promptly On the first.
The treasurer says yes, my dear Mr..
! Bond-owner, the money to pay your
coupons is in the hands of commission
ers of the loan, and you can deposit
your coupons now with the assurance
that you will get paid for the great favor
| you do the city for allowing it to use
your money.
Yes, the ordinance requires that the
! treasurer shall pay into the hands of
the commissioners sufficient to pay the
interest upon its bonds, in most cases,
! fifteen days before they are due. We
| appreciate your favor SO much that If
| the treasurer does not have sufficient
cash in the general fund to meet the
! coupons he is required by the ordin-
| ance to accept the order of the city
! clerk. This order goes to~the commits
siOners, who get it cashed, and of course
| the city pays interest upon the order for
fifteen days before it is needed, but that
is nothing to the great risk you assume
! in loaning the city your money.
Again, Mr.. Bond-owner, out of innate
gratitude and kidneSs of heart we pay
you 20 to % per cent more interest than
we can borrow money for from many
( ether money lenders. Some Of these
| kickers would rather see it stuck down
/ in sewers and spread about the streets,
! but we know what is what
My friends, you know more about the
past history of the city in this respect;
know that mine is not fancy sketch; it
has had it's counterpart, | have no
doubt, in more than one instance.
l thank you, gentlemen, and If | have
not convinced you that the new ordin-
| ance should pass, | hope | have said
| enough to cause you to think we'll before
| you vote against it.
When Mr.. Forgey concluded Mr..
| Tighe repeated the question he put to
Mr.. Ahl In reply Mr.. Forgey admitted
| it would be cheaper to pay off the in
! debtedness O the city under the present
ordinances than under the refunding or
dinance, but he included in his reply an
argument that many municipal i'm
provements, badly needed. cannot be
made under the present system of pay
i ing off the debt ut will be cheaper, but
we wiiliave to pay the debt, while those
who come after us will have to make
the improvements
Norris Horkheimer, the father of the
| ordinance" made the next speech. He
| thought it useless to juggle with the Or
dinance. The city has debt bearing
interest at Az, and per cent, which
is maturing faster than it can be paid.
| He asserted that the city will never be
| out of debt This is the rule in every
| city. He mentioned many municipal