Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1897-03-12
MbeeIin9 Re9istfr
BUSINESS-LIkE MEETING
Of the Council Committee on Finance,
Last Night
An Able Effort to Get at the Root
Of the Trouble in Municipal FL
nances-The Charge of the Regis
lister, During the Last Campaign,
Abundantly Proven-The Com
mittee Very Much in Earnest

The Council Committee on Finance
assembled at the Office of the City Clerk,
last evening, for the purpose Of making
a preliminary study Of the financial
condition of the city, preparatory TO
making up the annual appropriations
for the several departments. The
Committee made a very good start, and
appear to grasp the situation with both
hands. Notwithstanding all but one are
new members of Council. and no one
has ever before served upon the Fin
ance Committee.
The City Clerk had prepared a state
ment Of the estimated receipts and the
actual receipts and expenses during
1896. which showed the existence at
this time of a total floating debt, draw
ing six per cent. interest. of over $2l.-
GOO. and the figures and accompanying
remarks were examined by the mem
berS with much interest.
Before the main siness Of the even
ing was taken up Messrs. List and
Schmidt. OF the Committee on Health.
begged a few minutes indulgence and
laid before the Committee the fact OF
the error in the plans of the building
now being erected for the police patrol
wagon and ambulance, whereby the
house was laid out about eight feet 100
short. The gentlemen stated they
would require about $500 additional
money TO rectify the error. and the
Finance Committee promised 10 give
the matter attention in due season, and
10 allow the amount.
This disposed of. Chairman Horkhei-
mer laid before the meeting the next
item of business. the request of the
Fire Committee to have the city pur-
chase a strip of ground about 14X90 feet
in dimensions. IN the rear OF the \lgl-
liant engine house. for use as an alley
entrance. The question OF ways and
means was the one TO be considered.
rather than the eXpediency Of the mat
ter. about which there was no division
of opinion. and after a good deal OF de-
hate resolution was adopted 10 the
effect that the item would be allowed
by the Finance Committee in the Fire
DEPARTMENTS annual estimate.
The next matter was to fill the va
cancv in the commissionership Of the
loan of 1885 and the stone bridge loans,
caused bv the death of P b. Dobbins
Mr.. L. E. Sands. cashier OF the EN-
change Bank. was chosen as commits
sioner Of the loan Of 1888 The filing
of the vacancy on the bridge loans was
deferred
The matter Of delinquent taxes was
next taken up. and after statement by
the Chair that there was a large amount
of money outstanding. a resolution was
adopted asking the City Collector 10
call in as much Of this money as pos
sible
The general financial situation then
had its innings. Clerk Watkins state
ment. alluded TO at the outset, was read,
and il hit the late reform Counci. an
awful slap between the eyes, while
proving all that the Register claimed
during the last city campaign lhe
statement showed that the Board OF
Pubrc Works. for example, had eX-
pended S4.S54.2O in 1896. in excess Of
actual receipts. and almost every other
department was also in the hole. The
recapitulation showed bills in tran
situ'' aggragating $21.64l.75. Of which
S16276.7i was general fund and So
S6504 ten cent levy fund. In his &C
companying comments Clerk Watkins
said:
MY belief is that Council has been
dealing with the Board Of Public
Works in this loose manner for several
wears. each year the outstanding orders
increasing.
The cause is evident In the one
case. over-estimate is made OF the rev
enues for the contingent fund. and in
the other the taxes are not collected up,
In both cases there is a shortage. but
nevertheless the Board OF Public
Works never fail to expend all that is
appropriated. az they are in no wise
responsible for the non-collection Of
raves licenses or other revenues.
~Tbe only way out of this rut that
T am now able to discover is 10 make
your appropriations to the B. P. W.
in accordance with the several receipts
for that purpose, based-upon what may