The Big Stone Gap post. [volume] (Big Stone Gap, Wise County, Va.) 1892-1928, 1899-05-04
What is the Matter With the
Mayor?

. the honorable gentleman who holds tn
office of mayor. We know Of no Otht
citizen so especially interested in I'll
town officially as to call meeting afit
y meeting Of the Council to pass ordinance
. for the Lcnrft Of tie torn. Your CORES
pOndent asks "what is the matter with tn
Town Council?" Well, the Town Council
is all right. ] know it is pretty tough O
{ his Honor the Mayor,tO have his respect;v
calls utterly ignored. He certainly shout
have influence enough with that bod
that when he calls them in special meet
ing there should be a scramble as Il
who got there first. But it is not th'
case. The reason whereof ! do not know
nor do | care especially.
expect however they think his Honor
is trying to give them tafy, that he is only
dallying and has some other reason for
these repeated calls.
To begin with what is it of interest to
the Town and the citizens thereof, that
could he acted on at a special called
meeting of the Council. Is it the stock
lawf Most certainly not and no one
knows this better than the Mayor, for he
is a lawyer and the duties of his Office
necessitates the reading, at least, of the
charter and the ordinances of the town.
Art. |, Sec. 6, is as follows: mo general
ordinance shall lie passed, amended, or
repealed without being referred to the
ordinance committee, nor until the next
regular meeting after such ordinance,
amendment or repeal is proposed, except
by a unanimous vote of the members
present" Well, what is q general
ordinance3 1t is one Of a general and not
special nature; affecting the whole com
munity and not a portion thereof. This
stock law was a general ordinance and
therefore could not be acted upon except
at the next regular meeting ofthe Council
bv the unanimous vote of those
present. A vote was taken at the first
meeting and it not being unani-
nous the ordinance went over to the next
general meeting. And in this connection
since your correspondent, "Citizen," is in
to be a little sarcastic, | would like
10 enquire the reason for such haste in
this stock law passed. Is it that
he poor horses are starving? Are the
owners kicking and clamoring for pasture
their weary steeds, or is it that his
Honor is seeking to pull the wool over the
yes of the people by pretending that he
S anxious for the horses to he turned out.
The old law is in force and we are inter-
'sted now Ia nothing but the two horses,
'Oor things, that are now Kicking the
lies and signing for.grsss. If the mayor
5 thus interested in the horses why did
&c not vote for RUbinson's amendment.
was The one who offered it and
voted against it. That's how he
owes the poor horses and how he has
erved the owners thereof, and at this late
ay he can not come before the people
retending that he IS the one who is so
in the horses. | myself am
pposed to turning horses loose to run
yer and trample the school children
nder foot, but whatever credit is due for
he privilege, is due to Robinson and no
lie else.
Now, having disposed of the stock law,
come to the teachers. They are not
any particular sand about their
ay. Every request they have made of
lie Council has been granted, and if they
re III arrears, it is the fault of the scnool
nstees and not of the Council. They /
to have more confidence in the
ouncil than "Citizen," and as the next
'uncll meeting was only a week from the !
tie OF the last called meeting, why this
'ste. don't think "Citizen' ever really
I'd much confidence in this part of his
gument. AT any rate ! don't think it
any excuse for a special meeting.
Next, let us take up the water works
rtion of "Citizen's" letter. Why surely |.
must have known that until il |
IS ascertained that the bonds could be !
nced, that any action of the Council |
'uld have been premature. Why surely I
e Council knew that General Ayers was ]
correspondence with several parties in I
9 effort to sell the bonds and that !
definite had then been decided I
OH relative thereto. :
As to the citizens who were patriotic
ough to join with the town in bringing !
injunction suit against The Glamor-
n Pipe and Foundry Works,. "Citizen" :
ms more interested in their behalfthan
y themselves. They are not kicking. I
'ause they are not fools. They know !
town will bear the court costs, il any,
leh will amount to but little, and that !
damages If any are decreed will not
eed $4,000. that being the penalty Of !
bond, and will be borne by the town
Messrs. Ayers, Bullitt, wcntz and I
inc.
'ow let us come to the new telephone /
The Council did not see any
reason to-act in haste 10 confer
'neft. That ! think is a sufficient
wer to that portion Of "C~itizen's" sug-
l personally am in favor of -
'ting a franchise exclusively to the .
phone eomnarv for . aos.u "a