Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1899-03-15


good shape, and that money may be
forthcoming for improvements in the
future AS yet there is no surplus to
speak Of.
An important recommendation is that
each department of the city govern
ment pay to the gas works the actual
cost of the gas it uses. In this way it
| is suggested the gas works deficit may
be met and the works placed once more
on it's feet, while the increase OF rev.
enue will go towards offsetting the
lighting of the streets.
| Another excellent recommendation
| is that the present wretched travesty
on city prison be abandoned, and the
old city water works building made
into Jail for that purpose. This prop
erty is now idle and useless. 1t could
at very small expense be fitted up as
an ideal city prison.
| His Honor's recommendation regard
! ing the establishment of regular or
ganized system of public charity is
worthy of careful consideration. He
points out truly that the work of the
various private organizations of char
| ity are not competent in that they are
so frequently imposed ON by the unde-
serving to the detriment of the really
deserving poor. A central official or
ganized charity under competent Off
GERS would do much good where char
| ity is most needed and eliminate the
dead beats" that are always first and
most clamorous in appealing for aid.
! Vigorous measures are recommended
to insure the speedy building Of the
| proposed new B. & o. station and other
needed improvements and reforms
along that line the lack of which is
now a detriment to the city.
The industrial situation in this city
is reviewed by the Mayor with the
forethought and comprehension of a
| thorough man of business. The danger
of having the industries of this COM
munity owned and controlled by for
| eign capital is dwelt upon. 1t is
danger that must be instantly recog-
nized by every intelligent business man.
| The Mayor points out, as the Register
| frequently has of late, the imperative
| necessity of having other industries to
| fall back upon in case our trust-owned
| and trust-controlled industries should
| be suddenly shut down and dismantled
"a contingency that will ever threaten
so long as trusts continue to be oper-
ated upon the trust priciple of cur
tailment of production to maintain
prices and trust profits. IN this con-
nection the Mayor offers the excellent
practical suggestion, which the Regis
ter heartily seconds, that a meeting of
those gentlemen, who have recently
sold their stock in local concerns to the
trusts and now have a surplus of idle
money seeking inves tment. be called in
conjunction with the Chamber of Com
merce with view to a general discus
sion of plans and pooling of issues to
the end that the industries gobbled by
the trusts may be reinforced by other
independent and new local industries
not so controlled, so, in the event of the
ever threatening trust shut down, this
community with it's great working
population will not be utterly help
less and without hope, resource, or en-
ployment for it's people.
Mayor Sweeney is to be applauded
for his vigorous grasp of this subject
and timely suggestion. 1t is matter
, of paramount Importance to every
business man and merchant in the city,
for every ones interest is the same in
this connection and linked with that of
his neighbour.
The Mayor properly reproves the
Water Board with considerable abrupt
ness for its unaccountable refusal to
reveal to him the condition of that i'm
portant department. 1t is truly an
anomalous situation when an executive
officer is refused information concern
ing one of the departments under his
general supervision and there would
seem to be room here for a summary
investigation.
A matter given too little care and
consideration is that of granting liquor
licenses. 1t appears that almost any
sort of a dive may gain a liquor IL
cense from Council these days and it Is
en- abuse on which the Mayor very
properly calls halt
In view of the present low rate of
interest prevailing throughout the
country, the Mayor suggests-and the
suggestion is an excellent one-that
the present bonded indebtedness of the
city, which now yields to the bond
holders an average of about six per
cent, be refunded at a lower rate. The
Mayor believes and with excellent
reason that the entire bonded debt may
be refunded at saving of probably
212 per cent. of annual interest charge.
This would about cut the latter down
Hue-half, be a splendid stroke of fl
nance and would effect a considerable
saving while it would furnish money