Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1899-05-17

1t was the obvious intention that the
Council Committee on Lights and the
Board of Gas Trustees should hold a
joint session, last evening, but through
the failure of some one TO notify the
members of the Board. the Committee
met alone
In addition to the membership of the
Committee Mayor Sweeney and City
Clerk O'Brien were present, and several
other Councilmen dropped in from time
TO time.
The first matter up for discussion
was the general condition of Gas Board
finances. and the desirability of putting
up additional lights on the streets and
alleys of the city. AS has been previ-
ously reported in this paper, the Board
feels that it could use one hundred more
lights to public advantage, but to put
in even half of this number will re-
quire more machinery. A new eighty
light dynamo, with the necessary wir-
ing, ETC.. is estimated to cost $4500
and the Board cannot supply the funds
unless the Finance Committee comes
to its aid. The Board did not include
this item in its estimate presented to
the Finance Committee, and action in
that direction will have to be outside of
the regular appropriation. in which the
Board estimates its receipts for the
year at $4,000 and its expenses at $685.
000 The Light Committee agreed,
without dissent. that the additional
lights and necessary machinery TO OPP
crate them were necessary, and adopted
a resolution TO the effect that the i'm
portance of the matter be urged upon
the Finance Committee at Thursday
evenings session. Mr.. Scally, mem
Der of both Committees. will present
the light matter before the Finance
Committee.
The discussion of this matter opened
up the old but important question of
the overburdened condition of the gas
works, through street lighting which is
done free of cost to taxpayers, and
there was a great deal Of talk in the
general direction of the importance of
relieving the works from the burden of
the electric light plant, and making the
cost of street lighting a charge upon
generally that the present system of
street lighting never was fair, but with
the increasing use of electricity, both
from private plants and from the
Wheeling Company, it has become
grossly unjust TO charge gas consumers
with the entire cost of lighting the
streets of the city, while those who
burn electricity have no share of the
burden.
The Committee was very favorable
to such action as would levy enough
taxes to pay principal and interest of
bonds to the total of 900 per year,
and then pay the cost of street light
ing out of the general fund, thus re-
lieving the gas works of this burden
and permitting a reduction in the price
of gas to about sixty cents net per 1000
feet. 1t was held that this would be
justice all around, and the views of the
Committee will be urged on the Finance
Committee as well as upon Council.
The matter of additional electric
lights on South Broadway during the
Elks' Carnival was brought up, and a
resolution was adopted recommending
that three additional lights be tenn
porarily placed south of Ohio street.
One of these three lights properly be-
longs there, having been located at al
ley 43 when the plant was first installed,
but was removed and never replaced.
During the session many financial
matters were discussed including the
refunding Of the city debt at a lower
rate of interest. and during this portion
Of the session Mayor Sweeney stated
he had RECEIVED proposition from one
of the most prominent trust companies
in the country, offering to refund the
entire city debt at three and one-half
per cent, and he said he believed the
bonds could be placed on a three per
cent basis, thus saving the city from
$4,000 to $4,000 per year in interest.
He understood, however, that promi-
nent men in Council had taken steps
to kill this business-like proposition in
advance of its Dresentment, and was
much discouraged over the condition OF
affairs in that regard.
The Finance Committee meets Thurs
day night. The published statements
-