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

| CONCENTRATIONS WHICH
SHOULD HAVE THE EARNEST
CONSIDERATION OF COUNCIL
MEN.
Following is the first annual mes
sage of His Honor, Mayor Sweeney,
read in Council at last evenings reg
ular session:
ITO the Hon. First and Second
Branches of the Council of the City OF
Wheeling.
"Gentlemen:-In compliance with
Section Of the ordinance in relation
| to the Mayor of the City beg to sub
/ nit the following for your considera-
ton:
Under the system of estimating the
revenues of the city for the current
year there is a great temptation to
| overstep the bounds of propriety in the
| matter of overestimating the proba-
BILE income, very pernicious practice,
resulting in the establishing of addi-
| tICnal indebtedness in the form of out
standing or accepted orders; these Or
ders being virtually the note of the
City, promise to pay, but having no
fixed time, for payment being redeem
ed only when the fund upon which
they are drawn shall have available
funds, are accepted by the banks which
are the city repositories and interest
computed at per cent. from the date
OF their acceptance until payment is
made. An interest rate of per cent
upon these outstanding orders appears
( to be excessive, especially since the
banks which hold these outstanding
! orders in one fund may and often do
have on deposit money belonging to
one of the other funds of the City,
Sc that in a measure the City is bor-
| rowing back her own money at high
! interest rate.
THE books of the city show as I'M
paid $4,000 of the Marietta and Gin
Cinnati bonds, and the interest ac
count is charged with 391a years inter
| est on the same at 3 per cent, or
| $5,925 000 a total for bonds and interest
Of $10,925.00. 1t is very improbable
that these bonds will ever be present
| ed for payment and | would suggest
that the amount be charged off.
| ION February 18th the balance of
| the 1870 loan amounting to $4,000
was paid, thus retiring the loan. The
! net debt Of the city January LIST, 1899,
was $566,93064, deducting the payment
| OF the 1890 loan, and if the Marietta
| and Cincinnati bonds and interest be
charged off the net debt would be
! $546, 005.64. The valuation of real
i and personal property within the city
| for the purpose of taxation is S23, 327,
| 1883. The city is authorized to issue
| bonds to the extent of per cent. of
| the county valuation, S19,000000, or
| $3.50, 100000, so that the city is we'll
within her financial limit
| Assuming that the receipts for the
| present year will approximate those of
last the estimated receipts will exceed
the expenditures (based on last years
appropriations about $4,000, which
amount is about all that will be avail
able for new work or new improve
ments.
GAS WORKS AND LIGHT PLANT.
From the best figures obtainable
the revenues of the gas works for the
current year will fall short Of the es-
timated expenditures includingA the
electric light maintenance, approAi-
mately $4,000. This deficit is due
largely to the competition in the sale
of the bi-prOducts, necessltating a ma
terial reduction in price. 1t has been
the custom for all city departments to
receive gas free of charge, a custom
that should never have obtained. for
1t does the gas works injustice and does
not properly represent the cost of the
other departments. In my opinion
each city department using gas should
pay the gas works upon basis of
the actual cost. The value of the gas
furnished the departments last year
on a basis of SOC per thousand was
S3,023.60, or more than sufficient to
make up the estimated deficit for this
year. The old overdraft of the Board
amounting to $4,000 should also be pro-
vlded for; it now carries a rate of in
terest of per cent. and being an old
matter demands attention.
FIRE DEPARTMENT.
This department is in the best pos
slble condition, the equipment and
building being in good repair, the
horses efficient, and eliminating the
factor of accident, there will be no ex-
traordinary expenditure required for
the actual needs of the department as
| ii now exists.
For several years there has been a
demand for some fire protection to the
property in the extreme eastern portion
Of the city. The necessity for some such
provision is urgent, the district being
remote from the engine houses as at
present located, and the character of
the buildings of the most inflammable
type, being for the most part small
frames. A chemical apparatus, the
most efficient for the duty, could be in
stalled in house of moderate cost, and
l hope it may be your pleasure to pro-
vide an equipment
POLICE DEPARTMENT.
NO branch of city government de-
serves more attention than that to
which is entrusted the care of the lives
and property of its citizens. For the
size Of its force this city will. think.
compare favorably with any in the
country, but as in all business matters
modern methods must be adopted if we
would attain the best results. The best
results have been achieved where there
was a provision for gymnasium exer-
else, the training imparting the men a
vim which made them doubly vigilant
and effective. The present police court
room could be sub-divided Qeaving am
pie room for the conduct of the COURT
at small cost, equipped with bath
and the necessary gymnastic appliances.
and would, l feel sure, be money well