Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1899-04-25

The Council Committee on Ordinances
met last evening. and listened to the read
ing of the ordinance submitted by the
Peoples Railway Company. granting a
franchise for a new line of electric rail-
way within the city.
In addition to the membership of the
committee. there We're present Mayor
Sweeney, City Solicitor Nesbitt. General
T. S. Riley, s. G. Smith, F. P. Mcneil
Sheriff Richards, E. Buckman, and
number of other gentlemen. Chairman
Mccormick presided
AS soon as the Committee was called
to order the ordinance was read by Clerk
O'Brien. At the conclusion of the read
ing, the chairman suggested that the rep
resentatives of the Company present be
heard before any action was taken. In
reply Mr.. Smith said the measure had
been referred to the City Solicitor at the
last meeting, and suggested that that Of
fetal should be first heard from. This
suggestion was adopted, and Mr.. Nesbitt
was asked to give his views.
Mr. Nesbitt said he had examined the
draft of the ordinance with considerable
care, and had made the following notes,
which he proceeded to read:
In line of the title the phrase, in
the streets is too general. 1t should be
made to read, certain streets In Sec.
l, line 4, the words Successors and as
Signs should go out unless the franchise
is assignable--that is. unless the Company
has the privilege of selling. In line 6 the
word tracks means any number of
tracks; there should be something sub
stituted like single street railway track
In line 7, all or any of the streets is too
general. This leaves 1t to the Company
to only build and operate portion of the
track. Also. in line 7, the words poles
ana wires should be limited to those nee
essary to operate the line. In line the
word cars is also general. In that line
and those following the track is not located
by distances and direction, as in the
Wheeling and Elm Grove ordinance for
| instance. In lines Is and 16 it is stated
the line is to run on Market street from
Coal street to Eleventh street, but there
is no provision for passing the market
house. and no provision for an arrange
| ment with the Wheeling Railway Com
pany. In line 20 1t provides for line
across the creek to Twentieth street, but
it does not say how the creek is to be
crossed, either on the tracks of the
! bridge or over a new bridge. That should
be particularized. In line At s. &c 0.
property is crossed. over which the city
has no right of way; there is no explana-
| ton of the arrangement there and in the
same line there is no explanation as to
whether 1t is proposed to pass the Centre
market on its east or west side, and there
is no explanation of any arrangement on
TVS nd nd.
Twentieth streets. In line IS the words
any of said streets should be made to
read all of said streets or the whole of
| said line In the following line it should
also be stated how many cars should be
run. or what the schedule should be. In
line IS, it should specify that cars should
be run by electricity only and in line
g.. the gauge of the track should be speci-
| fed Section 2 I think. is unnecessary
(This section exempts the Company from
certain taxes, etc. In Sec. 4, lines 16 to
10, the switches should be located by the
ordinance, or provision made for further
action by Council In Sec. 6 it should be
stated that lines heretofore given fran
chises should have the right of way in
cases of conflict. In Sec. 49, lines 15 and
i6, should not say upon whom notices
should be served; the law provides for
that. would suggest generally that all
the conditions the city required from the
Wheeling and Elm Grove Company should
be inserted There are no provisions for
compensation to the city, and no fixed life
for the franchise. The poles should be of
iron, and set subject to the regulation of
the Board of Public Works, and provision
should be made for guard wires along the
trolley wire. The City Engineer should
have supervision of construction the kind
of rail should be stated, and the city
should have the option of purchase after
a term of years, the price TO be fixed
by arbitration"
These suggestions were listened TO with
close attention, and when the Solicitor
closed Mr.. Williams moved that the ordl-
| nance be referred back to the Company TO
have the suggestions Of the Solicitor in
corporated.
Mr. Kindelberger suggested that repre-
| sentatives of the Company were present.
and should be heard from but this sugges-
| ton. as well as one following that sub
| committee be appointed to go over the
proposed route. met with practically no
| favor, and the Committee adjourned
|