The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1900-06-22

one-third system.
The most heated session Of the pres
emit council was held Friday night.
Several members, II the slang phrase
may be allowed, were hot under the
collar and the democratic contingent
was divided on all questions. The
first outbreak was upon the street
paving question, Councllmen Keenan,
and Kearns bitterly opposing the ac'
tion taken. The street committee
finally aroused themselves TO the real
situation and tacitly informed the
council in a lengthy report that they
had run struck a snag and there remain
ed only one way out Of the dilemma,
and that was to pave the business
square as originally laid out by the in
dependent plan. In order to do this
the committee said they would step
aside and leave matters In the hands
of the council.
STREET COMMITTEE STEPS ASIDE.
The street committees report read
as follows;
I'VE, your street committee, are
still in favor OF the one-third paving
ordinance, as we think and know by
experience OF other cities 1t is the only
plausible way by which we could ac-
complish any quantity ofwork in a rea-
sonable time, and that every citizen,
whether he lives in the center Of the
city or not, can have an equal chance
for these Improvements around his
property.
1--WE find that nearly every body from
our philosophers show willingness in
this system and believe it will nc.
complish the paving, they will be
reached, and had we been encouraged
by those who are able and who are ma
turally expected, it would have been
success.
But your street committee are viii
ling to sacrifice reluctantly what we
consider to be the only way the city
can be successfully paved and are also
willing to acknowledge for the benefit
OF some country editors, who we be-
lieve to be very brainy on the paving
question, as they have proven by the
Misrepresentation they have printed,
there is a "nigger in the wood pile"
and that "niggerr consists in the fact
that there are in our midst people
who for forty years have owned and
controlled our city, and the city's con-
dition to-day is evidence of the mig
ger In the wood pile"
at is bitter pill for them to loose
the rein and let the old town advance
along with her sister cities.
These people own large percentage
of the frontage on our principal streets,
and, although the city has benefited
them all their lives, they are still
ready to play DOG in the Manger."
ITO such people must be attributed
the failure of paving by the one-third
system. Justice demands that these
people should have the credit, if crodit
you may call 1t
I'VE respectfully submit that such
people by refusing to sign have block.
ed this system and caused the surburb-
an taxpayer to pave and beautify
their property, knowing at the same
time that these suburban people can
not receive the paving for years to
come.
Gentlemen of the council, we re-
spectfully submit that repeating the
one-third ordinance nails the coffin
of old Clarksburg on the paving ques.
tion, but your street committee will
not stand in the way. So, we step
aside and you can repeal the ordinance
and pave Pike and Main streets, be-
tween Second and Fourth, and Fourth
Streets" WILL THOMSON,
W. S. SIERs,
W. A. WILKINSON,
Street Committee.
The report was ordered filed, and