Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-02-14

sion of crime. In considering the proyis-
Ions which would bsst tend 70 elevate
ment, I conclude the present crude method
or reporting by means of the local tele-
pa eaien eea 9 to E pc M va IN . essenslal
ton with a representative of the Gauewell
system in general use In the larger cities.
l believe It is within the ability OF this
low cost and in a manner that would make
the payment easy and possible. This sys-
to at once ~eonrmuniccaie WITH the police
headquarters in much the same manner as
they can now send in a fire alarm and In
sure prompt attention. besides automalical-
ly recording the time and location of each
officer reporting.
THE present lookup being all in one
room makes necessary the incarceration
of male n female prisoners IN common,
and as it is sometimes necessary to conhne
for a short time persons who are not de-
PRAYED, l urge the provision of cells for
this purpose in the vacant room in the
rear of the lookup keepers office. Great
DIFFICULTY is experienced at times in caring
the hospitals have been very generous, the
delays before securing admission have in
some instances been disastrous, and 1t has
occurred to me that the matter might be
remedied, if the city would endow a bed
at n or both of the hospitals, The cost
would. not be excessive, and the results
in furthering the efficiency of the depart
ment, would be most gratifying.
W0rkhouse.
suggestion for locating a workhouse
IN the old water works boiler house having
met with opposition, and no fund being
available last year, we are in no manner
relieved from the conditions rectted IN my
last message, and each year adds to the
miserable state OF the present apology Tor
With a desire to provide some nucleus
from which the city could build a suitable
prison and at the same time come Within
her means, the site of the old water reser-
voir has been gone over and some negoua-
ton had with the Water Board ook,ng TO
ment of the stone in building the new
structure. The location is probably as
good a one as could be secured. the
being. admirably adapted for the purpose,
and from a rough estimate made by the
City Engineer, he believes there is a suffi-
Gent amount of stone in the old walls TO
build the proposed prison. This would
seem to offer the city a plan for compass
ing what | consider her most pressing
need, by the expenditure of q comparative
ly small amount of money, and the result
would give a much more substantial ana
lasting building than could possibly be
not already provided.
Il hope 1t will be your pleasure to ap-
propriate sufficient money. and to author
lie the erection of the new prison SO that
1t may be completed and occupied before
another winter.
Water Board.
while the province of his paper is to
Suggest the needs of the city, L deem it
work being accomplished by this branch. of
plant 50 far as completed. is a model Of
development will be in position to furnish
a water supply, vastly superior to any city
Of our size in the country and much better
than that of many larger cities.
THE present minimum daily water con-
sumption of the city Is ten millions of gall
Ions; the maximum, twelve millions. Our
present completed pumping capacity at
one-half million gallons capacity each, or
a total Of fifteen million gallons. Ii any
accident should happen to either of these
pumps, it would necessitate the speeding
up of the remaining one to a degree that
would certainly endanger it. To remove
this danger, the Board is now installing a
new pump with a daily capacity of twelve
millions of gallons.
The plans of the Board contemplate
further Improvements which will of neces-
sity be impossible of accomplishment for
sine time to come, but when fully carried
out will give our city a. pure and adequate
water supply.
Street Paving.
TN looking over the condition of our
paved streets, l have been impressed with
the fact that many of them are in horrible
condition, and that at NO far distant time
must be taken up and relatd. Some wnicn
worn fully half through, while others,
through repeated cutting for trenches, or
by reason of original inequalities in the
foundation, are uneven and rough
when it is considered that the Boards
contingent fund is barely sufficient to pro-
vide for the ordinary and necessary clean
ing = OF streets and exg9enses Incidental to
per cent levy FUND is not available for
streets which have been improved, and
that our general fund has been severely
taxed to provide for the requirements of
the other departments or the city, it be-
comes q serious question as to the best
means of making provision for these i'm
of assessment for the paving of streets,
new sewers and curbing, known as the ten
per cent; levy" has never and is not now
deemed to be either equitable or as cover
ing the requirements. Added to this is the
fact that through an unwritten law the
fund has been divided equally between
the wards without reference to the neces-
sits of other portions of the city, or to the
amount of paved streets in the several
wards.
The last annual report of the City En-
gineer gives exhaustive data as to the
comparative area of improved streets N
the several wards, which was
never before available, and demonstrates
beyond question that our present plan of
assessment and the method of its distribu-
ton does not carry out In a fair and just
manner the provision OF the ordinance;
Just what better plan could be adopted l
am not prepared to say, but would urge
that the practices OF other cities be in
VeStlSdted and some plan ~1OrTnuiateQ winch
will result in a more equitable distribution.
Free Toll to the Island.
1.-THE residents of the Seventh ward still
feel that they are entitled to relief from
the onerous and unpleasant burden of a
toll charge, and, while recognizing that
their properties were acquired with a full
knowledge of the imposition Of the bridge
tax. that the bridge compan was a pri-
the control of the city; nevertheless cannot
recognize the fact that other wards of the
city are connected by expensive bridges
owned by the city and partially paid for
by the Seventh ward. Their assessed val
uation IS equal to hat of any ward in the
city, their population increasing. and their
allotment of improvements not common
surate with that of the other wards. An
other fact bearing upon this matter and
appealing strongly, to the residents Of the
Seventh ward is that certain residents of
the city who have been required to pay toll
to the National road (owped by the county,
and therefore a virtual property of the
city,, lave been related by the city for the
toll so paid.
"In pursuance of a pledge made by the
candidates of both parties for Council from
the Sevenah ward at the last city election,
Council appointed a committee for the pUr-
pose of securing a proposition from the
bridge companies looking to free toll. Our
late member, Mr.. w. P. Mckelvey, was
delegated and made repeated and earnest
with the bridge representatives. One
bridge p signiied its willingness TO
discuss the matter, and the other company,
by one pretext and another. delayed an
swering and practically refused to con-
slider the matter. / am firmly of the optn-