Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-10-29

Across Eleventh street, from the low
err end of the Second ward market
house to a building on the opposite side
of the street, there has been stretched
an advertising sign. 1t is inoffensive-
looking in itself, but its existence and
it's location at that particular place
has apparently stirred up a hornets
nest, and led to hints and intimations
without end. Witness the following,
taken from the current issue of The
True Pythian, where it is published I'M
der the caption, Like a Thief in the
Night"
Protected by the absence, or mayhap
the conniving of the political coxcombs of
our elaborate and exhuberant law protec-
torate, after the sun had gone down,
on our City Hall indicated the hour OF
three a. m, when forsooth the Market
Committee was dreaming of the increase
in their funds and planning elaborate i'm
provements, but the tread of the populace
awakened it, n there arose a most sGf-
locating stencil, as if all the vegetation,
been contaminated, what's TO be done?
Some one suggests, do others or they'll
do YOU but the cry goes up, BE just,
be i honorable, and &c 40 unto nto ooners WHY pa
it all about? Well, FL tell you. About 3
o'clock Tuesday morning, October 10, a
raiserabiy disreputable and unSeemiy piece
OF cloth and secondhand lumber, was ele-
vateu to the roof of the Market house, at
the corner of Eleventh street, just IN front
of the office for which the editor OF the
True Pythian pays rent to the city or
Wheeling. The daub of brick dust on the
face of the dirty rag makes it uncertain
whether or not it was the intention OF
the party for whom 1t was executed 10
advertise slot machines or White Cloud
paraphernalia. Suffice 1t to say 1t was q
dirty job that would not bear the light OF
day. y > This paper may be caieo
upon before the next city election to pre-
sent a few facts in relation to matters OF
vital Importance to the voters, ana II
promises that it will not contain any fur-
bellows or trimmings such as his article.
All this has also caused wider cir
culation to be given to a report which
has hitherto been simply repeated I'M
der the breath, and generally by those
who profess to know whereof they
speak. 1t is said there is in existence
an affidavit which makes a very serious
charge against an official of the city
of Wheeling.
The story is, in effect-and its truth
is vouched for by responsible parties
that the official referred to offered to
secure for a we'll known sign painter,
the privilege of using tie Second ward
market house for advertising purposes,
provided the sign painter would pay
him a sum sufficient TO place a five dol
lar note in the hands Of each member
of the Council Committee on Markets.
The sign painter readily assented, so
the story goes, and after the market
committee acted %favorably upon the
matter, it is said that the official called
for his money, and the sign painter
invited him to take a trip to the land
where they don't have frosts or snow
storms. The affidavit is said to have
been made by the sign painter, mar
rating the story substantially as re-
lated above.
1t is a matter If record that Council
has granted the privilege to place adj
vertising signs on the market house,
upon payment of a rental of $50 a year.
The following card anent the subject,
is from a we'll known citizen:
To the Editor of the Register.
Sir:-I notice a dangerous sign on the
lower end of the Second ward market
house, advertising a certain business
house. 1t is made of heavy boards, about
two and a half feet high, and extends
about twenty-five feet across the roof and
is braced up in a frail manner. A little,
stiff breeze would lift it from its bearings
and toss it over onto the heads OF the
people attending market. Should the mar
ket house be used for that purpose?
TUT I'D TTO