The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1900-08-11
|, ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS, ~ t...,%.
|: CITY! AFFAIRS. !:
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS !

last night, with Councilman Charles f.
Bachman presiding. Mayor Sweeney
and Chief OF Police Clemans were pres
emit, and the latter presented his re-
quest for the addition Of 1--WE men to
the police department. to be formed
into an ununiformed detective force.
The chief said he proposed, In the
event of the increase being authorized
by council, putting on two Of these
mem during the, day, and three at
night, and they would be used mainly
in the business district, where there
are nine banks. MANY large jewelry
stores. office buildings. and, in fact.
most inviting field for the c. iminal in,
search Of employment. Councilmen
Maurer and Bachman, as we'll as
other members, of the committee. en-
dorsed the chiefs project. The mayor
was also in line on the proposition, but
said 1t was question OF getting the
money. Councilman Maurer's motion
that the chiefs request be recommend
ed favorably to council was passed
without opposition.
Fears Hydrophobia.
Councilman Fox, of the First ward,
member Of the committee, requested
Clerk Worls to read the ordinance
governing dogs, which was done, Mr..
Fox calling attention to sections five
and seven. The fifth section provides
that all dogs In the city shall be taxed
and bear suitable collars: the seventh.
that In the event OF hydrophobia maxi
ing Its appearance. the city officials
shall have the power to Issue proc
lamntion ordering owners OF dogs 10
confine them, and giving the police off,
GERS authority to kill all dogs found at
large.
Mr.. Fox claimed the ordinance Is be-
Ing violated now: that there has been
case OF hydrophobia in the Eighth
ward within the past week. and up in
his part OF the First ward n man had
been terribly bitten by dog only
few days ago. The mayor and chief
OF police, said Mr.. Fox. should enforce
the ordinance The warm weather. he
feared. would cause more hydophobla
to make its appearance, and as 4 mat
ter of precaution these dogs running
Mt large without collars should be
disposed of. else there would be rep
etition OF Wheeling's experience of
three years ago. when hydrophobia
made such Roadway that one Of our
newspapers. the Inteligencer. received
subscriptions from the public. and
sent many OF our citizens to Pasteur
Institute in New York. where they
. were cured"
The Ordinances Legality.
After further discussion. Mayor
Sweeney said there had been some doubt
as to the legality OF the city ordinance
referred TO. he having heard that 1t con-
flicts with n state enactment. He
suggested getting the city solicitors
opinion before proceeding in the mat
ter. E3
Chief Ciemans said he was willing to
enforce the ordinance. II 1t could be
done. He said 1t would be impossible
to go, upon Z mans property to shoot
his dog. and shooting ours on the street.
he said. was more dangerous than hy-
drophobla.
Mr.. Fox suggested that the chief be
empowered to procure wagon and
employ dog-catchers. II the dogs
caught on the street without collar
were not redeemed, then they could be
shot. He wanted Immediate action.
before the catastrophe OF hydrophobla
comes Into our midst"
Mr.. Fox Again.
Councilman Maurer preferred refer
ence, OF the matter to the city solicitor
before taking action along the line sug-
gested by Mr.. Fox. TO which Mr.. Fox
responded: 1.-THE laws there; SO ahead
and enforce 1t. We want preservation
OF life from the ours that are running
about the streets. There is no other
city OF Wheelng's size in the United
States that allows dogs to run Mt large |
as they do here. The officers have the
law, and their duty is to enforce It."
Mayor Sweeney again said he was In
favor OF submitting the matter to the
solicitor so as to eliminate the chance
OF damage suits. Common. sense In
terpretat!ons are not always the legal
construction OF laws. and don't think
we should act until we have advice
from our proper legal adviser"
Councilman Maurer's motion that the
mayor and chief Of police see the sol!c-
ltor to-day. and get his opinion. went
through without opposition.
The committee recommended to coun-
Gil for payment bills ngrrcSatinc
slst So for the city prison and s2S2 o?
from the police fund. The reports Of
Chief OF Police Clemnns and Work
House Superintendent Woods were re-
ccired.