Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1901-06-09
BRIDGEPORT COUNCIL CRIT.
CIZED.

BRIDGEPORT COUNCIL CRIT.
CIZED.
James Kinney, Jr.. Replies to Mayor
and Council.
BElLAIRE, O., June s, 1901.
To the People of Bridgeport
In the Register of last Sunday you
were told over the signatures of the
Mayor and Councilmen OF your city
| why they voted to give away the use
! OF your water mains for twenty years
and why they did not look with favor
upon my proposition which was for
the purchase and payment for same
in the sum OF $31, 0GO.
They have evidently abandoned their
former reasons, namely, a home indus
try, a home company and option to
buy after a stated period and now try
to make you think 1t was because I
asked for immunity from taxation for
local purposes. This part of my pro-
| position was never discussed at our
conferences, as were all other points,
and there never was any objection made
on that account. In fact the proposal
was entirely satisfactory in every re-
spect except that the pumping plant
would be in West Virginia and they
couldn't buy 1t at the end of twenty
years.
City Solicitor, Mr.. Mckee. said to me
that my proposition was much the
best one for the city, but that he didn't
know what the Council would do.
Committeeman Mr.. Wilson said to me
in a telephone conversation after they
had recommended to Council that
that the proposition of Bridge
port Water Company be ac-
cepted, that eff you only lived in
Bridgeport it would have been differ
ent.' / always knew that Bridgeport
was a pleasant place in which to live.
but never before realized that it was
worth $1.860 a year to live there and
be a good fellow.
Council and Mayor state further that
| was involved in numerous law suits
growing out of well digging operations
in the vicinity of Bridgeport This,
il true, of course would be to you a sat
isfactory reason {! ! J why they should
throw away an offer of $31, 900 and
thereby get rid of me. but unfortunate
ly for their position it isn't true.
Court records will show that | have
never had a trial of any case against
any person in Bridgeport or vicinity.
Mayor Neininger says ne didn't know
my letter of May End, containing
amended propositions asked for by Mr..
! Mckee had been received at his place.
Mrs. Neininger said she told him. At
ter a short discussion Of the matter,
Mrs. Nieninger said, now Fred you
know very we'll told you there was
a letter there from that man at Bel
laire about the water works. But
suppose the Mayor told the truth in
the Joint effort given to the world
last Sunday, is there any excuse for
such inadyertance, such carelessness in
the first official of your city?
The Mayor further says that he ask
ed me to let him present the amended
proposition at next meeting. He is
again somewhat mixed as to facts; he
did ask that | propose to meet inter-
est on bonds until due and repeatedly
promised to have such a proposition,
If made, read at the coming meeting,
tMay 27th.) My letter of May oath
contained such a proposition but was
not read for the reason as alleged that
1t contained language insulting the
Committee. j will leave 1t to the peo-
pie of Bridgeport as to whether or not
that letter contained one word that
would insult an honest man, who had
performed an honest duty.
But let us look at the contract: read
carefully Section 2. and see what o
are giving away and for which you
could have received 81, $50 per year or
a cash sum of $31, 900.
Section 3. first paragraph: that an
peals to your home pride and promises
you a completed plant ION or before
October 18th, unavoidable delays ex-
! cepted;" comforting promises. SLY
- Ioxy scheme"
Section Z. How definite! What be-
came of those elaborate plans SD Jsn
to Council representing Jewell Filters.
dry well, pumping plant. &c? Why are
they not referred to in the so-called
contract and made a part thereof?
Why not have specified just how water
is to be filtered? But lowering over
the lurking dangers of this purposely
indefinite section is one good Angel
created by the laws OF Ohio. aud 1T
should protect you.
Section IL, first paragraph. here dear
people is the whole secret. What is it?
You are not asked to vote on a con-
tract; fhere is no contract upon which
to- vote. only an option. Read that part
again. and in case such bond is not
furnished. then this ordinance and all
the grants, terms and conditions there
of shall be void"
This plainly shows that some sly
schemer who perhaps knows more law
than o of you do would trifte with
you, receive at your hands an option
which he might barter and sell or trade
for a Bellaire telephone plant, failing
IN which he is under no obligation to
provide for you a supply of water as
some of you might suppose he would
be, because lin case such bond is not
| furnished, ETC..
Other sections of this so-called con-
tract are such as may be found ordi-
narily in ordinances of this kind, but
there should have been a forfeiture
clause for your protection.
This so-called contract now posted
about your city Is an insult to your
intelligence formulated by one not man
ly enough to ask for what ne wants
over his name. but instead uses the
name CT another and more honorable
person; by one posing as attorney. but
who is, so I am told, the real grantee.
This so-calle0 contract is a monstro-
sity Of a most hideous form. Conceiv-
4 al IN Ybo -frd- - o<1~ L.