Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1901-07-27

| held last evening al the City Hall, being
called by Mayor Fred Neininger for the
i purpose of considering the franchise
and general status OF the Bridge
port & Cadiz Inter-urban Railway COM
| pany, with especial view TO having the
council lay out the line along the route
! granted by ordinance between the west
ern limits OF the corporation and the
west end Of the Wheeling & Belmont
Companys bridge, to the end that the
corporation might commence the work
OF construction.
There were present, in addition to the
mayor and councilmen, Mr.. L. l.. Fin
| ley, of Steubenville. law partner of
Elk Governor Richards, OF Ohio. repre-
senting the railway company; Mr. j. A.
White, of the company; MIR. George
Duncan, representNg the Wheeling
| Traction Company. who, however, was
spectator, merely taking mental notes,
number of prominent citizens. and
! City Solicitor George Mckee.
to order, and Mr.. Wilson was chosen
secretary. The full membership was
, present, Messrs. Meister. Stevenson.
/ Wilson. Miller, Whitewater and Riley.
After the roll CO., Mayor Neininger
stated the busine = lor which the body
had been assembled, and stated that he
had a written notice from Mr.. J. A.
| White, of the railway company, that
| he was ready to comply with the terms
OF the franchise as granted by council.
| The secretary read the ordinance in
full, with the amendments as to the ex-
| tension of time, and at the conclusion
of the reading Mr.. Riley offered reso-
luton, seconded by Mr.. Stevenson, that
| the council proceed to lay out the
route for the line within the village.
as provided fer by the franchise
! granted.
and after the adoption OF the measure
proposed.
Mr.. Meister objected to the resolution
|
| for the reason that there was no limit
expressed as to the replacing of streets
to be torn up. and expressed his opin-
| ion that the proposition was very
loosely drawn He also expressed the
opinion that there should have been a
provision in the ordinance for five
cent fare to and from Wheeling, as one
! of the conditions precedent to the lay
ing out of the route through the town.
He was followed by Mr. Wilson, who
also objected, stating that Mr.. White
should be compelled to enter into a
bond in 1000 or $500, conditioned
for the faithful performance OF the
work to be undertaken, as an evidence
Of gooo faith.
Answering Mr.. Wilson's objection,
Mr.. Riley said it was too late to exact
| that condition; 1t should have been
asked when the ordinance was pre-
| sented. or incorporated before its adop-
ton. Mr. Riley further made the state
ment that while conceding the point
was we'll taken, it was not then within
the province of council to act in that
! regard. The ordinance had passed and
| the franchise was granted Council
should have had the forethought to
have introduced such safeguards at the
proper time The council had entered
into a contract with the company, MI
White stood ready to perform his part
| of the contract, and default by the
council would throw the body open to
liability.
Mr.. Stevenson remarked that he was
no lawyer, but his opinion was that if
the council extended the time for estab-
| fishing the route, it would extend the
| life of the ordinance in the important
! matter Of the company's beginning
operations. In other words, If council
refused to do anything for five years,
Mr.. Whites time for commencing opsr-
ations would be extended for cores
ponding period.
Mr.. Wilson interjected the remark
| that. in his opinion, neither Mr.. White
nor those he represented had the money
to either begin or complete the work.
He had good reason, he said. for this
expression Of opinion.
Mr.. Meister remarked thas the sole
object on the part of Mr.. White and his
associates was to tear up the streets
and then leave them in bad condi-
| ton.
The question was asked Mr. Fhite;
"Arc you prepared to build this road2'
Mr.. White replied I'VE are ready te
conform to the conditions of the ordin-
ance and to fully perform ouT part.
Mr.. Wilson asked Mr.. White il ne had
| let the contract FOR the rails. and re-
ceived a satisfactory reply. Mr.. White
was asked as to whether he hal let a
contract for work in the village, and
teplled in the affirmative.
A portion Of this discussion took
place before the putting of the resolu-
ton. and portion afterwards. The