Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1907-02-16
WAS A LIVELY SESSION
Spirited Debates at Meeting Of
the City Council.
RACING ORDERED STOPPED
Council Opposed to Fast privina on
the streets-The Other Business
Transacted.

Transacted.
The regular February session of the
city council Thursday night proved a
very lively and interesting one, sew
eral matters coming up for discussion
and being debated In lively style. May
or Harrison was absent, and Council
man Lemen occupied the chair, with
Councilmen Little, zill. Schill, Poole,
Rentch, Cushwa and Thompson pres.
ent.
The suspension OF Fireman O'Brien,
of Ryneal No. was brought up and
caused prolonged debate. and re-
suited in holding the matter up for fur
Their consideration. The question
came before the council when the bill
for the salary OF Firemqn oBrien was
presented for payment oBrien was
suspended at the time cf the fire at
the Crawford Wooden mill by Chief
Marshal Kline for INSTRUMENTATION and
the fire commission upheld the action
of the marshal. Fireman o'Brien has
been off duty since that time. and ii
was expected that the council would
take some definite action on his case
at the regular meeting. It was held.
however, that the matter was not reg
ularly brought before the council, and
that nothing could be officially done
until the report of the fire commission
was submitted. A resolution calling
upon the fire commission for a report
of the whole matter was passed, and
the question will be disposed of at a
meeting OF the council TO be held on
Thursday evening of next week.
The fire commission sent a commu.
nication to the council, in which that
body was notified of the election of
Mr. ]. p. Talheim to the position OF
chief marshal of the department, and
the council promptly ratified the choice
of the convention.
Racing Question Brought Up.
The question of racing on Queen
street was brought up and precipitat.
ed the most lively debate of the even.
ing, Several OF the councilmen wanted
to know whether permission had been
given the horsemen to Use the streets
as a speedway, and whether there was
not city ordinance against fast driv
ing within the corporate limits. /
was brought out that lie permission
to race on the streets had been giver
the horsenien by the mayor or an,
other city official, but that no effor
, had been made to stop the speeding
of the horses.
| Several of the councilmen condemn
ed the racing emphaticaly, declarin
4 It to be against the laws of the cit
and dangerous not only to those er
4 gagged In IL, but to pedestrians an
4 others. "A resolution vas passed /
| which the mayor was requested TO Ell
force city ordinances against fast dri'
ing on the streets, and this action {
/ tut CohaiCil VIII thtS|SnniiS put a stD
to the racing for this winter, at leas
1t was pointed out that any accider
that might result from the practic
would make the city responsible fo
damages, and that the interests of tn
taxpayers should be safeguarded by
strict enforcement Of the law.
4 Police Force Discussed.
Another question that brought up
running fire of debate and common
i was that of the conduct OF one or tw
4 members of the police force. Severa
nights ago some excitement was ere
i ated upon the streets by the ringin
1 of the police call upon the firer bel
/ and 1t developed that the bell wa
rung TO summon Officer Riordon, VIII
1 could not be found for an hour or tw'
afterward, and whose absence had no
been satisfactorily explained. During
the debate on the police question on
| or two OF the councilmen expressed
themselves as being in favor Of reduc
ing the police force by Diminishing a
least one member, but no action viii
be taken until report OF the Riordor
incident is made by the mayor at the
meeting next week.
II was decided, however, TO secure
| what is known as 'timeclock" for
use at the city hall. and to require
each member of the force to report and
register once each hour. II was also
decided that one officer should be kept
on duty at headquarters throughout
the night. in order TO answe any emer-
gency call that might be sent In.
Mrs Gnrhann RaraIxxed