Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1909-01-16
TRADE ORGANIZATIONS
APPROVE NEW CHARTER
Joint Meeting Of Business Men
and Charter Commission.
C0UNCILMEN INTERVIEWED
ENDORSE THE MEASURE

Charter Read at Meeting Friday
Afternoon and Trade Organizations
unreserWdIy Endorse Document BY
Set of Strong Resolutions Pro
test Entered.
From The World of Friday.
A joint meeting of the Board oil
Trade, Business Mems association
and Merchants association, trade
bodies representing the commercial
interests OF Martinsburg. was held
yesterday afternoon in Firemen's
hall at 800 o'clock. The charter
commission also met with the busi-
Less men, together with goodly num-
Der Of citizens.
Attorney Clarence e. Martin. sec
rotary of the charter commission,
called the meeting to order ami ex-
planned the object of it as giving the
business men of town an opportunity
to hear the charter read and to con-
slider its provisions before it is sub
mitted for passage at the coming ses-
sion of the Legislature.
Mr.. W. L. Jones was made chair
man of the meeting and Mr.. C. E.
Martin, secretary.
| Mr.. Martin, among other things,
described the new boundary lines for
the city from a map used by the
charter commission, which defines
the old and new boundary lines and
the ward lines also He then read
| the charter in full At one point Mr..
Martin was interrupted by Mr.. John
J. Hetzel who thought the charter
ought to have been printed in pamph-
let form and distributed among the
people in time for them to have Ji-
Ieberately considered all of its pro
visions. Mr. Max Robinson a mem
Der of the commission, replying to
Mr.. Hetzel, said that that was out
of tine question on account of the
short time intervening between now
and the converting OF the legislature,
and that this meeting and the ones
to be held Friday ami Monday after
moons were sallei for the purpose OF
giving the business men and citizens
of town and suburbs Just such oppor-
tHnfty to consider the charter as he
had asked for.
The following resolutions were Of
fered by Mr.. James w. Barrick en-
dorsfng the new city charter and
were adopted without dissenting
voice:
9esoiuticns.
Whereas: The needs of broader
and more comprehensive charter For
Martinsburg has been long manifest;
council in It's wisdom saw fit to
create a commission for this purpose
and authorized the mayor 30 appoint
such, and
Whereas: This charter commission
comprising. besides his honor, the
mayor, the city attorney, three mem
bers of coancil, four representative
business men from the city at large,
all of whom enjoy the confidence of
the community, and
Whereas; The commission has la
bored faithfully during the past few
months and it is source OF gratifl-
cation to every one that they have
been able to decide ON and submit
unanimously. the new charter which
satisfactorily covers all problems OF
this namre, and
Whereas: After considering said
proposed charter which has been ag-
lprovel and submitted to this meeting
by the city council we find the same,
broad in its scope, secure in its Safe
| Slbot1tSi Al0dciu IL AAtS ASoeuA -, t"AAN
workable in every detail; therefore
be it
J Resolved: That this meeting rep
Presenting all Of the commercial in
lterests of the city hereby approves
land recommends for passage at the
coming meeting of the Legislature,
the charter in it's entirety as submit
ted.
| Resolved further: That we recon-
mend to the citizens and taxpayers
for their approval, endorsement, and
influence, this charter that win mean
much for the cify's future welfare
and one so carefully prepared that it
will meet the requirements OF any
| cstv small Or targa as every nreca u