The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1913-09-12
Proposed Plan for City of Fairmont,
Which Will Be Submitted to the
People on Sept. Is, Discussed in
an Impartial Manner at Meeting
Thursday Night,
STRONG RESOLUTIONS
ADOPTED BY CHAMBER
Arguments in Favor Of New Charter
Advanced by Prominent Citizens
Who Feel Change is Necessary and
Resolutions Are Passed Without
Dissenting Vote.

AbNpO4ubASLo A4AN \ NSSSA " ANAAS y
Dissenting Vote.
At one OF the largest and most en-
thuSiastic meetings held by the
Chamber of Commerce in many
months last night the proposed
Greater Fairmont charter, providing
Il commission form Of government foi
the city was endorsed by resolutions
without a single dissenting vote.
The meeting was attended by the
leading citizens Of the city, many of
them pioneers in the carly building
and development Of the city, mostly
large property owners. and men now
most actively engaged in business in
the city, who gave voice of approval
by their speeches and by their votes
TO a movement which they, as pro-
greSsivc business men, believe is Il
large forward step toward insuring
the future growth and advancement
of the city.
The first business transacted at
the meeting was the consideration
Of some amendments to the constiiu-
tion and bylaws, Which were pra-
posed by u special committee APP
pointed to draft the changes sOmn
time ago. The amendments were
adopted as proposed and the change
will no doubt be Il very popular
movement as it does away with til"
nominating committee for directors
and provides for the election of all
directors from the floor of annual
meetings Of the chamber. The an
nual dues were also changed by re-
ducing the amount from $50 to $40.
The bylaws as amended also pro-
Yidcs that contributing members
may give an amount per year to the
support of the organization greater
than the $40 assessment but no
member, nor corporation. will be Civ
eli more than one vote upon any
question. no matter what amount
they contribute to the organization.
Having completed the cOrsidera.
tion and passage, Of the several
amendments. Anthony Bowen intro
ducCd resolutions endorsing the pro-
posed new charter for Fairm0nt, ana
upon the adoption OI the resolution
Il general discussion was had of the
CHARTER. The meeting Was address
cd by Anthony Bowen, y. d. Scott.
j. Nj. Jacobs, A. l.. Lehman, Frank
p. Kelly, 0. S. Mckinney, l.. NJ. Da-
Wis, Sam Il. Nuzum, J. NJ. Hartley, }.
Walter Barnes, DR.. W, II. Sands and
President X. T.. Cunningham, all OF
whom, save one, fayOring the en-
dorscmcnt of the charter.
Anthony Bowen. who represents
the MOnOngahcla Industrial conf
pany with large real estate holding
on the East Side, now outside Of TIL"
city limits, very earnestly advocat-
cd the passage Of the charter On the
ground that these outside properties
would be greatly benefited by com.
ing into the city and getting tha
benefits of the protection and tE-
rrovemcnts that the other residents
Of the city arc afforded.
Mr.. Bowen was followed by ]. NJ.
Jacobs, Il man who IS a substantial!
property owner in the city ana one
Of the city'S most progrcssiv" busl,
ness men. Mr.. Jacobs very ably told
of the advantages dr having Great
or FairmOnt. He said that with the
boundary line increased Fairm0nt
would be the largest city in the
northern part of the state except
Wheeling. He cited the city Of
Huntington as an example of what
can be done under business like
administration of affairs afforded
by a commission government. He
stated that the opposition to the
charter was mostly based upon absn-
lutte Misrepresentation appealing to
the Drcju1iCCS of the people, ana
that no sound argument had yet
tcen produced against the charter
A. l.. Lehman also advocated the
endorsement of the charter and as
nm experienced lawyer, IA man of cx-
cellcnt business Judgment. and who
is versed in municipal governmental
affairs, Ire gave the paving section Of
L. I,f a 1In gfuinl Ia I
the most of the opposition was bas'
cd upon this section Of the bill. but
that as he saw It, it was the particu-
lar part of the Aartcr that most ap-
pealed to his Judgment. Under the
old system he stated that few peo-
pie. or even one citizen could block
and prevent the paving of any street.
(Continued on Page Two.)