The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1918-08-02
Fixed Revenues and Grow
ing Costs Keep Treas
ury Hard Up.
THAT'S WHYWATERFAILED
Commissioner Smith Prom
Uses to Have Big Reser-
voir Cleared.
1rniclpaI nlght proved 50 interest.

Municipal night proved so interest
that last evenings meeting Of the
.,lrv clug rem two hours over time
.lHe the men Icrs Of the club listen
Cd 20 city commissioners and heads OF
municipal departments talk frankly
and earnestly about Fairmonts cry
government
MAYOR Bowen who lead off the speak.
ing for the clubs guests said that the
greatest need N the particular depart
ment Of which he is the head is tn
cooperation of the citizens. I'm this
connection h. spoke particularly o,
tine need Of the assistance OF all IN
the enforcement Of the vagrancy and
the traffic laws II is not desirable
he maintained to withdraw large mum
bers Of men from productive industry
10 nut them 10 work running down OF
tenders under these laws. Nor would
even a large number Of officers bring
about 100 per cent enforcement al
though an active interest in the mat
ter by all public spirited Fairmont
people would accomplish that result
without any Increase in the force.
Every city. the Mayor said, gets eX.
actlv the kind of law enforcement IL
wants.
Finance Commissioner Barnes talk.
@ dat some length about the finaces
Of the city. He said that although
the tax rate is fixed by law and val
nations i'm the city are practically sta
tionarv. which taken together limit the
revenue. the cost OF everything from
street labor on up has Increased, I'D
some cases as much as 200 ana 5OJ
per cent. The effect of this has been
io force the CITY to 20 slow in most
directions. Referring to the iinancia!
side Of the water department MI
Barnes said that the recent increases
in rates were absolutely necessary and
he expressed conviction that consum.
ers would realize they are fair. OF
the S35 900 spent at the pumping STA
ton last year, an inquiry about which
was made in letter TO The West
Virginian. he said that $1,000 OF II
went for coal. while there have been
large increases in wages and all other
expenses there The coal bill at the
pump station used to be $500 per
month.
Much interest was manifested in
what Mr.. Barnes had TO say about the
cost OF the Coal run bridge and the
possibilities that the bridge across the
river will be erected at once. The
Coal run structure. he said, would
cost more than the estimated sum oil
SlOO. GOO and the city is economizing
in every way possibly so that reyen'
ues may be applied to meet the IN
crease. He did not make a definite
estimate o fthe cost. but il was plain
that he regards such estimates rs
5000 600 as much beyond the mark
Whether the bridge costs as little as
the original estimate or three times
that sum the Casey company. which
Is doing the work, will get just SO.
600, the contract as Mr.. Barnes re
minded the club members, calling Tor
the cost OF construction and that much
more as compensation for the con
tractor
Whether the bridge across the river
will be built at this time Mr.. Barnes
said even the City Commissioners do
not know. They have. however, had
some preliminary work done and have
purchased a construction plant at n
figure which they are told will save
the city considerable money.
Naturally enough the moment when
Wafer Commissioner Ira Smith would
be given the floor had been awaited
with considerable interest and he cas-
ilv proved 10 be the star attraction
of the evening. He set all doubts at
rest early by declaring that he is not
a ouitter and will stick by the old
town and see II through its water
crisis. Commissioner Smiths address
was based largely upon a report on
the condition OF the water plant and
its needs which he made in 1916. Dur.
ing the course of his remarks he told
how much money has been spent in
water and sewers 10 Barns
town. out the Speedway and TO other
parts OF the territory which was taken
IN when the limits Of the municipality |
were expanded He also enumerated
the items OF the program laid down
in 1916 which have been carried out. !
That more has not been done, he de.
clared, was because there never was
enough money.