The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1919-02-07
NEARLY 4 RIOT
WHEN WHITAKER
AND HILTON ARE
RIVAL TAKERS
GREATER WHEELING
GIVEN A HEARING
Before the Joint Legislative
Committee on Munich
paEties.
\ BY THOS. D. MAYS.
,eisl "a The intelIIoencer

Special to The .nteIiigencer.
CHARLESTON, W. Va, Feb. g.
The Joint senate and house commit
tees on county, district and munich
pal corporations tonight gave the
why's and wherefors on the Greater
Wheeling charter bill airing in an
open meeting which lasted for about
three hours and terminated in a
warm exchange Of personal remarks
between parties advocating the pass
age and defeat of the measure.
Although Of decidedly local ma
ture, national international condl.
tions and events were invelgled into
the argument by those opposing tho
bill, and the condition of the subur-
ban towns was likened unto the in
vasion of Belgium by the Hun, and
one Of the speakers declared that II
such legislation was passed then It
was time for President Wilson to re-
turn to the United States, since such
doctrine was undemocrattc and un-
American.
A delegation Of Wheeling citizens,
headed by A. c. stifel, Of the cham
Der Of commerce, advocated the
passage of the measure, while GER
tain citizens Of several of the su-
burban municipalities affected by
the charter bill, headed by A. C..
Whitaker, opposed the measure,
Speaking in favor of the measure
were W. B. Gund'ing, A. w. PAUL,
w. B. Hilton, A. L. Meyer, H. W..
Mcclure, Otto Schenk and A. c. Stl-
fel, while those against It were J. II.
Brennan, an attorney Of Highland
Park; L. w. Brown and T. E. Hood,
Of Warwood, and A. c. Whitaker, of
near Elm Grove.
Without exception the Wheeling
delegation advocated passage Of the
measure az the only means OF
WheeIlns's growth, and mentioned
the benefits and protection to be af-
Forded the various municipalities,
especially as regards police, fire and
health projections, In addition to
- the mutual benefits to be derived
toward ,FnaSsingnNvheellng a greater
and larger community.
Those opposed to the measure
applied unsavory terms to various
provisions Of the measure, the erux
Of their objections, however, being
with regard to what was termed a
proper referendum.
The delegation representing the
various suburban municipalities pro-
posed an amendment to the Greater
Wheeling charter measure, provid-
Ing for a right Of self determination
In the premises, to the end chat no
annexation was to be made unless
and until voters in the territory pro-
posed to be annexed vote upon the
question, Tor annexation and
'auainst annexation at an election
to be held not later than six months
after passage Of the bill by the leg
isIature."
The hearing on the charter mat
ter was begun In the senate cham
Der at 8 o'clock and lasted until II
o'clock. Mr.. Hilton and Mr.. Whit.
aker engaged In lively tilt, which
threatened to enveiop the entire
memberships Of both delegations.
At the point when the remarks be-
came Of a personal nature, Senator
Chapman, the committee chairman,
declared the hearing adjourned
Those composing the. Wheeling
delegation at the committee hear
Ina, In addition to those who spoke
on the matter, were M. j. Culiinan
and Domer Nickerson.
Members of the delegation oppos-
Ina the measure other than those
who spoke against the bill were T.
E. Parriott and w. E. Helfenbein, of
Warwood; A. C. Wagner, of Fulton,
and Earl Adams, of Woodsdale.