Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1920-10-15
Progress in Wheel
ing Under City Man
ager Government

The following article from "The
American City" magazine on the
commisison-manager for of munich
pal government will prove of inter
est in Americas where the subject
is being given considerable thought
by many people:
FRIENDS of clean and efficient
4 city government in Wheeling
w. ", recently issued a pamphlet
from which the following interesting
record of achievement is taken:
Coming into office with treas
ury practically empty and with I'M
paid outstanding orders aggregating
S35,835.25, with utilities owned by
the city in bad shape, much of the
machinery Anticipated and useless
and the efficiency of the remainder
sadly impaired due to lack of neces-
sary repairs and overwork, the pres
ent city administration faced task
that looked almost hopeless.
ats first important act was the
selection of the late George O. Ma
gle as Wheeling's first city manager.
Mr.. Nagle, in accepting the respon-
sibility, instituted program of eff
ficiency that had most admirable re-
suits. Realizing the serious diff
Guilty of accomplishing the many
things that were imperative, hamper
ed by lack of necessary funds, he
set about with undaunted energy. to
have the affairs of the city conduct
ed in an economical, businesslike
fashion, and to provide ways and
means of increasing the city's reve-
nues, and to secure for it the many
things it so sadly lacked"
Some of the gains during his ad-
ministration were as follows:
/. Raised wages of all city en-
ployes. Saved on salaries, by com
bining offices, $4,000.
2. Provided city with complete
new motor fire arraratus.
8. Wiped out "Red Light Dis
trict" and stopped gambling, includ-
ing punch boards.
A. Gave city new electric street
lighting system, without extra eX-
pense.
5. Secured new contracts for
purchase of gas and electric light at
old rate, altho companies demand
ed same rate from city as from 9th
er consumers. Saving on gas year
ly approximately $4,000. Saving
$4,000 yearly for ten years on cleo
trio current.
6. Made contract with traction
company to pay one-half of cost OF
two new bridges.
7. Settled garbage problem by
establishment of a piggery, saving
$50 ,OOO-cost Of a new incinerator,
and several thousands on yearly ex-
pense.
8. Recovered $125,OO from the
county, which had been withheld
against court decision.
9. Discovered that old Board OF
Control had signed away rights OF
city in a telephone merger; started
suit. recovered for city $28,500 cash,
SO free telephones, use of company S
poles, ETC.; net gain to city estimat-
ed at $4,000.
10. Sold for $4,000 old city gas
plant used years, cost $24, 900.
II. Saved on lighting bills of mu-
nlclpal DullulnSS 9l,O9V hloC
70. Saved thousands of dollars
in car fare for residents of Wheel
ing and surrounding towns by prov
ing to Public Service Commission
that traction companies had over
hauled their properties. (Mr. Ma
gle was for thirteen years General
Manager of the Wheeling Traction
Coz
10. Appointed Commission on
Filtration and with it studied prob
lens of a pure water supply. Wheel
ing uses raw river water, treated
during this administration with chic
rine, and it was Mr.. Nagle's chief de-
sire to provide the city with the best
and most permanent system of pure
water. Plans submitted provided
for a mechanical filtration system
at a cost of $1,62O,OOO. The bond
issue, however, was defeated at a
special election, less than 40 per
cent of voters voting.
IA. Saved city-manager plan for
Wheeling by fighting in Legislature
"ripper bill'' to combine office of
Mayor and City Manager, reduce sal
airy and make office of Chief OF Po-
lice elective.