Wheeling Register

Upon the Application for a Writ of Mandamus—Secretary Chew to Make a Report—Effort to Collect From Firemen and Gas Works Employes to Help Officeholders in Their Fight.

The regular meeting of the City Council should be held to-night. It was reported yesterday that the Republican members have determined not to be present, and thereby to prevent a quorum in the First Branch. The object of this action is to delay matters, pending a decision by Judge Harvey upon the petition for a writ of mandamus by the old Board of Public Works.

There are several important matters to come up at to-night's meeting. One is the compromise recommendation of the conference committee, upon the personnel of the standing committees of Council. It is understood that the conference committee has agreed, but members have decided not to make the report public in advance of the meeting of Council, for reasons heretofore given in the Register.

Another matter will be the approval of the bond of Mike McKinney, the new superintendent of the water works, and possibly the bonds of other appointees. It will be remembered that the Mayor has construed the law to mean that the Second Branch must approve the bond and swear in the officer, and is simply required to notify the First Branch of its action. Under the Mayor's ruling, the bonds will be approved if there is a quorum.

Secretary Chew, of the Water Board has nearly completed his report, which is to be transmitted to Council to-night. It will go into details concerning the state of affairs in the office when the new force took charge. It is expected that the report will show the amount of delinquencies, and it will be a surprise to those who are not familiar with the situation.

The Water Board continues in the work of forcing settlements by the threat of cutting off the water supply. One heavy property owner paid about $65 delinquent rents yesterday, and will pay $35 or $40 more to-day. Citizens who have been paying their water rents regularly have been surprised to learn that others who are equally able to pay, have been permitted to run on indefinitely. Yesterday was another big day at the Water Board office, the receipts being double that of the corresponding day of last year, and including a number of delinquent bills.

It is understood that the delinquencies averaged about $8,000 a year, which is a large amount when it is considered that the revenues of the department amount to only $100,000 a year. Much of the money could have been collected, and in fact is being collected. If there is any bill on earth that can be collected, it is a tax bill. The enforcement of the rule of turning off the water supply in cases of tardy payment, has already brought a large number of delinquents to the line.

When the mandamus proceedings, instituted by Caldwell & Caldwell, come up in the Circuit Court Thursday, the matter will probably be argued upon its merits.

Further facts are leaking out concerning the efforts of the old officeholders to levy assessments upon the employes of municipal departments, to pay the fees of Republican counsel. Supt. Thompson, of the gas works, is said to have declined to assess his subordinates, for the reason that it is not their fight. Chief Bob Cline, of the fire department, is said also to have declined to raise money among the firemen, feeling that it is a very nervy proposition on the part of ex-office holders, to assess men who earn sixty dollars a month, for a matter in which they have no concern.