Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1854-11-28
EVENING STAR,
LOCAL INTELLIGENCE.

PROCEEDINGS OF 1HE CsUscILs of
Aidermsn. Last evening the board met, Mr..
Vice President Clark In the chair.
Mr.. Borrows, rising to question of priv.
lsge, corrected q Misrepresentation of o portion
Of his remarks on the last night the Board
met when he was reported as having alleged
that the $50, 900 of corporation debt to which
he had alluded on that occasion, was created
by the last municipal administration. It was
not his intention to generate this impression,
As that debt was the old and general debt Of
the corporation.
Mr. B. proceeded to defend himself at some
length against an anonymous attack upon
himself. as he conceived, In the American Or
gan, wherein he was charged with uttering
the sentiments Of an infdel. He denied haviBg
said what was laid at his door, and explained
his views on christian doctrines at some length
claiming the right, as citisen, to believe
what his conscience told him to be correct, o.
ways respecting the ministers Of the gospel %
they deserved to be respected.
Mr. Magrudsr reported back from the finance
committee a bill for the relief of W. W. De
Maine, sppropristing $l00, to reimburse him in
that amount, expended on corporation surveys
In the last sixteen weeks.
Mr.. Pearson proposed a substitute for this
bill, allowing and directing tho Mayor to au-
dit and pay the claims of the said De Maine
Mr.. Magruaer held that it would be i'm
proper to devolve any such authority and duty
on the Mayor; and that this was the frat tine
any such account for extras was presented
against the corporation. He went over the
history Of the surveyors office, showing that
of6ce the salary of the surveyor was but $500
Per aHnum. Mr.. Ball was allowed an as is,-
ant at $500, and now an unusually large sum
In addition was demanded, it also being said
that tho claim was $i27 larger than the bill
allowed.
Mr. Pepper held, that if he was to be ex
pected to pay his az. istants and laborers out
OF his $500 per annum, his own compensation
would be very small indeed. He himself had
called on him to make extensive SURVEYS and
estimates, which he had made, at heavy ex-
pense for assistants and laborers, for which
the corporation should pay.
Mr.. Magruder, rejoining, held that Mr. Pep.
per was mistaken in believing that greater
labor was thrown upon the Surveyor than when
Mr. Elliot held that position; and that it was
the duty of the chief city Surveyor to furni sh
his chief assistant all assistance required lie
did not object to paying this bill; but to its
general reference TO the Mayor, who should
not have thrown upon him any such response
b,ilty; He was opposed to voting money
blindly, the evils of which he explained.
Mr. Pepper corrected Mr.. Magruder; holding
that there was a vast increase of Corporation
work since Mr. Elliot's days; explaining how
common it was to call on the Surveyor for ezra
work in the way of estimates, &C.
Mr.. Houston advocated the enactment of the
bill as it had been reported back being Cd
posed to voting money exceptin specific sums
Mr.. Pearson again urged that the whole sub
ject should be referred to the Mayor
Mr.. Magruder ION consultation with Mr..
De AaiDel NOV al IN arm and - Hill hx
its appropriation $l77, instead of $IO0; amend.
ment agreed to; and, as amended, the said bill
passed
Mr.. Houston reported back from the com
miItee on unfinished business a bill making
an alley in square 494; referred to committee
on improvements. Also a communication from
the Mayor in relation to the decision of the
Circuit Court in the case of Holrcyd vs. Pun
phrey, affecting Corporation tax sales; referred
to the finance committee
Mr.. Msgruder reported back from the com.
mittee on finance bill making the salary of
the city surveyor 81 600 per annum; passed
Mr. Marks presented q petition Of B. P.
Smith and others for paving the south front
of square s0S; referred to the committee on
Improvements.
Mr.. Pepper reported back from the commit
tee on Improvements, the bill changing the
name OF the alley in square 7S2 to Carroll
street.
Mr.. Fitzpatrick moved to Law 1t on tho tabls
for the time being; agreed to.
Mr.. Pepper also reported back from the
same committee the bill amendatory of the
act requiring the center of alleys and cutters
to DO paved with hard brick, without amend.
ment.
Mr. P. explained that this bill only changed
the present custom of paving cutters and al.
leys In their centers with three 70 70 of hard
bricks, laid edgeways, making it obligatory to
pave them with five such rows of b, lex in
stead of three.
MIR. johnson explained that the bill was inn.
properly drawn, and desired to have il re-
ferred back
Mr.. Magruder thought that the existing
law should be properly carried out the three
rows Of brick now required would be found
sufficient.
A verbal amendment was here made to the
Dill, on motion OF Mr.. Clark, and az thus
amended it was passed
Mr.. Fitzpatrick reported back from the 90.
lice committee the bill to exempt the ornban
ssylums Of Washington from taxes, With ,ub.
stitute therefor
Inc Chalr read the said substitute. provid-
ing that the taxes on ell the property abso.
iuteiy useo Tor orphan asy lum purposes. sbouId
DO charged to and paid for out of the general
fund. e0A0i Oh
mr.. fitxpatrlck explained that they were at
present only exempt from taxation by suffer.
ance, not by law, and it was desirable that
they should be legally exempt from taxation:
some apprehended that in time to come de-
mand for back taxes would be made mon
them, and this bill was to guard against anv
such contingency upon the regularly incor.
porated asylums, the rwo-the Protestant and
Cstholic-ssy lums OF the city. Mir. F. argued
AZ some length to show the prOpriety of nassino
this bill. - P"S''ns
MI Borrows sustained the views of Mr. r
and agreed with him in the prOpristy of with
holding taxation only from such properly "a
Has actually occupied for orphan asylum Dur.
poses. f1A
After unimportant amendment, the said bill
was then passed. '1'
MT Reed reported back from the committee
on the nre department. Il bill authorizing bs
purchase OF additional hose for the Anscostia
ana Columbia fire companies; passed.
Ihe Chair laid before The Board ;oint ,oso.
Iulion from the lower Board, authorizing the
paoticatson Of the proceedings and laws OF
me corporation, &c, in the American Organ
ar. BorroWs opposed its enactment being
opposed to spending the Corporations means
H.