Daily American organ., 1856-08-12
CI L Y A FF A / r s.

| BOARD OF ALDERMEN, Aug. 11.-Several COM
| municatons were transmitted to the Board by the
| Mayor--one enclosing fraternal letter from in
habitants of the borough of Wakefield, England, to
the citizens OF Washington, already published I;
| another communicating the reply of Randolph
Coyle relative to the grades of certain streets, in
forming that he was satisfied that said grades could
be much improved. ......a AT
Another from the Commissioner of western Sec
tion of the Canal setting forth that the scows now
used in connexion with the dredging machine for
the removal of the mud were not suitable during
certain tides, and asking for appropriation of
$500 for the purchase of two scows of lighter
| draught and for other purposes and recommend
ing the passage of bill in accordance with said
| statements. A bill was reported by the chairman
| of the Committee on Canals, approprating $500
to carry out these objects. The passage of this
bill was opposed.
The chairman stated that the Mayor had recon-
mended the immediate passage of such bill--that
the commissioner had stated in his report that it
was necessary to the successful operation Of the
| machine--that he was a man who understood his
business--in whom he had every confdence-that
he, himself was satisfied of the necessity, and was
in favor of granting him the aid he required
| Messrs. Busey, Houston, Pearson and others,
were not satisfied of the necessity for this expend-
iture of money. They wanted to know more ABOUT
| it. What had become of the scows placed in the
possession of the late commissioner at an expense
| of many hundreds of dollars? The late commits
soner asked for two scows-tbey were given to
| him. The new commissioner asks for two more
They wanted to know what had become of the old
| before they voted for any new ones. The further
consideration Of the subject was postponed until
| Monday next.
A bill appropriating 1857 for the relief Of Jo-
| seph Ratcliffe was reported from the Committee
| on Finance, with the recommendation that ii pass
An act for grading and gravelling L street north
| from Fourteenth to Sixteenth street west was
passed. "# hf4
An act relative to the grade of street north,
which was referred to the Committee on Improve
ments, was reported back without amendment
This is an act to change the grade of said street.
and gave rise to much debate. 1t was contended
that it would be detrimental TO the interests of the
city to change the grade of any street. without
report from the Surveyor, based on actual surveys
Mr.. Emery stated that he had been upon the
ground and was satisfied that the proposed altera.
ton would save thousand dollars to the ward, and
that all interested directly indirectly in the i'm.
provement, would be benefited thereby. NEs
Nj. Houston said that he knew nothing about
the First ward, he had property there, he had
been compelled TO pay money for filing up in front
of that property and the effect of the present bill
was to cause him to pay more money for taking
away the dirt which he had paid to have placed
there.
Mr. Dove explained the position of things, and
demonstrated clearly that, far from causing fu-
ture difficulty the contemplated change would pre-
vent it. The surveyor had been on the spot with
his instruments, and had decided upon the neces-
sity of the change
Mr. Busey was opposed to any change Of grade,
unless he was satisfied that the change was such
as would not conflict with the grades establisl ed
by law Ifthe Councils permitted a change in one
instance, there would be no end to them, for If
you alter one you must necessarily alter another
At this point the consideration Of the bill was post
poned for the present.
One hundred and twenty-five dollars were ap-
propriated to construct sewer on the west side
of Third street.
On Monday next the two Boards meet in joint
meeting to elect police constabes
The act to change alley in square 466, In the
Seventh ward, was called up by Mr.. Pearson.
At a previous meeting Mr.. Busey moved an
amendment to the bill providing that the expen.
Of the same shall be assessed upon the proper
ty along said improvement"
4. Mr.. Pearson hoped the amendment would be
voted down. This is an alley forty feet wide, with
two smaller alevs, fifteen feet wide, all parallel
running north and south. The forty-feet alley Is
improved by the erection thereon OF two-story
buildings. The owners have paid taxes for tve or
six years which taxes have been expended in other
parts of the ward The owners on both sides of
the alley petition to have a footway paved on each
side of said alley and ask that the centre thereof
may be graded and gravelled at the cost of the
ward and that the alley be changed into Sixth-and-
a-Half street To this, objection was raised &
Mr. Busey contended that Councils had no right
to erect an alley into street that this was, TO all
intents and purposes, an alley, and, as such, the
property must pay for all improvements.