Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1868-10-28

DOdy. II the precedent now pFOptSeu 10 C.
tablished, there would be no telling the nunl-
Der Of similar bills that with like propricty,
might be presented and would have to be
paid. There was no other mode in de-
Lucrative body OF determining correctly
upon such matters but by referring them TO
committees for examination No man in the
conduct Of his private affairs would pay every
bill that might be presented to him without
knowing whether it was right or wrong, and
members Of the Council should act in reference
to the city with as much circumspection as in
the management of their own business. twas
an outrage to legislate 10 the manner proposed
Mr. Mckenzie said the debate was most re-
markable. The Superintendent OF the Aims
House was the authorized agent OF The Corpor-
alton and the debts he contracted for the sup.
port OF that charity the city was responsible for
With regard to Mr.. Simpsons bill he supposed
that gentleman, thinking the finances Of the
city ina low state, had deferred it's presentation
until the present, for be, the speaker, for the
same reason had once delayed to present q
bill against the corporation for nearly two years
He supposed the hill would be about the last
Of those contracted by Mr. Stephenson. The
only way Tor the Council to prevent extrava-
gance in the keeper OF the Poor House, was to
examine into his official conduct and if not sat
isfactory to turn him out. The keeper should
sign no bills without the proper vouchers.
Mr.. Slime, as member Of the Committee on
the Poor, and as one Of the bills presented was
his, moved that they be referred to the Com
mittce on Claims.
Mr.. Mckenzie said that the poor must be
provided for-that we should have them was ne
cessary-it was Divine command, 1.-THE poor
ye shall always have with you. And for his
part he vas not unwilling that the keeper Of
them should have his beef steak AS to the
windows blowing out, it could not be helped
IF Mr. Arnold had his house stuck out where
the Poors House was he would have his win
dows blown out too; but his house was jam
mend in between other houses, and was pro-
tected from the blast which had full sweep
against the Poor's House. The corporation had
done as little as they well could for the poor of
the city--there were poor pickings at the Poor's
House-it was devilish poor place, and he
would not like 10 90 there.
Mr.. Mckenzie, from the Finance Commit
tee, introduced al act with reference to the pay
ment of the Corporation debt, and said that
the General Assembly had, some time ago,
passed an act authorizing the City Council to
fund the interest up to the 1st of January,
1867, for those who were unwilling to take the
certificates OF indebtedness in payment. The
law authorized the City Council to fund for
from five to twenty years, but the Council had
decided it advisable to pass all act to make it
twenty years Some parties who are not citi-
zens are willing to fund the back interest Tor
five but not for twenty years, and that the III.
nance Committee had directed him to report
bill giving the Council the authority to fund
for from five to twenty years so as to make the
best settlement they could with these strangers.
Some of the citizens are indebted for large
amounts Of back taxes, and it cannot and
ought not be long before some definite action
in the matter be ia zen to sell the property of
the deinquents and the committee have it IN
der consideration to recommend to Council
very shortly the propriety of stopping the dis
counts on tax bills due for more than twelve
months, and to proceed to collect them in the
most summary manner. He said it would be
well for those who owe taxes to avail themselves
OF the present liberal offer of discounts which
will probably come to close very soon. Ger
tainly the Council must look very soon to the
payment Of the interest in good money, and
they could do so if the taxes due were paid
and the issue Of certificates stopped.
Mr.. Baker, from the Committed on Streets,
said that the further repairs to Union street at
its northern end had been stopped by an IN
certainty existing in regard to what committee
had the matter in charge.
Mr.. Harmon called up the communication of
Mr.. ". H. Newman, Of which the following is
copy:
TO tie Boardof Aldermen and Common Conn.,
ell of Alexandria, Virginia:
The undersigned would respectfully state
that he is largely interested in the ownership
of the Pioneer Mills located in your city, and
erected at cost Of $l50,0OO that said proper
ty has remained idle and unproductive for many
years past. one Of the most serious obstacles to
its sale or lease being the ground rent and taxes,
held and assessed by your Corporation. Your
petitioner has now offers pending Tor the pur
chase OF said mill dependant upon his procur-
ing release of ground rent and exemption of
the property from taxation. That if transfer
OF the property is effected the purchaser pro
poses to putthe mill in active operation, but in
the event Of failure to effect the same the de-
mands upon the time of your petitioner other
wise would not permit him to work the mill, that
the capacity of this mill being the manufacture
of some 500 barrels Of flour per diem, the capt.
tai employed in the purchase and handling Of
grain and shipment of -four, and the expendi-
lures by vessels coming to Alexandria for the
conveyance Of -four to other ports must neces
sarily created large demand Tor labor, and