Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1868-10-14
10 CAR HE ri S.

of the City Council after the summer recess
was held last night-the official proceedings OF
which will be found il another column.
| In the Common Council after the chair had
called for the reports Of the different standing
and special committees, the business of the
evening was commenced By the adoption of the
| report of the Committee on Streets granting
the petition of r. Fl. Miller and others for the
repair of Sharpshiu alley only three members,
Messrs. Massey, Arnold and Turner, voting in
the negative.
Mr.. Mckenzie then offered two resolutions
relative to the collection of the corporation
taxes which were unanimously adopted he
said that the Collectors and Auditor DOCKS
showed large numbers Of delinquent taxpayers,
and that prompt and effective measures should
be taken to reduce that number. The taxes
could and ought to be paid, and the whole pre-.
sent difficulty could be avoided by the adoption
of new system for the collection OF taxes-a
system similar to that which obtains i'll Wash
ipgton but never would be until that system
was adopted. This thing OF the annual eiectlon
of two tax collectors was all wrong-the desire
for re- election preventing the efficient perform
auce of the duties Of the Office. One man
should hold the office and the office term should
be extended The present system should be
broken up, and the aclinquent's property sold
if the taxes were not paid, for the plan now In
operation is unjust to those property holders
who do pay their taxes, as they have to pay
their own and others too While up he would
slate for the information of the board that since
the present Council had assumed control OF the
finances OF the city see, sos. II of certificates OF
indebtedness, 4,7S5 coupons, $l5,67O.G7 OF
due bills, and some ten or twelve thousand dol
lars of overdue corporation stock had been taken
in and cancelled or redeemed.
Mr.. Arnold presented communication from
the Relief Hook and Ladder Company stating
that B. W. ellis had attached their apparatus
for S75--thc amount due for house rent and
asking to be relieved from the embarra t.,
and that provision be made Tor the future
shelter OF their trucS, and moved its reference
to the Attorney for the Corporation, in order
that Council might be informed what interest
the corporation has in the present truck house.
It was reported that the city had invested some
six or seven hundred dollars in the building.
Mr.. Mckenzie moved as an amendment
that the Auditor issue his warrant for the
amount due Mr.. ellis, and that the commun-
cation be referred to the Attorney for the Cor
poration.
Mr. Massey thought that the city had paid
5000 for the lot on which the building stood,
and believed that it belonged to the Corpor-
alton.
Mr. Reid said that the 5000 had been APP
propriatcd to build the house, but not to buy
the lot, and had been made with proviso that
it should revert to the corporation whenever
the building ceased to be an engine house, and
was used for other purposes.
Mr.. Arnold's motion, with Mr.. Mckenzle's
amendment, was adopted; but when sent to
the Board of Aldermen it was returned nom
Cured in, and referred to the Committee on
Public Property, which reference was con-
Cured in. ......
The clerk then read the following communal
cation, which was received with much laughter,
and referred to the Committee on the Poor:
The following report is most respectfully sub
mitted to your honorable body tor your consid
Grafton. I have felt it my duty to make this
report, as many OF your board are not aware OF
the condition of the Aims House, and as know
that the expenses this year will be heavy, telt
it therefore my duty to state lew facts: name
": La the spring it was so wet that Mr. Ste
phenson could not plant many vegetables, aud
consequently I have had to buy all the summer
vegetables for the use of the house. lou will
see that came too late to do much gardening,
though | have planted about $500 cabbages,
besides fine lot of turnips and an abundance
of tomatoes, an6 some corn, which | have
gathered, shucked, and put away; besides the
hav and oats are secure and in the barn for
winter use. found on the place when went
there horse, which worked every day to the
garbage cart, which compelled me to purchase
horse to 60 to market, &c. L found 2 COWS
and one bull; also Is hogs, which had to get
lumber at once and build pen for, IN order to
save them. [ have only an increase of 8, max
ing Is on hand. | have had committed to the
work house %, mostly females, which L have
1OuQQ very uUpIOuGdUlC3 duA 11oCCa % tlouoiC
and expense to the corporation. L have had
also committed to the Aims House 80 paupers.
Two have died-onc with extreme old age
the other with the hydrophobia- both colored
--one male and one female. have on hand
40, all in the Aims House, as follows: White
females, Is; infants, 2 males 2 females, 4; white
males, 9: coored males, Z; colored females, 5.
Total 40 which number are nearly all helpless,
blind, or disabled so much that have diff
Guilty to find able ones enough to help the dis
abled, besides | find them nearly all shoeless
and clotheless; besides find great want Of
bedding, bed clothes, and bedsteads, which L
have been trying hard to get sufficient num-
Der, but the increase has overrun me at present
and I have been compelled to lodge on the
floor, and the building being very much out OF
repair it makes it very uncomfortable. The
fencing also is in very bad condition. as can't
keep the COWS and bull in the place, or other
cattle out of it. It there was new fence on