Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1869-02-10
LOCAL NEWS.


Mckenzie, reported 10 favor of contracting
| with the proprietor of the Alexandra Gazette
! for the public printing during the ensuing year
| The report was adopted. The clerk mest'hf
with some difficulty IN decipheriog Mri hcnen
| zie's chirography that gentleman reao re
port himself remarkiug a. he took the report
| from the clerk that he could reao even W.T.
| Cross handwriting. ...,.n -.
| Mr. Harmon. from the Committee on Public
| pronertv reported that the petition OF Capt.
| w T Roothe had been acted on, and that the
| oste6 for repairs to the coal wharf at Fishtown
| had teen ordered to be made-the cost of such
repairs being, he said, about $3.50.
| Mr. Mckenzie said that the petition had
| been referred to the committee With lnstruc-
lions to report to Council the cost OF the repairs
| before such repairs should be made.
Mr.. Harmon said such too had been his ira
preston, but that the chairman of the com
mittee had told him otherwise, and that the
repairs had been commenced.
On reference to the proceedings OF the pre-
cediug meeting it was found that that the com
mittee had acted according to Instructions
| The committee to whom had been referred
the petition OF certain restaurant keepers pray
| inc for the adjustment of the Sunday liquor
! law, failing to make report, Mr.. Martin said
that the petitioners felt themselves agneVed,
and that some reaction should be taken by
Council. 1t was highly necessary that the
committee to whom the matter had been re-
ferred should make report.
The President said he did not suppose a
member OF the committee was present.
No response being made, the President con-
tinued: There seems to be no member OF the
committee present, and suppose they are not
prepared to make report. :@
Mr.. Mckenzie presented petition iron
Jas. S. French praying tor a reduction IN the
I assessment upon the valuation or ms dwellng
house on Royal street, for the year 1867, 10
which he stated that for number OF years he
had received no rent for the house; that 1t had
been greatly damaged during his absence; that
large part of his furniture had been carried
off, and that that that portion which he had
recovered had been mutilated, The petition
was referred to the Committee on Claims, Mr.,
Mckenzie remarking that he had no doubt
there were many others in MIR. French con-
dition who would also like to have reduction
made In the valuation of their property.
Mr.. Martin said he had two petitions OF the
same character, praying for a reduction In the
assessment of the valuation of property, in one
of which it was stated that in 1866 the
value of the property was assessed at
81 500 and in 1867 at $4,000 great
difference, the cause OF which should be
looked into. The petitions were referred to
the Committee on Claims.
A similar petition of D. & S. Blackjack was
also referred to the Committee on Claims.
A petition of B. h. Summers, praying for
the removal of two tenements standing on Mont
gomery street, near the locks OF the canal, out
side the street line, was laid on the table, Mr..
Baker stating that the houses complained OF
in no wise interfered with the ingress 10 or
egress from Mr.. Summers house near by, and
Mr. Martin stating that the offending houses
were occupied by poor people, who had lived
Ia them for number OF years, and that IN an
interview with Mr.. Summers In reference to the
matter under consideration, the latter had
stated that the main objection ne had to the
location of the buildings he complained OF was
that they interfered with the view from his
door.
A petition of Charles Graham, praying that
the value of his household furniture be assessed
at 800, instead of 5000, and that the tax upon
his watch be refunded, was granted.
A petition of j. r. Gheen, as agent for
- Kelley, praying for reduction IN the
valuation of the property known as the Mar
shall House, and on the livery stable attached
TO that hotel was On motion oil Mr.. Mckenzie,
laid on the table,
Mr.. Martin said the great fault and that
which was the cause of all the complaint, was
in the manner of the appointment of the AS
SCISSORS, and the style in which the assessment
was made. The Assessors, in many instances,
did not thoroughly inspect the property upon
which they made . valuation, but took the
opinions OF Tom, Dick and Harry. ln some
instances the valuation was too little, In
others too much The Marshall House was
valued at $4,000. Does any gentlemen think
it would sell for that amount?
Mr. Mckenzie, Quickly. Yes, sir
MIR. Martin. Would you give it?
Mr.. Mckenzie. do not say what | would
do. but say it would sell for $4,000.
MIR. Martin. I'll had it, and it would sell
tor s., 600. it would go quick.
Mr.. Mckenzie knew all about the property,
and had known about it tor forty years. 1t
was bought cheap because it was sold at con
6scatiou sale. but the valuation put upon it
was not too much. The livery stable lot was
certainly worth 500 if not $500.
Nh Martin was glad to know that the gen.
tleman put such high price upon city proper
~. He only hoped that other people would
ser such high price upon it. He had lived
in the neighborhood of the lot mentioned, and
the stencil from it was sufficient to sicken Tom
Nokes. The dwelling house Immediately op
posite had been sold a short time since for
So, OOO and if that was worth only So, 600, the
lot certainly was not worth 800. lie did not
desire to depreciate the value Of town lots,
but the Council ought to change the method
OF appointing assessors.
Mr.. Reid said the Council had enough to
do to attend to the business of the term for
which It's members had been elected, and
ought not to be expected to have their time
occupied in the consideration of petitions tor
the reduction OF property valuation of three or
four years ago, the taxes on which should have
been long since paid and forgotten.
Mr.. Mckenzie said these petitions would
never have been presented had 1t not been
known that in March measures were to be en-
forced for the collection of back taxes. All
the applications were for the reduction OF as
sessments for the years 1866 and 1867, the
taxes on which should long since have been
paid, and now would have to be paid or the
property sold
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