Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1869-01-27
LOCAL NEWS.


business, Mr. Mckenzie moved that inc Doaio
of Aldermen be invited to come I''o ''ie ''''iA-
her Of the BOARD of Common Council Tor the
rrrnoS, ot listening TO what might be said
mon n,o,,a,s IF grave financial Importance 10
+bo o;., which had been talked over at The
lote informal meeting of the City Council; and,
e thew desired, to offer any suggestions upon
the subject that might have occurred to them
90 that the action OF the two boards might be
consonant. The motion was adopted, and Mr..
Mckenzie was requested by the President TO
inform the other Board OF the action OF the
Common Council
While Mr.. Mckenzie was absent,a communi-
cation from Capt. W. j. Boothe, agent OF the
American Coal Company, asking for re pairs to
the wharves of the corporation at flshtown,
now occupied by that company was received. =
The communication was referred to the Com
mittee on Public Property.
The Board of Aldermen having entered the
chamber, Mr.. Mckenzie, from the Committee
on Finance, reported an order requiring the
Auditor to prepare, Immediately, list OF de
linquent taxpayers from 1856 to 1868, lnciu,
siye, and if after notice had been duly served
upon them, they did not settle up by the 0tn
of February, for the bills to be placed In the
hands of the Corporation Attorney, with IN
structions to proceed at once to collect the
money by suit or warrant. ln few remarks
in which Mr.. Mckenzie urged the adoption
of the report of the committee, he stated that
the amount now in the city treasury is $685.
81, and that the sum due the corporation Tor
over due taxes from 1856 to 1867, inclusive,
was $50, 9O3. 20, and that doubtless 1T was
more, but that some years ago it was stated
that tax bills OF the corporation were used to
kiudle fires 10 the Auditors office. The
amount, however, was large enough IN all con-
science, and it was in consequence OF the sys-
tenn of the election Of the collectors OF taxes
by the people that the taxes were not collected
properly. The taxes of the year OF 1863 we're
upwards of 1000 short.
Mr.. Bell suggested that to compel people to
pay up by the Sth of February was rather too
rapid, and thought it would be best to extend
the time beyond that date.
Mr.. Mckenzie asked if the 22l of February
would suit the members of the Boards, and
said that day would be good day on which
to commence.
Mr.. Massey suggested the lst Of March,
and Mr.. Mckenzie agreed to that day, proVld-
ed it did not fall on Sunday. The report was
then adopted.
Mr.. Mckenzie then offered an additional
resolution authorizing the conveyance OF all
the property Of the corporation to trustees to
be held by them as security for the payment
of the city debt, and to put all the creditors
of the city on q like foundation; and he stated
that suits had already been entered against the
city for interest overdue, and that unless his
resolution or one similar to it was adopted,
those who first brought suit and obtained judg'
ment would secure their debt by the sale OF the
property they might levy on, and that the
other creditors would suffer the loss Of their
entire debt.
A copy of the deed of transfer, such as the
resolution suggested, was then read by the
clerk, and during its reading Mr. Prettyman
asked if its object was to let the corporation
take the benefit of the bankrupt law.
Mr.. Mckenzie stated that the deed had been
prepared by Messrs. Reuben Johnston and
s. F. Beach, with special reference to an equit-
able payment Of the corporation Indebtedness.
Mr.. Massey asked if some of the members
of the Board of Aldermen had not suggeS-
ton to make concerning the proposed transfer.
The President of the Board of Aldermen
thought the proceedings in joint meeting had
continued long enough.
Mr.. Massey said the corporation was IN
debt beyond its capacity to pay, and that to
prevent one creditor from getting advantage OF
another, the Committee on Finance had re-
solved upon the proposed course. The market
square he did not think could be sold by cred
tors, for by It's grant to the city it reverted to
the heirs of the grantor if it were ever used
for other purposes than as market place.
The fish wharf, too, he said, was only valuable
as a fish wharf and that the City Council
could locate the fish wharf at any point along
the river front. He did not think it would be
the correct thing to ask the Board OF Alder
men to retire, but if they had nothing to say,
he thought the joint session might as well
terminate.
MIR, Prettyman said the Board of Aldermen
would 60 and would not stand upon the order
of their going.
The joint session was then dismissed.
Mr.. Martin asked if some arrangement
could not have been made with the creditors
of the corporation which would have prevent
ed the proposed assignment of the city s pro-
perry. What would the corporation be worth
with all its property assigned to trustees 1t
looked strange. He did not like assignments;
it looked as though the city was "bloken and
bursted up
Mr.. Neale said lit was. y