Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1870-05-25
LOCAL NEWS.


meeting OF the City Council was held last nigh
For official proceedings see another column :.
10 the Board of Aldermen the business wa
transacted speedily and without any debate.
To the Common Council. communicate
vas read from the Superintendent OF Polio
with reference to the unsafe condition OF TIA
house of the Friendship Fire Company in con
sequence of the want of repairs.
Mr. Harmon stated that be had been inform
I'd by Mr.. James Atkinson that the groun
upon which the engine house stood belonged
10 the corporation, but that the building be
Ionged to the company.
Mr. Baker said that previous Council, o
which he had been member, had made neces
sary repairs to the building.
The President said that urgent repairs wer,
DOW necessary, was evidenced BY the fact lha
notices Of the unsafe condition CT the building
Ucre posted on its doors.
Mr. Mckenzie moved that the communi
cation be referred TO the Committee OH Public
Property with authority to order the necessary
repairs.
Mr. Shirley did not think that the corporation
ought 10 be compelled 10 repair the building
when the rent of the room in the building 90
cupied until recently by Mr.. Henry had been
collected by the Company, but that the amount
received for rent should be appropriated to
paying for the repairs.
MIR. Mckenzie said that the little sum re-
ceiVed from the rent Of the room had no doubt
been consumed in paying The current and ordi
nary expenses OF the company, Tor fire CON-
panies like all others required money. His
motion was then adopted.
4 communication was read from gentleman
II l,>l .Nko IL.
had married the daughter Of the late iona
thaa Swift, he asked that, letter written by
General Washington, saddle that had be
iunyed to that General, aud stuffed parrot
which, when alive, had been the pet Of his
vile, which had been presented to tho Alex
anl!ia Museum 4 long time ago, aud Were now
there, be delivered TO him, as they had once
belonged to the ancestors Of the child Of MIR.
4 )bert Harper. TO whom be would will them.
A motion was made to lay the communities
ton Cd the table, but
Mr. Mckenzie said SO far as be was concern
ed he was willing to let the gentleman have all
the articles BIO had asked for, aud thought that
at least, lie might have the parrot. espec ally,
as it had once been the pet OF his wife; and
made motion to that effect, which was lost
by vote Of noes E, ayes 5.
Mr. Mckenzie m we'd 10 compromise the
matter by returning the stuffed parrot alone,
but his motion being opposed by Messrs. Mar
tiu, Agnew and Moran, was lost, and the
motion 10 lay on the table prevailed.
Mr. Turner suggested the propriety o! max
ing the Maryland ferry fee ferry. and said
II at there was but one road leading into Alex
andria upon which toll was not exacted, and
that 80 great tribute from one cause or anoth
er Was imposed upon vessels trading at this
~ nd
cleared at Georgetown-in lact that SO far
from facilities being afforded to the accessibility
Of the city, it seemed as though every thing
was done to hinder that accessibility. lie had
been informed that the merchants would sub |
scribe literally towards making the ferry free |
ferry, provided that council would meet them !
half way.
The President said that be was stock holder |
~ the ferry company and that he would will
ioply reluouish his stock, and had DO doubt
the other stock holders would do the same, to
any body who would guarantee 10 make the
ferry free ferry. -,
Mr.. Mckenzie said the corporation could Mt
do ANYTHING OF the sort The city had already
helped the fer y as much as It couio. ne Grn
rnltv WAS we. we're too near Washington. Inc
,so.le.w ho rsed the ferry could certainly al
tnrI 70 nav the ferriage and with that terrlage
he boat had occasionally to be taken OH the
lin, and run to Georgetown with ire'ght IN or
Ier 70 make her receipts pay expenses AS 10
the toll gates be could not see exactly now they
,,arc n be abolished as they were located on
roads which belonged to private stockholders,
Che difficulty about the heavy tribute exacted
from vessels he hoped would soon tie obVlated
by laws now in progress OF enactment, Inc
,.ornorstion had about as much as 1t could wen
attend to, in paying the heavy expenses OF the
noor's house, the fire department aud the
nioht watch. It's expenditures, however lot
these purposes were small when compared VIII
III, Sc of other cities OF the same size and every
thing would be working smoothly were It not
tor the onerous debt under which we we're
aboripe, and even with that 1t we we're Geo
nomica We could get along tolerebly we'll 0nl
The city would certainly go down II sue hao u
run steamboats, and turnplkea.
Ar Turner said that all OF the dozen roads
leading into Washington we're free, anu inc
residents Of that city were now trying TO make
The Aaueduct Tree bridge. ,,,
The President said that as MIR. Mchcnzlc
vas a member of tho Congressional Committee
on the District of Columbia, and as the Terry
house on the opposite side OF the river, was IN
that District, he hoped he would pay special
attention 70 the matter .,;.h
Ir, Massey moved that certain papers which
he held in his hands, from the o., A. ~. W.
K. r. Co. be read before the Council.
MIR. Harmon said that he thought the gen
tIeman was getting rather ahead OF time. He'
the sneaker, had some time ago offered Tes1-
linton concerning the o., A. y NJ. II. n. "hlcu
lad been referred to the Committee on HeHefa
t' and he thought the report of that com
,nittec had better be heard before any new
business relating to that matter was transacted
The papers presented were as follows;
ALEXANDRIA May 20, 1870.
VIM. u. Massey, Esq:
Dear Sir:-I send herew b certain papers
which will furnish all tho information you neeS
in reference to the tu.iness uf the w. a.
NJ. r. i. Company. rw,,;,t.,
in enewspu per ccntalnsa report ol c''n'n.' ~
+ stock holders, Which cftciu'!y answers th'
" oe y: inn AGAINST AieXanurlN