Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1870-10-12
LOCAL NEWS.
City Council.


ing by the clerk Mr. French, from theCommittee
on Finance, presented the petitions Of A. Metz
ger, S. D.alham ard Jos. kaufman, asking a
pro rata aba emvnt If license on account OF re-
moval from The city, reporting adversely to
petitions. AMI thc rrp 'rt was adopted without
debate.
MIR. H. L. Simpson, from tic Committee on
Claims, reported tavuratIy on a Calm irom the
former Aims House keeper, VIM Bushby,
which Was agreed to without debate, and also
one from the wife of MIR. B. for cutting nd
making clothing for paupers, which was dis
approved by the Committee, and the report
agreed to by the Board.
On the petition of A. Dryer for abatement
of assessment, it was stated that there was an
objection to the allowance OF such claims after
the taxes had been paid, as there was loss o
the city of the percentage paid the collectors.
The remission was however allowed.
A bill of Z. House, for printing done for the
mendation that it pass.
COL Suite asked to know by whose author
ity this printing was executed? He was %
posed 10 the payment of such his. Magis
trstcs were allowed by the law certain IQk,,
and would be furnished with blanks ny the
authorities at Richmond, bu: if they would not
d, this aud would not take .he trouble TO write,
they must supply themleiv, S at their own COST
Mr. SinpSon said that be was nfor ned by
the magistrates that thr bill WAS legal.
C,i. SUIT 60 course, that Is very
natural.
Uu motion OF MIR. Markell the bill was re-
committed u the committees.
A bill H. the Sh DO OF claim from the Mayor
Of $2l5 69, salary paid additional police during
be late police difficulty, was presented by Mr..
Simpson, with the report from the committee
that they could not allow the claim. lie would
be glad if the matter could be laid aside until
a. full Board was present., when the matter
could bo more closely invest gated. If these
additional police bad teen really necessary he
would have no objection, bus tho case was diff
terent.
Col. Suttle moved to concur in the report of
the committee, aud the ayes and nays being
called, all present voted aye.
A Communication from 4. L. Wood was
read, with reference to property assessed to
him at SO, 600, but which was purchased at
the time for 81 900, and had been examined at
his request by Messrs. George II. Smoot and
r. Johnston, who reported it over assessed.
Col. Suite moved to lay it on the table. 4
bare quorum was present, and he was an
interested party, for if this bill were allowed he
would have similar patition to ak for him
self for similar properly.
Col. French remarked that the assessors
! were sworn officers aud their reports should be
respected. If one of these cases were allowed
there could bs no refusing any that might be
offered.
Mr.. Simpson presented from the Com mittee
on Claims with a Recommendation that the
claim be allowed bill from the Superinten
dent of Police for offending his contested
right to that Office. He (Mr. s.. thought it
th Iutv of ha 1tc off1o
in the discharge of their duties. A suit had
been instituted to Dust Mr.. Clifford, ADD he
had been obliged to pay heavy fees to the law
yers to defend his case, and he was not able to
sustain these costs, as the pay of the Office was
VIGOROUSLY the smallest in the corporation tor
! tho services rendered. He thought the claim
/ az eminently proper one.
/ COL Suttle said that as a personal affair of
the Superintendent of Police be would be glad
for this bill to b. allowed. He did not,
however, think it proper or right to take up
this case and allow this appropriation tie
would vote to increase the salary OF the Super
intepdent OF Police if insufficient, but he could
not allow this claim, for 1t allowed bad pre-
cadent would be established. The bill was laid
on the table.
Several bills and appropriations were acted
upon without debate. ....-.-
The bill of j. EntWise, jr., of $SS 81
for dispensing medicine to the poor, was
ordered to be paid. RemarkioR on this bill
Col. Suite commented on the high charges OF
the druggists for medicines, and said that if an
; arrangement could be made by which the
physicians to the poor could furnish and com
,ound their own medicines, giving them ad-
litional pay sufficient to justify their attention
/ o it, saving to the city might be made. This
i a most costly, business, and some means
s hould be demised if possible to reduce it.
Mr.. Simpson called attention to the fact
Il lat this was sickly season, and that the
N ,edicines usually furnished were costly. An
it. EN- Of cost also had been lately abated, as
i )rmerly the inmates were always getting
predcines as tonics that were not needed.
Some informal discussion arose concerning
the bulkhead erected by Mr.. VIM. A. Smoot
at the foot of Princess street Mr.. Smoot. it
appears, had agreed to the same terms on
" hich former parties had fitted up the loot Of
Prince street-that the city could take posses
sion after FIVE years by paying the cost OF I'M
provements made.
A communication from the Mayor was read
calling attention to the obnoxious feature In
the law allowing the capturers of swine, goats,
geese, &c., TO use the captured property for
their own benefit. He recommended that the
police only make these captures and that the
owners or the animals be allowed 10 reueem
them by the payment of 81 for each hog
sheep, goat, &c., and 25c for each goose.
Another communication from the Mayor on
the subject of providing wood Tor the poor and
Of placing the coke at the gas works at the dis.
posa of the proper authorities for distribution
among the poor, was read The appropriation
(of $30O) for wood after some little discussion
was allowed.
A bill to provide for using the offenders
against the city laws as street laborers, called
the chain gang act, was read.
Mr.. Simpson said that he had mpathlsed
so keeuly with the sufferings endured by the
unfortunate citizens of this city who were com
PEELED to wear ball and chain here during the
war, that he would be sorry to sec the thing
revived. He thought it was bad enough to
make the poor fellows work without disgraolng
them thus.
Col. Suttle said he would willingly vote for
10 III 4 M