Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1872-02-14
LOCAL NEWS.

committee on Finance reported that the Office
,fGuager was still vacant, Mr. Monroe not
having qualified
Mr. Worthington said that the Committee
On Public Property had authorized the Mayor
IA USE the rooms now occupied by the City
t'onncil rs his office.
Mr. Markell said that the announcement that
in, buildings on the market square were to be
moved, &c, was premature. He thought that
one room would do He was anxious to save
rim. addition i fire which two rooms would in
vvlrc.
MIR. .Januey said he had been several times
in the Mayors office lately, anu thought that it
w;, nece ssary that he should be allowed pr-
v.ie room. He thought the Mayor disposed
/, ,cnt onl>e.
,Ir. French suggested that the Committee
On Public Property reut out the fish wharves
IniS would give the city some s.. 900 at tine
wurn ii Was much needed
Mr. Jauncy said the Committee on Streets
hal found the bill for numbering the houses
detective He introduced new BILL He said
that urdcr the bill persons could get private
prics to number their houses and thus cause
loss IL the contractor The Assessors had >ug-
geStcd the amendment concerning the number.
ing Of lots by numbered stakes, as it would
facilitate their work, and add revenue to the
city, The section adding the Mayor to the com
mittee he thought proper. five did not hon
or him, as he Mr.. }. certainly did, We should
at least honor his Office.
Mr. French thought that time should be
tixe Tor the completion of the work.
Mr. Markell did not see why the Mayor
should be put at the head of this committee
any more than at the head of any other. he
,.,uld not see that the Mayor had anything to
DO with it,
rba h;ll raS r.ssad
\ communication from the Mayor informing
Council of the resignation of Jeremiah Franks
AS police officer, and compimeuting him as an
active efficient officer
Mr. .Janney said he was member OF the
Police Board. out that there had never been a
meeting that he was aware Of The board was
noncntty.
Mr.. Worthington moved to refer the COM
munication to the Police Board
Mr. Markell euqured what good that would
do There was no other way but to go iuto
another election. He moved that it be received
and sent to the other Board. So ordered.
Mr. Worthington called up the blll tor the
reduction of the price of Gas.
Mr. Worthington said that it was not his in
tcntun to oppose a reduction in the price
charged for gas, as he believed that such a
measure was necessary to enable us to retain
the present customers of the works.
But before final action was taken he would
respectfully direct attention to the discrepancies
or inconsistencies embraced in the report, sub.
United by the Committee on Light, TO this Board
January 9th.
He said that the closing paragraph of that
report read thus:
And it leaves a balance to their 1.-THE works.
credit, after payment OF interest ON their out
lay after lighting the city, and paying ALL ex-
rIx,, ri.s nt x I'll
He stated that when this report was made
aud verified to by the committee, lie was will
ing to take the statement cDrrect therefore,
he promptly withdrew his opposition and lent
his aid to perfect bill that would be accept
able TO a majority Of the board.
He said that while he was satisfied and be-
loved that the gentlemen representing the
Committee OF. Light fully believed the correct
ness of the report, he regretted to be compel
I'd To say that after careful examination, ne
found the report deiusve, and well calculated
to mis;ead. and that it had led others as well
rs himself to believe that the works had paid
the interest on the cost, ali current expenses,
and made profit Sl39. 30 80 besidcs lighting
tie city, !,
This he found no; to be the case, Tor the
works had been credited with 81, S5l: II Tor
lighting the city, and that amount was lncluu-
eli in the $34.2S5 80 balance.
Here was more than one-haf Of this de!lSve
balance. made up by charging the city tor
lighting the streets and public buildings at
rates higher than charged to individual con
Sumcrs and the quantity charged Tor, estimated
in All unreliable manner.
He said that he had been officially Informed
that there was u meter attached to lamp at
the corner of Washington and King streets to
ascertain how much gas was consumed by this
most likely be kept in order, aud that the re,
sult of that meter was taken IT. q basis OF charge
for all the public lamps.
How unreliable this method Of measuring Is,
is shown in the statement OF the clerk OF the
gas works, submitted to the last Council by
the Committee on Light
That account charged the city for gas con-
sumed by Il9 street lamps $1,452, or s62 -
per lamp Of but one burner, aud reports as
having been received from 139 private con
sumers $40 obs, or but $50 90 from each;
He said that he presumed no one believed
that there was any thug like as much gas con-
sunad by Que OF these street lamps, with out
one burner only lighted more then halt the
time, as is consumed by the averaged OF the
of the customers, some using 20 to % burners,
aud scarcely any less than or T. :,
He had bean informed that the price OF all
gas consumed by the city was charged at st
per 1000, while Individual consumers got a
discount of 10 per Ct, milking on'y $500.
tie stated that he also found credit OF
$40, 3l4 IS, the difference i'll the estimated
value of the works and their actual cost.
AS such valuation is liable to change, anu
the works to be deprecated by the introduc-
ton of cheap fluids, he did not consider this
credit correct one; therefore if We deduct it,
and the charge for lighting the streets: together
making 1923, l66.25, from the slS9, 2S2, %
balance given by the committee, we have lei!
as the clear gain of the works but Sl6o29. %
for Il years or less than 81 900 per year :,
He said that there was another part OF the
report he wished to direct attention to; 1t reads
us: :, y
;sBesides this. the gas works have paid all
their own expenses, with the exception OF the
salary Of the Superintendent of Gas, aud after
paving all the expenses incident to the gas
works have paid into the treasury Of the cry
~ sl>o Of