Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1872-02-15

laid over, 1t being understood that the Finance
Committee would make arrangements for the
deficiency existing in the teachers salary, aud
after the disposal Of some other business the
Board adjourned.
Common Council. The following commu.
~nication from The City Superlnt endent OF Pub
lie Schools was read:
OFFICE SUPT. OF PUB. SCHOOLS,
ALEXANDRIA. Va, Feb. 18th, 1872.
TO the City Council Of 4lecaudrta Il am d.
rected by the City School Board to represent
that the teachers have not been paid their sala-
ries for the last mouth, though eighteen hun
dred dollars are due, by the city, to the school
fund.
In September last, the Finance Committee
was directed to transfer six hundred dollars Il
month TO that fund: this was done: in September
and October, but has not been done since, and
as the teachers are all persons who require the
small wages they receive, (much smaiier than
are paid Tor the same services In Washington
aud elsewhere) to enable them to live, the
schools must be closed, and the seven hundred
children now ln them be turned loose into the
streets unless rellcf is afforded. | trust that
the City Council will see the necessity Of max
ing immediate provision for the punctnal pay
ment OF the city quota, and thus secure the
payment Of the thousand dollars promised
from the Peabody Fund, which Will he forfeited
should the schools he closed. Respectfully,
RICHARD l.. C.ARNE.
City Superintendent OF Pubic Schools.
Mr.. Hopkins in introducing the following
resolution on the subject:
ResolreI, That the Treasurer Of the Co:po-
ration be aud is hereby directed to place 10 The
credit Of the School Board all monies belong
ing to the Corporation which may hereafter
come into his hands, until the amount So
placed shall reach eighteen hundred dollars,
this sum being the city arrears for the months
of November and December 1871 ANA J~anua'y,
1872; also that he will place six hundred dol
lars in the mouths OF February. March, April.
May aud June lS72, out of such Corporation
funds as may be deposited with h:u, ~ the
credit of SAID School Board, said =
4 great deal Of this money had been collect
ed and applied to other purposes. Ihe city
was now behiud hand III payments to the
schools for three months. luder the assess
mcnt Of 1871, six Thousand dollars was LEVIED
for the support uf public schools. BY Il re,oiu-
ton passed by Council the tuauce committee
was directed TO place to the credit OF the cay
school board SIX hundred dollars each auu
every mouth for the ten scholastic months. \
greater portion OF this amount has been COZ
lected, but instead Of Obcying the order of
council by placing this 600 dollars to the school
board credit, 50 1t could be used IN paying the
teachers the gentleuIen vi that cutnlDlttee have
appropriated this mouey, which III all just ce
belonged to the schools, 10 the paving IT Inter
est On Corporation bonds. All Corporation
employees have been paid Tor the month OF
January, but the teachers vino rec I've but %
dollars per month, are,compelled u hawk their
warrants about the streets aud either submit
to a heavy shave or DO without their pay en-
tirely, aud the money legitlmately theirs. used
for other PURPOSES. UulesS lnlS money is
furnished promptly the schouls will have to be
closed. and then let the responsibility rest with
the finance committee Or with this Council III
allowing these great public institutions to be
suspended and hundreds of children turned
upon your streets IN ldlencss. Pass this rcso-
lutiou and confidence will revive: We will show
that We appreciate the situation, aud that We
mean to make good our breach Ut faith, aud
no longer use funds 10 enrich the wealthy
bondhulders when in Justice they belong 10 the
schools.
Mr.. Wheat had no objection to the resolution
but was convinced that want OF funds would
keep it from being operative. The whole hnan-
cial difficulty of the city grew out Of the tact
that the tnance committee last year Estimated
that $50, 900 would be raised from Old Tux bills,
and this had not been done. The tiuance COM
mlttee have loaned ten thousand dollars at five
DCI Ceul duu UUlIOhCu llIuSI " ti'h '""S
SUN at II per cent interest. He saw "A man
the other day with a city warrant which he
could not get the moncy for.
The chair desired to say that II the gentle
man had not gotten the money 1t was his
fault, for the city had been in funds since that
warrant was issued.
Mr.. Green said he did not think that the
gentleman ought to make such things public.
Mr.. Wheat said that he did not believe all
the holders Of Corporation stock had beeu paid.
Mr.. Greeu-There is still sumo interest not
paid. 20
Mr.. Wheat-It is for gentlemen to say if
they will keep up the public schools and let the
credit of the Corporation sink. dc Was, how
ever not opposed to paying the teachers.
Mr.. Shiun Qeaving the chair would like to
ask Mr.. Wheat he (.Mr. W. was not Il mem
Der of the finance committee last year? lie
would further ask how much the expenses OF
the city had exceeded ltSi1conle?
Mr.. Wheat responded that he was a member
of that committee and that the cause of the
deficiency was that in our estimate OF the re-
ceipts we calculated on $2U,WQG being collected
from the old tax bills.
Mr.. Shinn said that his question had hccn
answered, and it showed where the fault was.
1t was that the taxes were not collected, lie
was unwilling to see the pubic schools closed.
because llC IiUllC tdSCS WHY Ipl
The finance committee had been authorized to
press the CO lection IT taxes aud had not done
SO.
Mr.. Beach hoped that this resolution would
pass as it would enable the teachers to get at
least part of their pay at once. He would like
10 know what authority the finance committee
had to disregard the orders OF Council.
Mr.. Wheat did not desire Council TO think
that he was opposed to paying the tcachers.
but he simply wanted Council to know what
was the financial condition of the city.
Mr.. Pinn wish to know if a bill had not
passed these boards directing the torclbIe col
lection of taxes after the 18th of January, yet
the gentleman from the LIST ward seemed to
think that it was the fault of Council. He did
not see much use of passing ~resolutl ,us If the
G ao.s ~ Tho nit, did nnI nhrv Hmm