Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1872-09-25
City Council.
A regular meeting Of the City Council was
held last night
BOARD OF ALDERMEN.


held last night.
BOARD OF ALDERMEN.
DR.. johnson called up two resolutions, one
for repairing the side walks Of King street, and
Que for preventing the expenditure of Corpora
ton money by city officials, but no action was
taken upon them.
\ bill Of j. Entwisle. jr., for medicines lur-
niShed the poor was presented
DIR. johnson enquired what was the nature
of the contract between Mr.. Eutwlsle and the
city.
MIR. Markell explained it.
MIR. Scatou thought that the charges for
medicine were high; more SO than tor private
practice. He had noticed this Tor some time,
and hoped that some one more cOnverSant with
these matters than he, would have called atten-
ton to these things
DR.. johnson had no objection to the bill, but
thought this manner OF conducting business a
bad one The 81 OF 81 per ct. discount he
thought mere tallacy, deIusion, amounting
to nothing at ALL He proceeded to elucidate
aud ampllty his proposltion aud thought that
each apothecary OF the city should have a
chance at getting the contract tor furnishing
medicines.
The bill was ordered to be paid.
Dr. Johnsou presented u bill IN reference to
This is the second effort, | believe, which
has been made to pass an act to organize a
Chain Gang Tor the city of Alexandria; and IN
making this the second effort, am but acting
iu obedience to a strong popular desire to see
something Of the kind in operation within the
CORPORATION limits. Those who have thought
carefully on the subject, have had their retcc-
tons melted not by devices to degrade persons
whose misdemeanurs have subjected them to
the labor OF chain gang, but by elevated Elk.
pcctations that such disposition OF the time
of the inmates of our jail and workhousc, would
not only rebound to the good OF the State, but
be of great moral and physical advantage to
those whom such an act would embrace. Ihe
object of the General Assembly III giving cor
purations the power to form cham gangs, was
purely economical, and thereby gives to corpo.
ratiops cheap labor. Those cities which can
wisely avail themselves Of the law on the sub
iect, have perfect right to do SO, and have
the power to make such regulations as will best
COMFORT with the interest Of such Cities
Therefore, there can be 40 question as to the
legal right OF the City Council Of Alexandria
to pass such an act, as | have the honor to
present for your consideration.
The law of the General Assembly describes
the variety of prisoners to be used 10 the for
nation of chain gang, and makes known the
conditions under which they are to be worked
and all the City Council has to do 10 the
premises, is to make adequate regulations to
work, III Il profitable manner, such prisoners.
As | understand the matter, the City Council
is to pay the board of the prisoners and allow
each prisoner, worked, credit of % cents per
day on his 6ne for each work day that he may
be employed in a chain gang, and that the ex-
peuse OF the board of the prisoners is to be paid
by the City Council as long as such prisoners
are organized into a chain gang, whether the
city works them or not. The act which have
the honor to offer, is entirely experimental,
and should it be the pleasure of the Council to
pass it. the continuance of such law will de-
pend solely upon the solution Of the question,
can chain gang be proftaby worked by the
City Council of Alexandria? If the solution
Of the question is TO result IN the affirmative,
then something will have been gained; if adj
versely, then the act can be repealed, and all
will be satisfied with the effort. Hence, it will
be seen that the proposed act contains all the
provisions necessary to carry into effect such
au experiment, aud as it is attended with no
real expense, | can see 10 serious objection to
the trial of the working Of a chain gang on our
streets.
The act under consideration, gives the APP
roiutmuut of au ovcrseer of the chain gang to
the Superintendent of Police, for the very
good reason that that officer has, always in his
employ, suitable persons from whom he can
easily select Il responsible Individual to take
charge OF Chain gang, and when such over
seer has 10 gang to work, he eau again resume
his place in the ordinary work on the streets,
and thereby be almost all the time employed.
The object in requiring the oversecr to take an
oath Of office and give a bond aud security, Is
to make him feel the responsibility Of his posi-
ton and to prevent any possible collision be-
tween himself and the prisoners. This, pre-
sumo, the Judge of the Corporation Court with
whom he would have to deal in the reception
OF the prisoners, would certainly require, and
it will be m assurance to the Judge, that
cunfidcd truS, is to be faithfully respected.
have no doubt of the moral effect Of the
passage aud enforcement of such law, and
when certain violators of the law find that
their absence from their ordinary haunts OF
vice, will be something more than long holl-
day, and be attended with the necessity OF
earning their daily bread by the sweat of their
brow, they will begin to consider the situation
of their surroundings, and, in many Instances,
will decide that it will be better to work tor
themselves at one dollar and fifty cents per
day, than for the Corporation at % cents per
day credit on their fines for violations OF its or
dlnanccs.
Mr.. Markell objected to the clause III the
bill requiring security from the superintendent
or overseer Of the gang.
Mr. Seatou concurrcd in what had been said,
but hoped it (the biID would be postponed to
another meeting. He SO moved.
DIR. johnson, in reply to Mr. Markell, stated
that the law required security from the over.
seer of the chain gang. He thought that
chain gang would be productive OF much good.
Mr. Loving offered as an amendment that
the Superintendent of Police appoint an over
seer, detailed from bis force. -,
Mr. French endorsed the object of the bill,
and enquircd who would be its subjects.
DIR. johnson replied that all persons convict
ed of misdemeanors, excepting the luhrm and
aged.
Mr. French thought that the bill should em-
brace many of those who are now sent to the
work house-yagrants and vagabonds