Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1872-12-19
COMMON COUNCIL.

About half:past eight o'clock, the Board of
Aldermen having by that thin acted on the
matter for which the City Council had been
called together, the eight members oil the Com
mon Council, who bad been listening to the de-
bate in the AIdermcn's Chamber, repaired to
their own hall and quorum obtained by send
ing to Masonic Lodge for another member:
Communications from the Mayor and Health
Officer DR.. Brown, concerning the small poX,
were read, and the action of the Board of Al
dermeu in adopting the two resolutions accom-
paning the communications was concurred 10
without debate.
A resolution authorizing the Board Ct Health
to rent Payton' Grove for small pox hospital,
adopted by the Board Of Aldermen, being read
MIR. Hughes opposed it on the ground of the
proposed location, that location being immedl-
atcIy on one Of the main roads leading into the
city.
Mr. Beach said the house alluded to was at
least three hundred yards from the road, but
if it were Oh the road, persons with very little
trouble could avoid it by going down Duke
street. 1t was by no means as near frequented
localities as the former hospital was,
The action Of the Board of Aldermen was
concurred 10.
MIR. Hughes offered resolution Empowering
the Committee on the Poor to erect hospital
on the Poors House lot and approprlatlng
$500 or as much thereof as may be necessary
for that purpose.
MIR. Hopkins offered substitute authorizing
a committee of two from each Board TO adver-
tlse for plans aud specifications for a hospital,
| the cost Of the building not to exceed $500,
and the plans submitted to Council for APPROX
al. He said he thought the adoption of the
plan by Council would be more satisfactory
than if merely adopted by a committee. As
10 the price of plans and specifications 1t was
regulated by established rules
Mr.. Hughes said that hospital could be
built during the time that would necessarily
be consumed 10 preparing for its erection if the
resolution of MIR. Hopkins should be adopted.
Such building as was required could be put
up in two weeks
Mr. Hopkins said the building to be erected
would not be a temporary atfalr-tor temporary
purposes the Board of Health had just been
authorized to rent house. Instead of two
weeks it would require two moths to build
such house as was waDted-the weather
would not allow it to be built in shorter tune.
| MIR. Risheill suggested that in neither OF the
resolutions was the exact site Of the proposed
building mentioned, and that the architect
must know that before he could make his
plans.
The President, calling Mr.. Risheill to the
chair, said that he thought the Board was
wasting time There were now before it three
resolutions having the same eud-that OF Mr..
Hughes that of Mr.. Hopkins, and one from
the Board of Aldermen; and thong b he had
no objection to the two former, the latter, ne
thought would accomplish the desired object,
and he thought time would be saved by adopt
ing it.
Mr.. Hopkins, though not opposed to the
other two resolutions, favored that one provid.
ing for public advertising for plans and specih-
cations as the only means that would give gen
cral satisfaction, as it would give all a fair
chance for competition.
Mr. Evans offered substitute requesting
the Health officer to give his views respecting
the character OF the building required. lie
believed that DIR. Brown and the other mem
bers of the Board Of Health knew as much, il
not more about what sort Of building was re-
uuired as any architect DR.. Brown seemed to
be doing just exactly what ought to be done,
aud as far as he, tie speaker, was concerned,
he would rather for him to have the money
that was to be appropriated and let him build
the hospital as he ght think best. The
| Doctors experience IN such matters Was worth
more than all the plans and specifications that
could be obtained.
The resolution adopted by the Board of Al.
dermcn, directing committee of two from
each Board to present plans, specifications and
price of suitable house, to be called Marine
Hospital of Alexandria" was then amended
by making that committee act in conjunction
with the Board Of Health and adopted, and
Messrs. Rock and Maukip, of the Committee
on the Poor, appointed the members OF the
committee provided for.
The Board then adjourned