Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1873-08-13
CITY COUNCIL.
Last night regular meeting of the City
Council was held.


BOARD OF ALDERMEN.
There we're very few spectators, among them
I Amber Smith, NJ. G. from the Richmond
District, but he aud the others soon lett.
Soon after the minutes of the last meeting
had been read and approved,
The President stated that the resignation OF
Col. j. S. French was still upon the table I'M
acted upon, and that IN as much as 1T was re-
ported that Mai Loving was to leave the city
and that Judge Underwood mig be absent on
his circuit during the fall, that if the reslgna-
ton was to be accepted, it had better be Done
now, in order that new election could be held
during the proposed recess of Council and .
quorum of the Board thus secured.
DR.. French thereupon moved that the rcss-
nation be accepted.
Judpe Underwood seconded the motion upon
the suggestions of the President, 10 order that
an election might be held at an early day.
DIR. johnson opposed the acceptance. Col.
French had, in his opinion, been badly treated
not Intentionally, but still badly treated. 1t
was not necessary to hurry the acceptance, ana
the Colonel might be Induced to reconsider MS
determination. An election could be held upon
five days notice, aud he hoped there would be
no recess. COL +. g resignation was not &c
take effect till after the election OF all the ON
GERS and at any rate the resignation ought not
to be accepted while he (Col. FL was out OF
town.
The question was then taken upon the acccp'
lance OF the esgnatlon, and 1t was not accept,
ed by tie vote, Mcssrs. Janney, Underwood
and French voting in the affirmative, aud
Messrs. Moore, johnson and Seaton IN the
negative.
On motion of DR.. French the action OF the
Cannon Council, 10 reference to the report OF
La Committee on Retrenchment and Reform,
: teN. arred ill., and the references OF Its varl-
Gus suggestions accordingly made to the differ
cnt committees.
DIR. johnson exhibited plan of a proposed
new hospital building to be erected on the
Poor's House lot,a cost OF about 81 500, land
explained the many advantages to accrue from
the erection of such building. 1t was won
der with him that the CITY should have been SO
long without such building, especially for ma
riners. and be had been assured by one we'll &C
ouainted with the facts that 81 800 year would
be realized 10 the way Of hospital dues from the
United States.
The clerk then read the specifications and
estimates.
Judge Underwood thought that such build
ipg as that proposed would be Of great benefit,
but the expenditures of the city at this time
were made under adverse circumstances, as
all were aware, but particularly himself, who
was acquainted with the fact, that since Janu.
ary last nine mercantile failures had occurred
here. and to increase the burden OF taxation now
would be to make the pressure too great to be
born. But the chief reason that he should OPP
pose, at this tme the consideration OF the pro-
icct, was that upon recent visit to Washing
ton he had accidentally fallen in with Gov.
Cooke aud Chief Justice Cartier, who had
settled the point between them that Alexan-
dria was to be re- annexed to the District OF 20
lumbia. Justice Cartier had examined the legal
question, and was Of opinion that the act OF re-
PROCESSION of 1916 was unconstitutional and
void. His Cartier s) idea was to get some one
in Alexandria to refuse to pay taxes, upon the
=. nround that Virginia had no right to collect in
this city, which the plaintiff must contend was
still wkhiu the jurisdiction OF the District OF
Columbia. In this way the subject would be
brought up, and it would be more satisfactory
method of testing the question than by appllca'
ton for habeas corpus in criminal case, which,
however, he (Cartter) would not hesitate to
grant The Board of Public Works were more
over 10 favor Of re annexation in order to carry
out some of their designs in the reclamation OF
marsh property, and the Board of Health OF
Washington deemed it necessary to have pos
session of both banks Of the Potomac in order
to prevent the malarious influences upon the
people of that city. Tho Judge thought that
these two Boards, made up Of very reso lutte
men, had determined upon this thing, but
would defer action till Fall, when the matter
would be pushed. Some of our citizens had
been UP to see Mr.. Shepherd, and he had told
them that Alexandria would be reannexed.
Gov. Cooke was in favor of treating Alexandria
generously, and giving her fair share Of the
appropriations made by Congress. lie did not
know that the act would be accomplished, but
it would certainly be pushed. 10 the event OF
the remuneration we would have Marine Hos,
pital of a much superior character to that pro-
posed by DR.. Johuson. He, the speaker, had
looked into the question Of the consttu.onalty
of the retrucession act, but would not express
an opinion here. Should the remuneration be
accom- lished he would either have to resign
his Office or remove from the city. Col. Winter
PAYNE, then of Alabama, had made speech
in the House eff Representatives on the ques-
too, taking ground against the constitution,
ality of the original act OF retrocesslon, and
several Democrats had sided with him; but ne
believed no Wing had expressed such an opln-
ion. One thing the Board of Public. Works OF
Washington, and Judge Cartier had made up
their minds to, aud that was, that there should
be no cote taken upon the question. The ques-
ton would he thought, from what he had heard,
be agitated about Octo Der or November next.
For these reasons he thought that the PROPOSE
ton for building the proposed hospital had bet
ter lie over
DR.. johnson said he had ouly submitted the
report as in duty bound, and had no objection
to its lying over which was accordingly done.
The action of the Common Council n refer
ring the reports Of the Commissioners OF the
Sinking Fund, and the City Treasurer, as treas
urer of that fund, to the Finance Committee
was concurrcd in
The resolution authorizing the digging of a
well in the coal cellar Of the new market build
ing aud the repairs of the cutters around it,
coming up, DR.. johnson moved to amend by
directing that the work be done by contract,
which amendment was adopted and the reSolu
ton as amended, was coucurred 10.
The Board concurred with the Common
Council in accepting the resignation of W. j..
Roothe AZ a member of the Board of Public