Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1873-05-28
CITY COUNCIL.
irregular semi-monthly meeting of the Cit.
r.urrl WAS held last night.


On tue resolution authorizing the Street
r,;Iway to alter the grade of King street at
Fairfax and Union streets,
y, Johnson said that he thought that prop
49,. holders in that neighborhood should be
'',,.rIIcd. If they objected he should not vote
~ ~, hin, otherwise he should. 9,
rn French said an alteration Of only some
.;,.. inches was intended; he thought that it
w.. hardly worth while to take this step.
Mr. .Iohuson continued his objections, stat
,,' ,h,, nropcrty on all the streets where these
' ',Jr,.d, PASS, was much injured by their pres
. He discussed the legal bearing OF tho
,,,.,i,u ut some leugts:, after which,
rh,. action OF the lower Board was con-
'", en- the act requiring the clerk of the Com
n,,,,r, on Light 10 be elected by the Council.
~, French said that 1t was the universal
,.r,,,n ,or committees to appoint their clerk.
W., -. is committee transacted all the bust
,.I II ~. rms works, conducting business to
, ,T', .unuui nf many Thousand dollars annually,
wv w,. hn, fair that they should appoint their
',,'I, r.r,aiuly it is not fair to hold the Com
';',". IN Gas responsible for the business of
,J,t establishment, aud then not allow them to
i,,Im,. Underwood said that this matter as
,Ir Col +. was correctly stated. The rela-
.,;,'n. h,iwccn the committee and tue clerk We're
- .uch character as to render it q matter OF
;,,,,rtaucc that they should select that officer.
a., commended the Conduct of the Works by
Ii,, committee, ard said that all analog ies We're
j., l;,vorvt the course hitherto followed by the
r,nimlttcc
Dr.. Johnson took issue with the previous
sr,akrrs He thought this clerk should not
ouly be elected by Council but should be re-
uured to give boud. Expcdicncy, responsibility
and modcsty required this course OF action. Tic
reviewed the subject from the origin OF the
appointment Of the clerk.
Col. French said that Dr. j. $ argument was
4 good one in favor Of the appointment as it i.
now practiced. He spoke very briefly and
asked for vote, moving to non CONCUR and
calling for the ayes and noes.
DR.. johnson said that if the gentleman
wanted to get rid OF the responsibility OF MS
r,stion rs chairman of the Committee on Light
n. could resign. lie CDR. j. would not have
sufficient self suticency to hold this position 10
onros,iop to the will of twenty-three out OF
twenty four of the lower Board. Members of
H., ras committee claimed that they knew all
about the business Of that establishment while
really they knew nothing about the matter
at all.
The vote being taken the result was four 10
favor Of nonconcurrlug, to three against 1t, and
81 the bill to take the appointment of the clerk
nj the r,ls works from the committee, was lost
4 petition from the citizens Of st. Asaph
street complaining Of the ringing OF bells
and flowing OF whistles on the railroad on that
street as nuisance, Was read
DR.. johnson said that the law required the
belts of the engines to be rung. Council had
no authority III the premises.
The action CT the lower Board was then con-
Cured in, referring the subject to tho Commit
Tee on Streets.
At this point the accumulation of May flies
was so great that they thckIy covered the wall
back of the President head, crawling over the
persons of members and spectators, aud diver
styling the proceedings considerably,
a bill referred by the Common Council to a
select committee for the Improvement Of the
city, Was read
Dr. .Johnsou said that to vary the monotony
he would simply state that he had been trying
to perfect All act to improve the city, and while
maturing his plan member from the other
Board had anticipated him in the matter.
The bill was referred
Dir. johnson offered bill providing tor the
appointment Of Il Board of Public Works, and
took the tlpor on this bill, and on Col. French
RISING to make remark, said that the gentle
man must keep quiet He demanded that the
President keep him quiet. lie (Dr ~ was
entitled to the floor.
Col. French said that the gentleman ORR:
WAS afraid that he (Col. /. would move to al
uurn; he certainly should do SO the very first
cllincc he obtained
H. Tnh thnp
''Mr. President, the desire for the establish
mcnt of a Board of Public Works for the city
Tor the purpose of improving its streets, ha'
been manifested Tor some tlulc by our people
and if am not mistaken in my estimate OF thu
interest which they show in regard to the pro
icct, | am at liberty to say | believe that sufi
ccnt attention to the Importance OF the sub
irct has been aroused to warrant the hope OF {
successful establishment OF such Board. The
must serious impeachment has been want o.
concert OF plans among those who favor the en-
tcrprisc, and hcsitallcy on the part Of those
who have discussed the matter to take that in
uiatory step which would likely lead to some
plan not only propitious to the undertaking
Int decisive of the action of the City Council
in reference to it, | feel encouraged that Coun.
Gil will take proper action in the premises. and
also believe that active and reliable citizens
can be readily found to constitute the Board,
aud who will give the execution of the act their
sincere and faithful attention. A properly regu-
lated Board of Public Works for the improve
m"nt Of our streets would not only be great
boon to our ci,izens, but could be so economl-
ray and wisely managed as to be rendered al
most svlt-sn>taning in the course Of few years
by saving the great amount of money that is,
from time to time, spent in planless and frlvoI-
Gus patching aud fixing the streets, which,
WHEN done, amounts nearly to nothing, and
maE We rr"pcrly deemed useless and comfort
h ,S expenditure Of means that should have
" 'I,n u>ra !" lar better purpose, but with the
i'''" VI act which have the honor to offer for
G e." "s'oh OF your willard pleasure, all the diff
h;Ih's, ll"crSion, and confusion which have
W." Ira.o attend d efforts to improve our streets,
NJ ' saI"Sn' and instead of the proposed Board
l..af u1'lc Works being an enterprise to be
'aucu ana opposed, it will result in an nsti
'"ilpn, which, when II 81, ali boya naynlonnd ifa