Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1873-12-03
BOARD OF ALDERMEN

| BOARD OF ALDERMEN.
The Board of Aldermen. after short session,
in which action upon sundry bills, generally of
a private character, heretofore acted upon by
the Common Council. was taken, proceeded to
the chamber of the Common Couuc! aud went
into joint meeting
COMMON COUNCIL.
Shortly before s Q clock the Board, met, with
"a small attendance, Mr. Mckenzie b5iHg called
to the chair in the absence Of the President.
Mr.. Evans introduced resolution dlrecIiog
the contractor Tor printing the city laws to
punt ten or more pages at time, aud submit
the same to Coupc with view to lucorporat-
lug such additions or changes as the Board
might thuk proper 10 MA kc.
| Mr. Hopkins said that it was his understand
ing Of the matter that DR.. johnson had intro
duced the report, aud that Mr.. Carne was
brought forward to make the luil report OF the
committee, as he had been employed by the
committee for that purpose. This report had
not been completed when debate arose thereon.
He thought the proper plan would be to walt
until The report was concluded.
Mr.. Evans understood that DIR. johnson la!
flushed his report, and that Mr.. Carne Was
proceeding to explain what had been done
Mr. Hughes said that his idea was to hear
\
must take notes and at the cLd suggest amcud
mcuts if he desired any for adoption IN the
separate boards.
The President pro TEN said the resolution
was out OF order 1t ought to DC considered III
joint session.
Mr, Evaus was sure that just such a rcsolu-
| tion had been declared out OF order at the last
meeting Of the joint board, as Involving an APP
preparation of money. lie was able to say by
authority that this p lau ol printing BY sectlors
wonId cost but $3.50 extra, aud he thought the
money would be well spent.
/ he resolution was further debated and lost.
AT this point The Beard Of Aldermen entered
the chamber and the Two boards couyvued III.
JOINT SESSION.
At the opening Of the session the President
directed the revlSOr to proceed with reaulug
the laws.
DR.. johnson suggested that as this was the
report OF the committee, 1t would be We'll 10
wait until the announcement OF changes was
flushed.
The President doubted whether this reading
was in any sense committees report tic
caused to be read the resolution under which
the. joint meeting had adjourned to this time,
and 1t was found that the object was to hear
the laws read.
The President Let the reading go en-. The
Revsor read the first and second chapters and
was reading the third, when he paused at the
clause as to the bond of the City Treasurer and
said that ne had marked that as needing the
consideration Council. The law was passed not 10
reference to the Constitutional City Treasurer
but with regard to the old Corporation Treas
urer.
MIR. Mckenzie said that the Finance Com
mittee would report a bill on that subject at
the next meeting.
When the chapter was concIued Mr.. Latham
said there had been an omlssion.
The chair asked what officers bond had been
omitted.
Mr. Latham said that the lawrequired police
officers to give bonds and that the present po-
lice were bound by all the laws binding on their
predecessors.
The Revisor read ''each police constable
two hundred dollars, aud said line Was drawn
over that because, as it had been sometimes
contemplated to print the code, without re-
vision he had cast all doubts in favor OF the
present practise, SO that things would 60 on
under the code, just as they did before it WAS
printed As the police officers had not gwen
bonds for several years the clause had been
omitted
MIR. Latham contendcd that police officers
should give bond, and
Mr.. Hughes replied maintaining different
view.
The reading was then proceeded with Chap
ter ~, Clerks, Auditor of Public Accounts
was read through, and captcr ', Streets and
Alleys begun, when
Mr. Mckenzie thought that no coed end
would be achieved by reading on In that Way
through the code. He favored taking up one
chapter at a time, and finishing all the changes
| b,, do IN thoth hal n
DIR. johnson said that he had told the Con-
yeuion that such rcadiug would be useless.
4 member replied that he understood that
il had been claimed that this reading was the
report of the committee
After some further discussion the President
directed the ReviSor to read chapter |, 'Di.
visions of the city," over agaiu slowly, and
took a vote upon it, which resulted unanimous.
| ly in the affirmative.
Chapter ,, ''the Common Scal' was read
The President-Any change there.
The Readcr--Not word.
This chapter was also voted upon and
adopted
Chapter was then re-read, when
Mr. Latham suggested that it had not been
agreed to take the vote by chapters. The chair
had no right to do So 1t would be OF no avail
if all were adopted in that way.
| The Cnalr rcplleu tnat lie InouSut tndI WAS
the best way; two chapters at least had been
gotten through with But he was willing to
do whatever Council desired.
A debate ensued. Mr.. Latham aud Mr..
Evans favored printing the laws by section, aud
passing upon them ten printed pages at a time
10 separate boards.
Mr.. Mckenzie favored taking up each chap,
ter now and tomorrow night, passing the amend
ments in joint session and then passing the
amended law in separate sessions.
Dr. johnson thought that the only plan by
which code could be gotten tor years. was to
print it as it stood. :,
Pending the discussion on this point, Mr.
Janney moved to adjourn until to night, which
was adopted.
The Aldermen then retired and it was under
stood that upon repairing to their chamber
resolution to print by sections, would be agreed
upou. but the door of the chamber was found