Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1873-05-21
COMMON COUNCIL.

The President stated that the meeting being
an adjourned one for the special purpose of
considering the Salary Bill, the proceedings of
rho last meeting would not be read unless de-
sired, and that the Salary Bill, as passed by the
Board of Aldermen, would be read by the
Clerk. .
salary of the Mayor to $500 being read,
Mr.. Hughes opposed it because it relieved
the Mayor of the duty of the collection of the
CORPORATION license tax, when that officer, of
ii, others was the best qualified for that duty.
MIR. Evans asked if the duty Of collecting
licenses was not imposed upon the Mayor by
law, aud if so, could Council, by a simple reso-
lution, relieve him of that duty.
Mr. Henderson said the Mayor had no great
or facilities for the collection of the license tax
tb,n the Auditor, for the police could report
,],l;nuucnts to the Auditor as we'll as to the
Mayor.
Mr, Hughes said the collection Of the liceu-
Coz bv the Auditor had been tried once before
ma ionnd to work so badly that it had to be
r;ven back to the Mayor People didn't always
,.omply with the law, and take out their licen-
So ~ they should do, but reminder from the
M,vor ceucrally had the effect of making them
Mr. Henderson said that was just the point
bc madc for he had been told that Mr. Latham
had allowed Gan to run gin mill three
months without taking out any license. There
could be nothing gained by giving the Mayor
the collection of the Licenses.
Mr.. Rock was opposed to the bill, aud to
avoid being misunderstood. or speaking i'm
prudcnty, he had committed his remarks to
writing. He desired to meet the issue. 1t was
asserted that the Mayor was required to be in
his office not more than two hours per day He
WIS the only officer that produced money for
the Corporation. The more he attended to
business the better we're the affairs of the city
conducted; more money received for license and
fines, and more saved by careful attention. The
man who only acted as Mayor two hours, lost
the city all he could do In the rest Of the time.
He would like to ask just here if there was a
city on the continent, from the Atlantic to the
Pacific, which gave its Mayor, its chief execu-
tive, less than private upon its police force.
The Mayor had not alone the police, but the
sanitary condition of the city to supervise He
was the Chief Executive Of the city, and it was
incumbent on him to overlook and give vitality
to all the operations He heard all the COM
nlaiuts of the citizens about everything that
went wrong, and it was his business to see that
the proper officer attended to them. The people
look to him to do this. From to II and . to
was the shortest time the Mayor should be iu
his office the other time be ought to be going
about seeing that the interests of the city We're
not neglected.
Mr. Henderson Could you tell me the
amount received from the present Mayor for
the last ten months, ard that from Mr. Latham
for the last ten mouths
Mr.. Rock do MOI know.
Mr.. Eichberg-The revenue Of the last ten
months by the present Mayor is less than that
Of the previous ten mouths by Mr.. Latham.
Tha, is what the Auditor s books show.
Mr. euderson-Leaviugo out the two months
Mr. Echberg
Mr.. Henderson said that the Chief of Po-
lice vas on duty sixteen hours a day. MIR. Berk
cy said that two hours business attention was
al! that was necessary to the Mayors office.
lr. Rock-Will this Council give the Mayor
such 4 salary that he can only spend two hours
in the discharge Of the duties Of the Mayor, and
then tell him you can 60 around and hunt up
some sulall job to support your family. Neither
two nor four hours would suffice to do the bust
ness Of the Mayor If the Mayor was in his
Office three out OF four Of the cases that now
90 to the Corporation Court, aud for which
the town has to pay 10 jail fees, jurors, Courts,
Nc, would be settled IN the Mayors Office and
M llrther expense incurred.
Mr. Henderson The State pays the Magls-
trairs To attend to their bushes.
Mr. Rock-ls your object economy.
Mr. H4nderSou-lt is.
Mr. Rockwell, you have increased the
Auditor pay.
Mr.. Hcndersou-Wc have not come to that
yet.
Mr.. Rocket is not economy you're after
my friend.
Mr. Hcndcrson-r 10 glad you are satisfied.
MIR. Hopkins said he could speak dispasslon-
atey on this subject for he was on friendly
terms with both Mr. Latham and Mr.. Berkeley.
He was satisfied that five hundred do lars was
sufficient salary, aud knew it could be settled
without its being supposed that any special per
son was aimed at.
The amendment Of Mr. Rock making the
salary $500, was lost.
The amendment giving the Mayor the col
lection of licenses was lost by a tie vote.
The whole section was then lost.
Mr. Hopkins then moved that the Mayor
collect the licenses.
The chair-The member will have to submit
new section.
Mr. Hopkins then moved that the salary Of
the Mayor be $500 with 2! pcrccn 90 licenses,
which was adopted by viva voce vote.
AFTER some examination relaLlVe 10 the
amount Of commission ON licenses allowed last
Year,
Mr.. Hopkins submitted bis proposition as to
the salary Of the Mayor $500 aud commissions
on icenses) in writing, and it was again adop-
ted
-, Mr.. Elchberg moved to make the salary Of
.ne Auditor 1000, as he was not now allowed
'''S commission on licenses
MT Beach favored the motion; 81 900 was
low salary for the work.
GO, m hughes asked if the Auditor did not
81, "a a part Art Of the dog tax.
tho l d., IEs a the Auditor gets from
nor,,Hn i'ccnSes does not come out of the cor
by the owner ' - ''s' VI 0a'A O0s pA'A
ar, W. llushes-But that is added to his sal
Mr. Beach was certain that the Auditor did
WI get 70 cts. on each doc for IF he did so he