Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1873-09-06
CITY COUNCIL.
A called meeting OF the City Council Wa:
held last night.

BOARD OF ALDERMEN.
After the reading of the minutes Of the last
meeting,
Board of Public Works asking Council to ap-
propriate $500 for the purchase Of pew and re-
nair of old instruments for the use Of the City
Surveyor. 81
DIR. johnson moved that the report be ac-
eepted. and offered a resolution appr0prlatlng
the amount asked for out of the general fund.
Judge Underwood offered substitute that
the amount asked for be taken from the sum
appropriated for the repair of streets. :,
DR.. johnson said the Instruments belonged
to the city, and consequently Council should
pay for repairing them as much so us 1t WOULD
for the repair of the hay scales or any property
Of the city. Mr.. Carter, with a commendabIe
spirit of economy, had been using these lnstru-
ments tor some time.
Judge Underwood was afraid if this sum
we're taken from the general fund the city
might not be able to meet all her obligations
| He was not particular though. T..
| Dr. johnson said as the member from the
4th Ward Judge i. was a member OF the
| Finance Committee his opinion was of course
valuable, as be was acquainted with the estl-
mates for taxation, &c He would therefore
accept the Judges . substitute, which Was
adopted.
4 communication from the Commissioners
| Of the Sinking Fund, together with rcsoiu-
tiou authorizing them to have suitable shed
erected 10 the market court and to provide tor
proper drainage, was received from the Com
mon Council.
DIR. johnson said this was loose way Of do:
ing business, and practical men never worked
in such manner. 1t was the duty OF the Com
missioncrs of the Sinking Fund to present a
plan of what they proposed to erect; then
Council could put it out under contract to the
lowest bidder. Council as we'll as the coumu-
nily, should know what kind Of a shed was to
be erected its COST &C. He was of opinion
that this shed should be put up in such man
ncr as to be able TO accommodate public meet
ngs, &C., as we'll as be a source Of revenue to
the city, aud he could not sanction the proceed
ing without first seeing plan be would o1fcr
substitute for the resolution.
| MIR. Janney Or. French in the chair) said
as one of the Commissioners Uf the Suklug
Fund c.c oDic'o, he thought it was incumbent
upon hin to make an explanation. The Com
missioners had had this matter under coDsld-
GRAFTON for some time, and were 1t not SO late
| ia the season he would favor submitting plans.
cost, &c., to Council but the fall season was
upon Us, and to draw up plans now would
occupy too much time. The country people at
present had to sit upon the cold paVements
and pay ten cents day for that privilege. lie
was satisfied the Commissioners would use
economy 10 whatever they Undertook to erect
lie said they intended building shed to be
covered with metal the fish market to be on
the alley. He hoped DR.. j. would Withdraw
his substitute.
Mr. Moore inquired of MIR. Japney the cost
of the proposed Improvement.
Mr. Janney said he was unable to state the
| exact cost
DR.. johnson said he thought he was an ami
able man ; that is 10 matters or his own. ms
however, was something in which the whole
community were interested, and it was his duty
to be crcumspect. The Commissioners had no
idea of what they were gong to do, the cost or
anything else. They wore no mechanics, and 1t
would be better for the people to stay out III
the cold than to erect shed which WOULD not
answer the purposes. lie had the utmost con-
| 6denca 10 the integrity Of the Commissioners
| but they were not practical mechanics Inc
Doctor then offered his substitute requiring the
| plans to be submitted to Council, which was
i adopted.
A resolution was received from the Common
Council authorizing the Board OF Public Works
to remove the rails on Henry street, sell them
and apply the proceeds to the improvement OF
said street. -,
DR.. johnson did not think Council could iu-
vest the Board with such power; legal posses
sion of the track would have to be obtained first
At present no one knew who it belonged to- 1t
was nuisance, however, and should be abated
Judge Underwood said from hearing many
arguments in regard TO the ownership OF that
road, he was prepared to give his opinion as to
who it belonged: The Government built it and
have abandoned tit is, therefore, now the
property of the city, and the sooner taken pos
session Of the better.
The action Of the Common Council was con-
cured in, and the Board at $50 adjourned.
COMMON COUNCIL.
The attendance outside the bar was exceed,
iugly small, and for some time 1t was feared
that there would not be quorum OF the mem,
bcrs present, as only eight had arrived until
some time after S o'clock, the hour of meeting
The ninth and requisite member appeared,
however, aud before adjournment eleven were
present.
The Board having come to order the Presl,
dent stated that the meeting had been called
at the instance of the Board of Public Works
and the Commissioners of the Sinking Fund.
Mr.. HOPKINS then had read the following
communication from the Commissioners of the
Sinking Fund
At meeting held August q, 1873, there were
pres emit W. n. Berkeley, S. h. Janney, W. d.
Corse and R. S. Ashby, for the purpose of set.
Ting t. 9 account Of =. H. Deahuy in iull against
tn Market House, &c.
A resolution was offered and unanimously
passed, that application be made TO the City
Council Of Alexandria for permission to erect
suitable sheds within the court of the ms rket
square for the better accommodation OF the
country truchmen, and also q bench for the
G.h dealers. ROBERT S. AsHBY, Secretary.
The same gentleman then presented reso-
Iuton resoccting the erection Of sheds in the
market square, remarkiug that tho Market
House was erected in accordance with specified
plans, but that those plans did not authorize
the Commissioners of the Sinking FLUID to
spend the money Of that fund in the erection
Of sheds, but that such resolution as the one
he had introduced would, he thought, over
come all difficulty.
Mr. Mckenzie asked the probable cost Of
IL