The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1873-05-28
THE CITY COUNCIL.

WORKS THE CHARGES MADE BY
THE PRESIDENT AGAINST MEMBERS
OF THE COUNCIL NOT SUSTAINED
THEIR PUBLICATION OR DELIVERY
WITHOUT wARRANT-OTHER UNTM-
PoRTANT BUSINESS TRANSACTED.
I A called meeting Of the city council was
held yesterday afternoon. President
Wynne said that the lack of punctuality in
attendance on several meetings recently
had determined him to enforce the ordi-
nance, and did so yesterday. He had been
placed in an unfair position before the COM
munity in regard to the matter, and he de-
sired to set himself right by saying that he
did not refuse to call meeting, but hav-
ing already called a meeting for Monday
next he thought it useless to call another.
Mr.. Whitlock insisted that the president
had refused to call meeting for yesterday
afternoon, and Mr.. Williams agreed in
this. s ... f. .....-.,-.. .....,,
Mr.. Starke thought the calling of the
roll Monday afternoon before the proceed
ings of the previous meeting had been read
was unusual, and somewhat like snap
judgment against the absent who did not
care to arrive in time to hear these pro-
ceedings read. ;g5 80 Ell. a5 l.Irtsl
Mr.. Straus, chairman of the committee
on finance, submitted report recon-
mending the return of various sums of mo-
ney to parties who were enormously as
sessed.
The committee recommend that $685.. 20
be paid to j. @. Fischer, late commissioner
of the revenue, which sum, with $225.45
paid for revising his property books, &C.,
constitutes the full balance of s92O.74 due
him on the assessment of city taxes.
The committee also report that they
have made arrangements with I. Daven-
port, jr., & Co., for the sale of the bonds
Of the city and for the protection of the
credit of the city pending the negotiation
of such sale. They recommend the restric-
ton of expenditures in every department to
the amount of the annual appropriations
already made, with which wise
economy" say the committee. assured to
them, the committee would be embolden-
ed with confidence to promise the liberation
of the fiscal affairs of the city from all
embarrassment within the term of
the current financial year. Adopted.
Mr.. Starke, from the committee on the
improvement of the James river, presented
q resolution conveying to the United States
government certain lands near Dutch Gap
for the purpose Of erecting lighthouse,
house for keeper, &c. Adopted.
The vacancy in the council from jack
son ward, occasioned by the resignation of
Mr.. John Oliver, was then filled by the
election of Mr.. Pleasant Gentry. 2a
Mr.. Whitlock, from the special commit
tee on the presidents late address to the
council, in relation to the sale Of the gas
works, presented lengthy report, which
concludes as follows: ~ i-sa s'a
"We have to declare after the most
laborious and thorough investigation,
which included the examination of thirty
ty-two persons, amongst whom were his
honor, the mayor of the city, Messrs. j. III.
Knowles, superintendent of the works,
T. H. Wynne, author of the address,
and the remaining councilmen7-we have
failed to discover one particle of
evidence which would have war
ranted its publication or its delivery
before the body over which the author
has the honor to preside. In conclusion,
we deem it proper to state that no evidence
was adduced to show that there was at the
date of delivery of the address any move
ment of any sort to procure the sale or
purchase of the gas works by parties in or
out of the council, but that certain persons
residing beyond the limits of the state,
prompted no doubt by the publications in
the newspapers at the date of the original
investigation of last year had addressed
letters to their friends or correspondents,
here, asking for information regarding the
works. These letters, coming from diffe-
rent sources, all bear date about the same
time (being about the date of the other in
quiry as stated, and the testimony shows
that answers were returned in each case
saving that there was no probability of sale
of the works, or to that effect.
"We would further state that we have
also been unable to find any evidence to
show that any persons had been moved by
the base motive to benefit themselves or
others by producing embarrassment in the
finances of the city," sg a
The ordinance imposing a tax on sample
merchants was referred to the committee
on finance. 1901 h"1iliE
President Wynne laid before the council
a communication from Mayor Kelley stat
ing that the terms of office of Messrs.
Robert e. Richardson, of the first district;
j. G. Shields, of the second, and Will
liam O.. Knight, of the third, as members
of the city school board, will expire with
the present montu, anu requesting tnaI
provisions be made to fill the vacancies.
Rev. Henry Wall, d. D., rector of st.
Johns church, Colonel j. G. Shields and
Colonel w. @. Knight were elected to the
vacancies. p
The president also presented commu-
nication from the commissioner of the
James river free bridge notifying the coun-
Gil of the resignation of William Z. Tan
ner, esq.,, member of the board of the
employment of Mr.. P. V. Daniel as coun-
sci of the company, and the compliance
of the commissioners with the reso-
| luton of the council in regard to
the trestle work and az retaining
walls on the Ninth-street approach to the
bridge, and application from the Manches-
ter railway and improvement company for
right of way over the James river free
bridge. Referred. 4
| A petition from the executive committee
of the Broad-street association asking the
removal of the Richmond, Fredericksburg
and Potomac railroad from Broad street
was referred to the committee on Broad
street. g.f73g Hrg H 4
A good deal of miscellaneous business
was transacted, after which the council
adjourned.