Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1874-10-28
CITY COUNCIL.
A regular SEMI monthly meeting of the City
Council was held last night.

hour OF opening
After the reading Of the minutes Of the pre-
ceding meeting,
The President stated that it was mis- duty to
inform the Board of the fact that its Mes>cn-
ger was serving out term of thirty days Ill
The city jail for a misdemcanor committed
some time since, aud that it was incumbent
upon the Board TO elect some person to ill the
vacancy AS but five members were present
hn would suggest however, that the unfinished
| business on the Clerk 5 liable he acted upon
first, and.by that time other members would
probably come III.
| Petitions of numerous residents ct st. ASaph
street We're received from the Common Cuun.
| ell protesting against further operations on
that street 10y the Board of Public Works, to-
sether with resolution that the Supcriutcn-
dent Of Police tie instructed TO cease The work,
and that the Board of Public Works be III
strucied to report to Council IA suitable grade
for said street.
DR.. johnson said it was the prcrogativc Of
| citizens to protest against any proceedings that
they deemed detrimental 10 their interests, but
to fix a grade Tor st. A>aph street that would
be satisfactory to all parties was an lmrosslbl!-
| ity; in fact the restoration OF the OLD Que
would not accord with their wishes. Some
time since, when the question OF rctrocedlng
!
lug agitatcd, two of the gentlemen whose
ualnes appear gu the petition Charles Grimes
aud G. + Price-were elated at the idea Of
such a change, rs in that cvcEt they would
have had Shepherd and the Board OF Public
Works to re-arrange that street. About year
ago the residents ot ST. Asaph street had petit
toned Council To have the grade rc-arraugcd
AMI other necessary repairs made, and Counci
had ordered the Board Of Public Works, 10 az
c,rdaucc with their earnest prayer, to proceed
with the work But if the repairing Of this
street proved Injurious to the interests of prop
crty holders, they had a perfect right TO pctl
ton, and it was the duty Of Council 10 respect
their protest. 1t Was an lupos.lbty 10 re-
pair any street without lnc9nvculehcng some
one The Object in rcarrauglUg the grade OF
the street in question was 10 cuab!c 1t TO carry
off It's own water, End he would say that during
the short time the repairs had been going on
property 10 that locality had been increased 10
value TO the amount OF $4,000. He regarded
St. Asaph street As being the street above all
others n the city which should have had these
improvements. as by it thousands 81 people
came in aud went out of the city. lie was 10
favor, however of coucurring in the action Of
the Common Council by adopting the resolu
ton.
The resolution was aunpcu.
The Aldermen were then invited into the
chamber of the Common Council for the pur
pose Of elcctiug members of the City School
Board aud Oh their return,
\ resolution, passed By the Common Coun-
ell, ordering the Superintendent OF Police 10
remove the pump at the corner OF Washington
and Princess streets, was read, when
Dr. johnson opposed a concurrence, on the
ground that were Council to remove all the
pumps of the city The Water Company Gould
very easily increase their rates, aud citizens
would be entirely at their mercy. The stock
OF! the company, however, was owned by Alex.
aplrians but, AT the same time, 1t was an un-
wise procedure to be removing these pumps,
as their u,cfu ucss Was very apparent 10 case
of fire. The Superintendent CT Police seemed
10 be wapng war against these old institu-
tons.
Mr. Smoot moved a concurrence, which was
carried.
A report of the Finance Committee in re.
gard to the accounts OF the Corporation, an
nouncing, among other things, the cancellation
of $500 Of Corporation bonds, Was received
from the Coumon Council, when
Di. johnson stated that, in his opinion,
these bouds should be destroyed in the pres
cuce of Council, 1t was no way to do business
i |
Finance Committee, that committee met and
DESTROYED 81 900 in bouds, and his first ap-
prisal of the fact was when he read 1t 10 the
paper Nobody knew whether they were
burned or not, and he was not Que of those
who placed implicit conficuce 10 his fellow
man. The law regarded no man as honest,
and therefore cxactcd hOnd.
On motion of Mr.. Moore, the report was re-
ccivcd
Two additional members having arrived, the
President again announced TO the Board the
fact Of its being without Messenger aud on
motion of Mr. Smoot, the office was declared
vacant and nominations for the position 10
order.
Petitions we're then read from r. W. Davis
Jacob Fotz Geo. T. Dcctou, Peter ". Simp-
son, 4. Williams and rhoma> Williams pray
ing for the office, aud on the Sth ballot George
l.. Dcctou WIS declared the choice OF the
Board. who was invited within the bar and
congratulated by the President. Mr.. d. 10
turn Thanked the Aldermen Tor the courtesy
and confidence which they had reposcd IN hun.
An adverse report OF the Committee on
Streets Oh the petition of Lewis Baltimore, Tor
permission to erect frame house within the
ire limits, was received from the Common
Council
Council some time since for this privilege, ard
before his petition could be acted upon had
commenced the erection Of his house, for
which offence he had been fined by the Mayor
so. Fl had since moved it beyond the pro,
,cribcd limits, and as no damage had resulted
to any property near, by its first location, 1t
would be no more than Justice for Council to
order the Mayor to refund the amount OF the
fine, which was agreed to by the Board.
On motion OF Mr.. Smoot the Board then
adjourned
COMMON COUNCIL.
In this Board thirteen members were present
and few spectators were outside the bar.
Upon an adverse report from the Committee
on Streets, upon petition Of Lewis Baltimore,
a coorcd maD for permission TO erect framed
oyster staud on the corner OF Duke aud Henry
streets
Mr. Mitchell said, that pending the consider,
alton of the petition the petitioner bad erected