Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1874-05-13
CITY COUNCIL.
The regular semi. monthly meeting of the
CITY Council was held last night
BOARD OF ALDERMEN.

City Council was held last night.
BOARD OF ALDERMEN.
In the Board of Aldermen all the members
we're present, but there were but few specta-
tors.
Immediately upon the conclusion Of the read
ing of the minutes Of the last meeting,
The Salary bill, the unfinished business was
taken up when MIR. Latham moved to strike
out $500 aud Insert $500 as the salary Of the
Mayor, and the motion hayiDg been seconded
by Mr.. Moore,
MIR. Latham addressed the Board in support
of his motion He said be was actuated by
what he condsidered sense of duty. In no
other city in the country was the salary OF the
Mayor fixed at a sum less than that of the other
municipal officers All the members of the
other Board with whom he had conyersed
thought the salary ought to be big her, and one
of the Councllmeu, MIR, Mckenzie, had stlg-
matztd the small salary as contemplate.
The Mayor to properly perform his duty should
be at his Office at all reasonable hours, and Tor
bis services should be properly paid. If he
had to have other occupations to secure llv-
ing the duties Of his office must necessarily be
neglected, and in this connection he charged
that Mr.. Berkeley had not, while the incumbent
Of the Office faithfully discharged mis- trust.
He had not given the Office that attention that
it required, and it was constant remark with
the policemen that they were tired of making
arrests to have the offenders discharged with a
reprnand or fue of one dollar and costs.
He was aware that some did not desire the cleo
ton Of mayor who would grind the poor"
for the sake of revenue, but be considered that
when an offence was committed, no matter by
whom, it should be punished as 1t fully de-
served, and without regard to persons. tie
said that comparing the last year of his mayor
atty and the first of Mr. Berkley's admiuistra-
ton, he had paid into the treasury $72O. 50
more than Mr. Berkeley, besides the loss OF the
license fees. which were that year given to the
Auditor The Mayor, he considered, should
be as continually at his Office as the Auditor,
and it was his du y to supervise all the officers
of the CITY; the constitution Of the State and
the charter Of the city made it imperative upon
him. He did not consider that the argument
that men could be gotten to serve tor S4OO was
any argument men could be gotten ~ I'LL any
position, but the question OF their competency
should be looked at. His idea always had been
that the police should be paid $50 month aud
made TO perform their duty faithfully. What,
he asked was a few cents, more or less, taxes,
if by it the servc. - Of faithful and competent
officers were thereby secured. lie thought the
Mayor should be allowed three per cent for
collecting the licenses, and the Corporation
would then be the gamer, as the additional
compensation would be an lnducement and an
incentive for more vigilance 10 collecting. 1t
the salary of the Mayor was reduced he should
move to reduce the salaries Of all the other
officers, but hoped that Council would not be
guilty of such petty economy. He doubted the
legality of the last act fixing the salary of the
Mayor, but thought that MIR. Berkeley had been
well paid at $500, considering the duty he had
performed.
DR.. johnson did not believe that the Office
Of Mayor should be one OF profit, but OF honor,
and the salary merely sufficient to compensate
for the short tune needed in the performance
Of the Duties which be said were very light,
as luost Of the cases now tried by the Mayor
should properly be tried before Justice. he
considered five hundred an ample salary. ln
days goue by the Mayor had ouy received the
fees; that system was abolished, and then the
salary was fixed at $500 aud 4O0 aud no fault
found, while the duties were we'll performed.
A great many would take the office at the sal
AIRY OF $500, and be had no opinion of mem
Der of Council who would vote for bill and
then denounce it outside. He was IN favor OF
taking away the license fees and letting the
collectors collect the licenses as they did other
taxes aud report to the Auditor: The BEST
men in Council would take tho position at the
"
bers of the other Board fourteen were expect
ing to get it. The people were taxed to death,
aud it was the duty of Council to save where
ever they could. Al $500 be could get coupe
tent men to take the office.
Mr.. Latham said some men would take the
Office for 500, but the man who made the as
sertiou that the duties did not require constant
attendance spoke without knowledge of the
facts. 1t was the on producing Office in the
city, and as its duties were attended to or ne
elected, SO did it's productiveness Increase or
diminish. While in Office he was certain that
he had made for the corporation more than his
salary. He could get men to serve as clerk OF
the gas works for $780, and auditors for 5000,
but would they be fit for the positions, and
might not the city lose more in trying the ex-
pertinent. Ifhe had his way he would make
the salary Of Mayor $1,000; with $500 and %
per cent for collecting licenses it would be about
$1,000. He hoped that getting men at low
salaries would DOT be considered The salary
was DOT for the man but for the Office, and
faithful officers should be we'll paid. No such
consideration as slight Increase IN the tax on
bonds would Influence him.
Dr. French said that the question at issue
was not what ought to be given but what can
be paid. The finances of the city were IN
deplorable condition, and steps should be
taken TO better them. Ii the salaries OF the
officers could be reduced it ought to be done:
The debt of the city was now $l,OOO,00C, aud
the city had not he ability to pay it now that
it had fifteen years ago. The expenses in the
last teu years had increased 5000 per annunl,
aud some provision ought to be made to lqui-
date this growing debt.
The question being taken upon the adoption
OF the amendment TO increase the salary to
$500, it was lost Messrs. Latham and Moore
only voting 10 the affirmative.
DR.. johnson then moved 10 fix the salary at
$500 and said that it had taken him two years
to get the mayor to bond, and he was now
without sufficient checks. His idea was that
the Collectors should collect the licenses and re.
port to the Auditor He did not want the
Mayor, who was supposed to be gentleman
who did not care for an extra tax of dollar
and a halt on the hundred, and a jolly good