Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1874-11-14
Board of Aldermen.

was held last night. Neariy all Tue uemGSiS
were present, and a Jew spectators were with
out the bar.
The President stated that the object Of the
meeting was to consider resolution adopted at
the last meeting of The Common Council, d.
recting the Committee on Streets TO give
grade for Orcnoco street, east OF st. Asaph
street, and the Clerk having read the resolu-
tlun,
DR.. French moved that the action OF the
CorDmon Couucii be coDcurrcd IN.
DR.. Johnson said:
"Mr. President: All the difficulty and annoy
ancc which the people have positively suffered
from the various attemptSt 10 Improve our streets
has arisen from the ignorance and presumption
of the respective committees on streets, who
have at divers times made themselves rldlcul.
Gus by desire to show their knowledge OF
grades, aud us consequence, the COMMITTEE
on Streets have not attempted to make one
single Improvement that they have not abso-
utely Spoiled and left the people in worse
condition than they we're before such improve
ment was commenced. The proposition is to
refer this matter of the grade Of Orouoco street
10 the Committee on Streets. The Common
Council has passed aud repassed several reSo-
utiaus on the subject, and each resolution has
bad an entirely different intention. viii ask
what does the Committee on Streets know
about grades? Nothing whatever. 1t is not by
an intelligent man expected that committee
selected without any special qualification Tor
the duties of any given profession should be
competent to discharge the office OF a profess
sion which takes man Il life tune to we'll learn.
Ifa Judge had question Of land boundary
before him for decision, would he consult
doctor, tanner, q restaurant keeper,
"a
or refer the matter as an ultimate source
of an intelligent decision to a committee
such men Of such avocations. Tie would be
subject of eternal ridlcuie did he attempt 1t.
He would, like an Intelligent man, refer tic
matter to the County Surveyor, and his writ
| ten statement given under the restraints OF an
oath and boud, the officer would be the guide OF
his Judgment. But the City Council has an
| improved mode of doing business; 1t refers mat
tiers Of grade to itself aud not the law directs,
to sworn and bonded officer of it--not to men
| who are skilled in mathematics and kindred
| sciences, but to a jack-leg carpenter restau.
rant keeper, or tauncr aud Il doctor to whom,
| if surveyor were to present draft of plan
| Of grade, would be to them herogyphlcs. L
| repeat that the Committee Oh Streets know
nothing about grades. | for one, will say that
| know nothing about grades. WILL not at
tempt to give an opinion on subjects that re-
quirc the study Of a life time to understand.
But the opinions OF Archlmedes, Euclid, and
Sir Isaac Newton, would BIZ laughed at as jar
gou and uonsensc by the Committee on Streets
and the intelligent and scientific members OF
our Common Council. Messrs. Rishicl, Hughes
aud Shinn say that our surveyor is incompetent
| will put the opuioDs on the subject, of such
high-toued aud Intelligent gentlemen as Hon.
Eppa Hunton, +. l. Smith, esq. the late Jas.
h. Reed, Allan Howison. Judge A. Ncol,
yno Camper aud NJ. D. Sinclair, against that
Of our Common Councilmen. All these gen.
tlemen say they have Known Mr.. Carter from his
boy hood, and each give similar opinion of
his good character aud comperteucy as sur
veyor, and their opinions are Of much more I'M
pertaDce to this community than that OF three
members Of the Common Council l repeat,
all the dificuIty-about the streets arises from
the ignoraut interference of the Committee Oh
streets 10 presuming to direct those subjects
which their business aud education have made
them incompetent to comprehend. The sur
veyor gave the grade for curbline south side of
Prince street between Lee aud Union streets.
He had no power to change the grade under the
law Of the City Council, and stated so to the
Committee on streets, and he gave the PAYERS
the grade. Two of the Committee on streets
went there aud absolutely altered the grade six
inches without any more authority Tor doing SO
than TWO men 10 New York would have had.
Therefore the City Surveyor is the only COM
petent person. to tx the grades of all the streets,
and all these matters should be referred to that
officer. There must be an intelligent head 70
every thing, and if the City Surveyor is found
to be incompetent, why the City Council as an
intelligent body should turn him out aud get an
10, Rrt p0f fhn in
competency Of the City Surveyor, but It is the
ignorant interference Of the Committee on
streets which has produced all the trouble. As
a member Of the Committee on streets, | will
not NEEDLE in matters | know uo'hing about,
aud my duty demands that | shall not allow
public interest to suffer by allowing these to
meddle without protesting against 1t.
During his remarks the Doctor animadverted 10
strong terms upon the action ofthe Supcrlnten.
dcut of Police, whom he accused OF tale bearing
and of employing bis own horses aud carts, and
upon that Of two uembers of the Committee
on Streets and was called TO order by the Pres-
dent, who Informed him that such language
must not be used towards members Of the co.
ordinate branch of the City Council.
DR.. Johusou-Must not?
The President-Y Yes, must not!
DR.. Johuson--Must, can, or might-parts Of
auxiliary verbs.
The President-It is flying directly in the
face Of our rules OF government, and |, as Presl-
dent of this Board, repeat it shall not be
done.
Dr. French renewed his motion to concur in
the adoption of the resolution, and said Couo
Gil WIS financially unable to prosecute such i'm
provcmcuts as had been projected There
would be deficit in the treasury at the end of
the year any how, aud the quicker work 90 the
proposed improvements was suspended the bet
ter.
Mr. Moore said he agreed with Dr.. French
Money had been squandered--worse than vast
cd 10 the alterations called improvements and so
far as he was concerned he would not vote for
another dollar to expeDd 90 them usle>s specially
directed to do SO by his conSs tuents. There
was no use in changing the grade of one street
without making that Of the others conform to
it.
Mr. Lvles called the nrevious question and