Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1875-04-28

! without All quate recOmr"n>e or value received
| in systcmlcSs schemes and confused plans, TIE
want Of suitable system in the Conduct Of tIe
work Oh tie streets, has We'll nigh brought I'll
Improvement of the streets into pupular cnn
tempt, and i continuance Of the present confu
sion 10 regard 10 street affairs, bur cvinces a
uIeiiocrity that achieves neither responsibility
nor utility. and leaves to blind ciaGce the du.
briuuS consumDati0n of that which an intelli-
gent care should have directed aud matured. "
DR.. French said that at Il late lnectiug of the
Finance Committee this question had been dis.
cusSrd, aud al were agreed that some change
should be made. They had concluded to re-
quest the Committee on Streets to report i
similar b1Il to the one DR.. } had offered. He
moved that the bill be referred TO The Commit
tee Oh Streets, with Instructions TO report, which
Was adopted.
Mr.. Seaton said he had concluded to say
nothing more, but he Certainly felt aggrlcycd
at the action Just taken. Whenever retrench-
nent WIS attempted, i direct thrust was made
at .umr poor ntan, who could i'll afford 10 lose
his Office. " hen money was to be raised the
poor man, In his little hut, was duly taxed, and
he thought il would sound much better To hear
SOnc one say suspend the interest on the bonds
for a Y while. He had recently become a bond
holder himself. and was satisfied if he received
no interest for ten years, and then got dollar for
dollar for his bonds, he would lose nothing on
his outlay.
Here the speaker was informed by the Chair
that he was out OF order, as the motion had
been carried.
4 resolution was received from the Common
Council, granting Robert Portner the privilege
of bullllng his house on Washington street
on the line be has adopted.
Mr. Smrpt c.iJ hs bod dnuhts If tho cnr.
rcc,ncss ct the line referred TO. MIR. Carter,
tn" CiIy Surveyor, had declared it incorrect, and
he thought in hulIdlug up vacant lots the regu
lar line should be adhered to.
DR.. Johnson was certain that Council had
no power 10 grant any citizen the right to
cncrUach SIX inches upon the sidewalk. a. Mr..
Portner proposed 10 do. Ii would be as legal
10 grant them the right to Fix feet. The Oh ct
Of the bill he had offered was TO obviate this
difficulty. Mr.. Purtuer owned the whole square
on which he intended to build, and no citizen
would ever have com planned of the loss of the
six iuches Of sidewalk which he desired to take
III, but com plaIut had been lodged tc the Mayor
by u mrmbcr Of the Committee Oh Streets
hence the difficulty.
Mr.. Moore said Mr.. p. did not desire to
e~ucroac!l upon the sidewalk, but ohj c;ed to
having his house set back about ten lEc les from
The line Ct the other buildings on that street.
liz moved to CONCUR IN the action ot the lover
Board.
After some further explanation the action Of
the Counon Council Was concurred in, and
the Board adj burned.
COMMON COUNCIL.
The meeting Of the Common Council, last
night, was unusually well attended. notwlth-
staDdlog the rain.
The first subject on which discussion arose
was a petition for Il reduction Of taxes,
Mr.. Mckenzie said that the whole amount
of Mr.. Frcnch's taxes which have accrued was
S112 these taxes accrulug on every year slucc
lSG7. He favored a reference to the tiuance
Committee. He did rot think that any TAX, :
could be collected for beyond FIVE years,
Mr.. Eichberg opposed the references. H..
was DOT prepared to FAY that after Eve wears
taxes iapsed. He would like To X NV who was
Chairman Of the Financ. Com,o,ttre in 1851.
Mr.. Mckenzie i suppo>e %,lr. French Was,
| was not, certainly,
The COMMUNICATION wos referred to the f.
nance Committee.
An aci To establish the building line Of Wash.
lngton street being introduced.
Mr.. BIoaders favored an amendment t.
allow all OH street ines - remain Unchanged.
MIR IL pkinS understood hat these lines a.!
Wei" based On The new lines established for
Columbus street.
Mr.. Hughes wished to know what Gct made
the new Columbus street line a base line.
MIR. Hurkips understood that the act cs-
tabllshing the Board Of Public Works estab-
lishcd this line.
Mr.. Hughes said a grade was Gxcd but not
a street line.
After considerable further discussion the
Chair (Mr. Shlnn) suggested that Council was
acting In the dark gu this 81; jcct. They should
not act without light.
Mr.. Beach said the whole trouble arose from
making Columbus street a base line.
Mr.. RIshelll thought that it was poor policy
to prevent a gentleman who mad. his money
out of town from bringing his ,loney here and
building u house. He lad air .udy SOM idea
of moving away Oh account oil unfrlcndly legs
lation.
After further debate a substitute allowing
Mr.. PortDer to build on the liue of his dwelling
house was agreed to.
MIR. Mitchell, IN INTRODUCING a resolution ap
pointing a 20 amend The city char
Ter, SAID 10 reply to a. question, that his Officer
vas to restore TO the people the choice OF 9TH
GERS formerly chosen by them. The resolution
was lust-yeas, 8 Gays, 1.
MIR. Mitchell Introduced a resolution for 40
election, May 4fh, to fill the vacancy occasion
cd by the removal of MIR. Lucas.
Mr.. Fowic SAID that Mr. Lucas intcrmcd him
that he had not given up his residence mere
aud did not intend To resigo. The resolution
was laid aside.
Mr.. Hughes asked il the committee to in
Vestigale the charges against the City Survey
Or Was ready to report.
Mr.. Rlsh.iIt said that he had prepared 4 re-
port, bur two members we're OF the opinion
that the committee had 10 authority to max"
a decision 10 ii qurstl0u Of vtraclty batwceb
Nr. Former and the City Surveyor aud bad r.
fused to sign the report. He had therefore
| deferred IA report until mkt uectIug.
a bill abolIshluy the ohice Of Clerk OF the
Ga- " rks va. then taken up.
Mr.. Elchberg said this bll would save 5000
aud the Superintendent Of Gas could d. tho
WORK.