Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1875-06-09
CITY COUNCIL.
A regular semi monthly meeting Of the City
Council was held last night

A regular semi monthly meeting Of the City
Council was held last night.
BOARD OF ALDERMEN.
In the Board of Aldermen the appropriation
bill was taken up and read.
MIR. Smoot thought So, 500 too small an ap-
preparation for repairing the streets and moved
to amend by inserting $4,000
MIR. Lawson said that IS, 900 was the original
sum put in the bill by the Finance Committee
but that as the bill had been amended 10 the
other Board be thought it had better remain.
The motion to amend was lost and the bill
then passed ayes, +; no, MIR. Smoot.
A statement of the financial condition Of the
city, presented to the Common Council aid
heretofore published, was read and accepted.
The action of the Common Council 10 refer
ence to the Manassas Gap Railroad stock for
merry owned 10y the city, cnquriDg whether lis
transfer required vote oil the people TO make
it valid was concerned.
DR.. johnson said that in secoudiDg the mo.
ton to concur he merely desired to vindlcate
his original course in reference to the transfer
of this stock, which he had at the time oppos-
ed as detrimental 10 the interests Of this city
The revenue bill was next taken up and
when the section taxing lawyers and physicians
was reached,
DR.. johnson said he could see no reason for
doubling the tax on doctors and lawyers aud
not on other professional men. Manufacturers
were not taxed Oh their capital material, &c,
and he thought it Uni u>t to make this discrlml-
nation Physicians were poorly paid at any
rate, and he did not believe that it they would
resist the payment of this specific tax they
could be made TO pay it. He therefore moved
to reduce the proposed tax of dweuty dollars to
ten dollars, and the motion prevailed.
The bill haying been read through without
further amendment,
DR.. johnson said the city was in debt mil
lion and half of dollars aud that none OF the
principal or interest had been paid but that 1t
had only been funded. As to paying the bonds
it was time enough to talk OF that some thirty
years hence when they became due, but 1t Was
impossible to pay the interest, which was op-
pressive, and Was keeping down prosperity. 10
adjust this matter resolution had passed this
Board for the appointment OF committee to
confer with the bondhoders to have an abate-
! mept Of interest," but the other Board had laid
it on the table lie contended that no repudla-
ton was meant, but it was merely TO make a
compromise with the bondholders as 10 the ln-
terest, which be expected could not be paid.
Eugland, he said, had pursued the same course,
and the reduction of the interest on her debt
was the cause of her great prosperity, making
money so plentiful there that men could afford
to purchase bulls at $4,000 and cxutlcs at
fabulous prices He urged that there should
BE- compromise with the bondholders. All
here are alike, and it was as hard Tor the man
owning $40 900 to pay his taxes as to him who
had but 81 600. He was also Of opinion that
it was foolish Tor our people TO be ''buling
the bonds He looked upon the sinking fund
as an outrage and said that $4,000 of the for
mer fund had never been accounted for. lie
referred to the action OF the Conservatives OF
the Third Ward 10 passing the anti repudla-
ton resolutions, and declared that they did not
know what they were doug, and that the flap
doodle resolutions" hal apparently received
favorable action because 90 one 10 the meeting
understood their purport. The bonds ought,
10 his opinion, to be "beared Instead OF
"bued"
Mr.. Moore said that if the Auditor books
were Of any value the debt OF the city within
the last five years has been reduced over $ so,
600 He charged upon DR.. johnson great in-
consistency 10 his course in reference to the
bonds, and quoted from speech Of DIR. some
eight years ago, in which he had taken posi-
ton Numerically opposite to that now held by
him. He accused DR.. j. of being always in
favor of paying the interest and of being one of
the bulls.
Dr. johnson explained his action and the
position assumed by him eight years ago, and
contendcd that throughout be had acted con-
sistently aud always In opposition to the
bull"
Mr.. Moore still contendcd that DR.. j. was,
and bad always been one Of the bulls, and
had always voted to pay the full interest
DR.. French said that the bonded debt OF the
city was one million and twenty-five thousand
dollars, $50, 900 OF which Was in the sinking
fund, and if the sinking fund was let alone, 10
ten years, it would yield from 100000 to
$4,000 year at the present price OF tie
bonds. IF eight years ago, whco such thing
might have been possible, the debt had been
scaled, there would have been $3.50, 900 OF the
debt gotten rid of. lie said the only way to
get rid Of the debt now was to 1ny 1t. Ii the
interest was not paid the Corporation could
not be carried on, for as the coupons were re-.
ccyablc for taxes, nothing but coupons would
be received in payment OF taxes, and there
would BIO no money to carry on the city govern.
ueDt with.
The bill, as amended, was then passed.
ayes 7.
After some further business the Salary bill
was taken up.
DR.. johnson contcuded that the only way
to cconomisc was not to cut down the salaries
Of the officers but to consolidate. He did not
see the use OF paying salaries to the Attorney
or Surveyor as both get fees, and he thought
that these items should be stricken out, and
the salary of the Messenger be Increased from
$l25 to 5000.
Mr. Moore had v,ted for the bill as it came
from the Common Council He was wiling to
pay, but could it be afforded TO pay the
salaries somebody's property had to be sold.
DR.. Johnson thought cutting down the sala-
res of the Clerk and Messenger was contcmp
tible and beneath the dignity of the Board.
The motion to Increase the Messengers sala-
ny to $500 was agreed to.
On motion to increase the salary Of the
| Clerk of the Gas Works to 5000,
| DR.. Johnson said Que man could attend to