Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1875-05-28
Meeting of the Common Council.

An adjourned meeting of the Common Cuun-
Gil was held last night. For official proceedings
see another column of to-day GuZefle Eight
o'clock is the designated hour OF meeting, but
at that time but one member, Mr.. Rlsnlell,
was present, with no spectators. BY half past
eight, however, a quorum had assembled and
| commenced business with Mr.. Mckeezie as
president pro TEN, and with SIX spectators with
out the bar
AS it was an adjourned meeting the minutes
Of the last meeting were not read, aud the Dill
| appropratlng the revenue OF the city tor the
next f >caI year, which had been read at a pre-
vious meeting, was called up. The llnes ap-
propriating IS 900 for the salaries OF officers;
So, 100 for the police department.; 5000 for
public schools, and 900 lor cleaning streets,
were approved, but when that approprlatlog
SIS, 900 to repairing streets was read, MIR. Nc
| keuZie moved 10 amend by inserting $500 IN
place of S., 900, and said that S., OOU was too
much to be giving to the Superintendent OF
| Police and Commmlttce on Streets TO spend
as they pleased.
Mr. Kishic said no matter what sum was
appropriated none of it could be expended ex-
cupt by vote OF Council
The amendment was also opposed by Messrs
Hughes, Hopkins, Bruders and Echberg all
of whom conlended that 1t Was little enough
less than had been expended for that purpose
last year; and, considering that Union street
would have to be repaved, and that repairs
would have TO be made to HOG street, 10 con-
sequence Of the condition III which that thor
oughiare had been put by the track OF the
street railroad, certainly not more than would
be n quired; aud mentioning as an example OF
the economy Of the Committee on Streets the
small cost Of the repairs lately made on Prince
street as compared with similar work done by
contract.
President Shinn here entered the chamber
and was called to his chair by Mr.. Alckerzle.
Mr.. Mckenzie said it was not a matter OF
streets, or of the economy OF the Committee 90
Streets, but the question was where was the
money to come FROM. For his part he wished
all the streets could be repaived. They wanted
repairing badly enough everybody knew, but
90 body knew how TO get the moucy 10 pay Tor
the work.
The ayes and noes were then taken 90 the
amendment aud it was lost by vote OF III
to-
When the line approprating $1,000 Tor
printing was read MIR. Hopkins asked II that
sum was required
MIR. Echberg said it cost 81 600 last year,
but that was 10 consequence OF the publication
of the delinquent tax list.
ket house expenses was read Mr.. Mck"nzle
moved to amend by providing that the COM
missiouers Of the sinking fund pay the salary OF
the Clerk Of the Market and the other market
expenses, saying that as all the recei pts OF the
market square went Into that fund, they should
certainly pay fur collecting them and be salts
fed with the net receipts.
The President stated that the Council could
Got fix the salary of an officer of the corpora
ton and com pei the slukI~g fund commission
crs 10 pay it, aud ruled the Amendment out OF
order
Mr.. Mckenzie then moved to strike out the
whole line, anu his motion was carried.
The following appropriations were then read
and approved: 5000 for repairing pumps-Nr.
Hughes tavorlDg either increasing the sum to
make it efficient, striking it out altogether
and making those who use the pumps keep
them in order-S SC, $40 for Poor's House; 81 600
for fire Department. $500 expenses OF boards OF
Couuci; Sc, 200 for expenses OF Corporation
Courl; S3UO fur law expenses; $500 for luQuests
and contingencies, aud 1915 for elcctiuu ex-
penSes.
The next line read was that appropriating
SCI 500 for interest on the pubic debt.
MIR. Hughes said that upon examining the
corporation accounts he had found that it was
not exactly known what interest was due, and
that there Was som: Sl2, 900 worth OF bonds 90
which no body ever called for interest. He
moved to strike out sci 500 aud insert $4,000
as hat woull pay about four per cent.
Mr.. Eichberg said for the good name of the
city be hoped aud trusted 20 effort would be
made 10 repudiate debt the ink 90 the com-
pact to pay which Was hardly dry. He was 10
favor of taxing not only bonds, but everything
else, and If enough could not be raised 10 that
Way to pay not only aud 9 per Ct, the highest
rate the Finance Committee, OF which be was
a member had ever paid, but ID per ct. If
necessary 10 sustain the credit Of the Corpora
ton Every house 10 the city was liable for
the city's debt, and if an attempt was made to
repudIate that debt every house would be
seized by the creditors until that debt was
made, and a late suit brought by a creditor to
obtain the interest due him, and the payment
of which had been refused had cost the Cor
poration 81, 4O0-a result, be supposed, that
would be sufficient to deter the city from aoy
more suits of that character.
Mr.. Harlow said be was in favor OF the
amendment. 1t Was not an effort to rapudlate,
but only to make the bonds OF the Corporation
bear their part of the general depreciation OF
property, and that per CT. would be good
interest on the amount paid for the bonds, and
was iD fact all the city could pay-lt was unable
to pay more.
Mr. Hughes said the doctrine advanced
that the houses Of private cizans was liable for
the debts of the Corporation was the most un.
just he had ever heard, aud wanted to know
if the private properly Of the stockholders 10
the Marine Railway Company was liable for the
debts incurred by that company. lie also said
that the price at which Corporation bonds We're
selling-70-had been raised by borrowing money
at II per ct. to pay interest Oh them DOT by
the Charmau of the present, but by that OF a
former Finance Committee, who at the same
| time had ordered the Collectors of Taxes to
suspend the collection of taxes upon some de-
iDquents, and eventually scaled the blls-he
alluded he said, to Mr.. James French. When
man failed in business, he said, he had tc 90
toto bankruptcy, and the city would have to