Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1877-01-10

Variau, bills for election services, petitions.
&C., were disposed Of without debate. They
will be fouod 10 the "tic'al proceedings. pub
ished elsewhere.
The Committee 90 Public Properly reported
j resolution directiug the payment OF ine tl'
IT d. j. B. Jotuscr for repairs % ne tI'tnl.
ship Eogine House.
llr. Janusy (Mr. Armstrong in the chair
said that lie seldom left the char to make re-
marks. but tel, il incumbent Cd him 70 DO 80
now. H. hai loue though this bill uucb! 10 b:
paid. 1t mad passed once, but coupled With a
condition. requiring the giving up or aoy title
helG by rh Friendship FIRE Company which
coud!tlou Dr.. johnson could not comply with
He believed that Cuuac had by that ac'lor
recognized he c!aiul, and made Ii legal. tie
r. couuted the circumstances urler winch the
claim arose, and denied that this would ;uinlsh
a ,rvsedent FIR other irregular Claims.
Mr.. Strauss thought this bill q just one. The
committee Tad examined all the witnesses and
touui the bill correct, and 1t should b. paid
Mir. Moore asked the coumlttee, VINO mad
authorized the work TO be q zoe.
Alr. Neale recounted the circumstances,
concurrlnc 10 the statement OF Mr.. jan
aey. No express authority bad becn grant
ed 70 auy Que 10 do this work, but II had been
the Intention OF Counci. IN have work done,anG
1efnite action had ouiy be.u defeated by tie
summer recess. He hoped the bill would be
paid. The house was of great benefit to the
people OF the + urth ward, aud the CITY owned
the grouod anyhow.
Mr, Muur. said that it was true that Dr..
Johusou had speut his money, but be had dcuc
80 without any authority. aud he (alr. Moor" J
considered IL dangerous precedent TO pay the
Ill. The Hydrauion Company had put Stuo
r. pairs on their house aud never asked b" city
i,r ceut. Ii this till were paid theirs might
also be presented
Mr.. Armstrong urged the payment OF the
bill and believed that the money could be made
at law. He believed 10 sustaining the actloo
of the committee.
Mr.. Moore said there was 90 legal claim aad
it could DOT be made.
Mr. Suo0t felt compelled to vote against the
bill. He believed that DR.. johnson had claim
against the engine house but none against ,itc
city.
Mr.. D Jwuham concurrcd with Mr.. Smoot,
and was sorry that he could not support the r.
port oil the comultt"e.
Mr. Armstrong thought that II the gcound
belonged to the city, az stated by Mr. Ncaic,
the ground rent would eat up the bulldog and
DR.. JobnsOu would have nothing TO go back %.
He cited Instances ot repairs 10 the hsh wharf
by private citizens who loaned the mOuey 70
the city.
Mr.. Moore said the fish wharf bcl,nsed 10
the city aud this house belonged 10 the Friend
ship Fire Company.
Mr. Armstrong said the 6,h wharf dill not
belong 10 the city, aud proceeded 10 describe Is
acquisition.
Mr. Moore said the city held the property
anyhow and received rent tlr 1t.
Mr.. Neale urged the payment OF the bill anG
said that these were only technical difficulties,
which he thought unworthy CT the Council.
The recommendation OF the c mm'tce was
rejected, ayes Janney, Strauss. NeaIe aud Arm
strong-4. Noes, Moorc, Smoot, Dowuhau
and O'Neal-4.
The committee we're then discharged trrul
the further consideration of the subject. \
bill: for coal furnished the Jail Coming up,
Mr. Moore asked whether there was aoy law
requiring the city to pay tor coal for the jail;
tue jailor was paid forty cents per day for each
prisoner aud was required by law to buy lis
own coal.
Mr.. Arms;roug-It has always been tie Gus
tom to pay these bills.
Mr.. Moore-But there is 20 law for ii.
Mr.. Armstrong said common usage made law
where there vas no statute against 1t. II q law
suit was brought about the Council would soon
pay.
Mr.. Moore said If Dir. Armstrong would show
him any law, it was all right.
MIR. Armstrong said be did DOT come hera
prepared to expouud statute law, but, on Con-
mon law, he would give way to noue, aud would
meet all the lawyers in the city. He urged The
payment of the bill.
Mr. Moore moved to refer to the CORPORATION
Attorney. He was not opposed to this bill, but
waited the question settled.
Messrs. Ncale, o Neal aod Dvwuham sug
pestsd that this bill be paid, aud the matter
afterwards Inquired into.
Mr.. Moore withdrew his noton and he bill
was ordered to be paid.
The act granting permission 10 the a. 4 W.
R. r. Co. to bring their road 10 st. Asaph
street t1 King street. was taken from the table.
MIR. Armstrong offered an amendment re-
curing the bulldog OF depot aud forbidding
the standing Of the cars 90 the street more
than one hour; also requiring the company
to take local tickets on al trains Tor Que year
from the Dat of their issue. Mr.. Armstrong
said that there would be great officially IN as
scssng damages properly. He attacked the
course of the company 10 refusing to receive
tickets after the date OF Issue, which, h SAID,
had been declared illegal By all the CIusts OF
the country The fraud was prac ICED To- cause
people would Dot 60 TO law at, ut quarter.
lie did not want S250,0OO depot like The oae
10 Washington, but ne wanted something bet,
ter than the pig pen or shanty bow here. He
had 10 spleen against the road, and was will
ing to let them come in, but waited them to
come 10 as they came toto oth.r PLACES. Mr..
Armstrong proceeded at length, speaking
over half an hour in support of his amend
m"nts. and GU railroad complues IN general.
Mr.. Janney asked il the original bill d!t oct
provide for satisfying the property holders.
MIR. Downhan said it did. He further urged
that Council could not prescribe these reguIa.
tious about tickets Tickets could be hnu2ht,
good for all time, aud at cheaper 7ate> thin
any railroad 10 the country. He further said
that the company had not built depot be-
cause they had no rights io ST. A:aph street.
aud would not 90 TO expense without any
guarantee of permancucy. He favored the
passage OF the BILL
Mr. Armstrong made another long speech
10 opposition to the bill
NJ S,,o,t ,1,,5 l,r tbo ,n,ttor n,,o-