Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1877-01-24
CITY COUNCIL.
The regular semi. monthly meeting Of the
City Council was held last night.
poADn ITnEPNFS

City Council was helu last night.
BOARD OF ALDERMEN.
This Board met at $50 clock, all the mem
bers being present.
The refusal Of the Common Council to con-
cur 10 the action Of the Board on the petition
CT John W. Travers & Son fol- an alteration IN
the market house coming up,
MIR. Strauss said be thought the matter, like
ali others pertaining to the market house: BE-
iopced to the Commissioners Of the Sinking
Fund.
Mr.. Armstrong thought the matter small
one, and hoped the tenants would be allowed
10 make the alteration.
MIR. Smoot was opposed to spollug the sym
metry Of the building.
After further debate, the matter was re
ferred back to the Committee on Public Prop
erty.
The Committee on Public Property having
reported the communication relating 10 the
old court house, with resolution 10 accordance
Herewith,
MIR. Armstrong opposed the passage o! the
resolution, and denounced the project as clap
trap to get money from the Corporation. The
School Board had wasted money 10 the educa'
ton OF the children. We had been told about
Stale funds, Peabody fund, &C., but nothing
came Of them. They talked Of the cheapness
of the Bradley building at $4,000, but 1t
would mol bring half the amount under the
hammer. lie had been told by a person quail
lied to speak that the Peabody fund amount
ed TO nothing. He was opposed TO lne build
iugs, which he claimed fostered undue pride.
He attacked the salaries now paid the teach
ers, and claimed that one sex OF them were
favored to the prejudice OF the other lie al.
luded to the communication Of School Oil
GER" published 10 the Gazette, the writer OF
which he characterized as an "impudcnt fool.
lie was in favor of teaching children useful
trades and less learning. He secuted the idea
of his being opposed TO free schools, aud said
he had always favored them. Ii tbs cour!
house was gotten the Board would want several
thousand dollars for beautifying and fixing 1t
up. The State made 4 pretence OF giving the
city money for schools, but it was taken from
the people 10 taxes. II q new school house
was wanted let common frame building be
put up On the Columbus street lot. 1t would
accomplish all necessary purposes. MIR. Arm
strong spoke at much length in denunciatIoa
of the School Board and iu opposition to the
bill.
Mr.. Neale regretted that he had to disagree
with the gentleman Mr. Armstrong;; espc
clally he regretted that he had to defend tue
School Board here, occupying, as be did, the
position of Chairman OF that Board. LIE chal
lepged for himself and the other members o.
the School Board the strctest scrutiny of al
their acts. Hc said they were all actuated by
| an earneat desire to forward the cause Of cdu
cation. He gave his hearty endorsement tt
the public school laws Of the State, and de-
Tended the purchase Of the Peabody building
which he claimed was measure Of economy
He further defended the purchase OF the Col
| umbus street lot. He said that there vas {
difference between the pay Of teachers because
some taught higher branches than others. arc
ought to be paid more He recouoted the
over crowded condition of the schools and tho
| necessity for more room, and said that the
| Board asked for the court house because the
city already owned part Of it, and it was very
suitable for the purpose. rs regarded The
Peabody fund, he eulogzed George Peabody
whose praises, he said, we're spoken through
out the whole civilized world. So far from the
| fund amounting 70 nothing, nearly the whole
of the first payment of $1,000 on tho Peabody
| building had been paid from that fund. Mr..
| Neale emphaticsly repealed all Of MIR. Arm
stroug's animadVerslons on the School Board
and their management OF affairs.
Mr.. Armstrong relied 10 decided opposition
! to the bill, and combated the idea Of the people
recurring the higher branches OF education. TIC
would ask his friend, whether he did not know
that proper men could be gotten 10 teach the
schools for $500 per year?
Mr.. Neac said he did not. and det!ed the
| gentleman to produce one single case.
Mir. Armstrong thought he could get hun
dred, without going outside Of Washington.
| The taxes taken from the people should not be
so easily speot. As to Mr.. Peabody, he had
only given what lie could no longer hold, as a
kind of compromise for his misdeeds. lie was
grateful for what had been giveu, but. it had
been given 10 Mississippi bonds, &n., some OF
which would never DC paid lie did not like
the management Of the money by the School
Board. He predicted that the Peabody build
ipg would, before many years, be again the
property of Mr. Bradley, through the inability
of the Board to pay for it.
MIR. Strauss called attention to the condition
Of Washington School Building, which was al
most untenable now aud was not worth repair.
ing. lie for one was willing to pay any amount
of taxes to advance the cause oil popular educa
tiou. lie thought the children fthe poor ren
should have as good chance for education rs
those Of the rich
Mr.. O'Neale wanted the County Supervisors
consulted first. He understood that they were
opposed to the matter and had repaired the
court house.
Mr.. Moore thought the court house rather
far out to move the boys schools to. Had we
not better repair the Washington building?
Mr.. Downham said no appropriation was
asked for, the resolution was merely to ask the
Legislature to define the rights Of both the city
aud county,
4 discussion cnsucd between Messrs. Strauss
and O'Ncul as to the ownership Of the court
house.
Mr.. Armstrong said the act Of retroccssion
gave the court house TO the county.
Mr. Nealc read an extract from the Super
intendcnt's letter and said it only asked to have
the rights defined and could not iriurc the
county.
The resolution was adopteL-Aycs Janncy,
Strauss, Smoot, Downbam and Neale--5.
Noes Moore, Armstrong and u Neale-3.
Mr.. Strauss offered resolution directing the
Finance Committee TO give titles for property
sold at tax sales and to sell that purchased by