Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1877-07-07
lCOM.MUNICATED
Our City Debt.

The bill Introduced 10 the Board Of Alder
men BY Mr.. Strauss, looking to a comprOml5o
With cur boudholdcrs is move Which CON
mends itself to rehsctiug minds ns wise Meas
ure, and one fraught with the graVe>t lmpor.
lance to U.s. Examine carefully the last report
of the Auditor which, by the Way, is the first
satisfactory exhibit bad from that Office for
many years, and is high compliment to the
efficiency of the present Incumbent. and til NE
wherein lies the faintcst hope should We re-
uain 10 the present disastrous rut. We ara
now bankrupt aud must make the best terms
possible With our creditors, but before re SUB
nit propostloo to them. let u HIS: prove
our sincerely and earDestness by shouderlOs
part of the burden ourselves, 10 reduct!on OF
the runDiug expenses OF the city. Oar bond
holders will not treat With US unless they are
assured we are dolog cur best, and We canoo:
give that assurance excep: a rigid economy 10
current expenses is frs: laaugura;st. lie
city governmeut can be and ought to be rua
With fever officers, aud toe salaries c! slnc OF
those retained reduced. This acLIo0, ,oSe.her
With proper management 10 the Other depart
meltS, would put us 10 position to meet COR
creditors with some hope Of success. The cur
tailmc1t Of the force, DC, would, OF course,
work great bardships, but We are acw engaged
in death struggle; the life OF our city and the
prosperity of its cl,iZans are 10 Jeopardy, aud
we caDoot tell what day may brlng forth.
Public good demands personal sacrifices AID
indvidu.l interests aud comforts ought - be
made subordinate TO considerations connected
With the great problem as to the most ettlcieD'
management OF the 6oatc!al affairs OF our city,
With view to SUCH adjustment Vi our iitti;uI-
Ties as will secure to the present aud comiug
nj
and happiness. The Rerenus bill, iu., passed
be Council, imposes net tax Of enc dollar AID
fifty cents Oh the hundred Of the property q
the toWn-not hay enough-together With II
ceuses and all oth=r receipts TO pay the arrcar
ages. and meet our pres.ns fiscal ~aots. Nov.
let US r. feet over this matter, CCuDcllmen aud
people, and endeavcr By all honorable meanS 10
avert the impending crash. Can i. te doDc;
We unhesitalogly aver that 1t cal II properly
managed. 10 the first place, Introduce tie
most rigid economelo our municipal household
aud look after the cheese parrogs and car
die ends" 2od. Max. the very best baEgag
possible with the boochoder, ty giving 10 lieu
of The present CONSOLIDATED bend, one hasod On
a reasonable compromise. bearing 6 per ccu:.
interest net 3rd. WIKI the exception OF the
market building dispose OF al! the property Ct
The Corporation, with all privileges AID tfao-
chses attached thereto with certan res,:ic:ipp=,
and invest the proceeds therefron in Corucri
ton bonds at the lowest market rates, Oct cZ
ceeding, say fifty cents or oDe-ha'f Tie face
value of the present bond, BY which operated
at least fou. hundred aud fifty THOUSAND dol
lars of Indebtedness could be cancelled, leaving
outstanding about six hundred and fifty tncu.-
aud dollars of old bonds, or on , fair compro.
mise basis. three buudred aud lW=uIy FIVE
thousand Of new bonds, 90 which We would
have to pay six percent. interest or $500.
And, foally, e1teod the N ost liberal encourage
ment 10 all enterprises calculated to bulid Us UP,
and give the right hand OF fellowship TO st!ang.
ers who come to settle among us, rather than
drive them of by continual yelling in their
ears the approbium of carpet Dagger.
The faithful carrying out Of these several
would, We think. afford US the re
lief so indispensable to our existence as city,
and infu:e into our people new life and encour-
Igemeut. FIRST WARD. l