Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1878-03-13
CITY COUNCIL.
The regular meeting Of the City CvuuciI WAS
held last night

BOARD OF ALDERMEN.
This Board met at 7.40 o'clock with six mem
bcrs present, and two others Subsequently came
in. making full Board.
Various reports OF committees Oh minor mat
ters were disposed Of.
MIR. O'Neal from the Commit &c 90 the Poor,
10 reporting the hill of Thomas LaDnon for
groceries iurnlshed the outside Door, said that
they did 50 without any knowledge of its cor
rectness but merely 90 the Certificate Of the
Mayor.
Col. Reid said that an act of the Legislature
forbade any officer or agent of a corporation
from making contract or bill with himself or
being Interested in the sale Of articles for cor
poration use, and MIR. Lannon being an Over
He did not desire to drprVe Mr.. Lsuuon Of
obliged to vote against the bill. Tie subse-
quently read the law as passed ty the LeglS-
laturc.
Mr. Strauss favored the payment Of the tia
and claimed that tho only way to get id OF the
trouble was to change the OVersccrs Of til"
Poor. AS long as they remained 10 Office by au.
thority Of Council, their bills must be paid.
Mr.. Armstrong claimed that the bill was legal
and that contract had been made ny the Com
mittcc on the Poor with MIR. lIannon for
Furnishing supplies.
Mr.. O'Neal said that tho contract vas not
made for the outside poor, but merely for the
aims house.
Mr.. Armstrong commended otherwise aud
claimed that tho law read by Col. Reid did not
apply to this case. lie thought some of these
laws passed by the Legislature were like the
"Terrapin law" and would not last as long in
q court as it took to write them.
A collcquy cnsued between Col. Reid and
Mr.. Armstrong as to tho foroo and applicability
of tho law.
MIR. Strauss said he did not soc why Mr..
LanDon was singled out for this objection. Bills
had come in here from MIR. Avery and no OBJ.
lection was made.
Co.. Reid said he had not singled out Mr..
LannoD, but the law had just come 10 his
knowledge In the case Of MIR. Avery it was
different. He did not keep grocery store.
MIR. Strauss said it was father and son, which
was all the same.
COL Reid thought not.
MIR. Armstrong was under the impression
that the Council had no official knowledge Of
thu passage Of the law read by Col. Reid. He
differed with Mr.. O'NeaI as to 20 contract hav-
ing been made. Tho difficulties, he thought,
arose from the clashing Of authority between
the committee and.tho oVerSeers.
MIR. o. Neal thought that tho law read hard
" applied to this case, and that tho offonse, If
any had been committed, was through lgno.
rance, and he thought tho bill should be paid.
MIR. Downham agreed with Col. Reid, as to
the law, and under it, did not sec how the
council could order the bill to be paid with
out special authority from tho Legislature.
MIR. Strauss favored tho payment of this bill
with the understanding that 20 like ones would
be paid hereafter.
MIR. Armstrong said he saw that Mr.. Lannon
was to be cheated out OF his money under the
forms of law. lie ridlculed the idea Of going
to the Legislature. lilo was proceeding OF
length to discuss bills passed heretofore By the
Legislature. when,
MIR. ONea called him to ORDER on the
ground that he was arguing matters foreign to
the subject
The chair sustained the point.
The bill was then laid over until the next
meeting. Ayes T, noes mir. Armstrong.
The Committee on Poor having asked for an
additional appropriation of 81 900.
Mr. Downham moved to make the sum $500.
The winter was now nearly over and he thought
that amount would be enough.
After some discussion tho sum of $500 was
appropriated, subject to the order Of the Com
mittee on Poor.
Several matters of 10 public interest were
then taken ur and appropriately disposed of.
Mr. Downham offered a resolution making
an appropriation for sending tho chairman of
the COMMITTED on Light to Richmond, TO H.
vestigatc tho manner of disposing of the tar
and impurities from tho gas works there.
Laughter.
MIR. Armstrong opposed the resolution as un-
necessary. Tho work could be dono without
going to Richmond.
Mir. Smoot said tho Committee on Light
could 20 or send to Richmond il necessary with
out any resolution.
Mr.. Downham thought good deal might be
gained by little travelling around and money
would often be saved by getting information
from elsewhere sometimes. lie had only Of
fered tho resolution 10 jest, and would now
withdraw it.
MIR. Armstrong said that he was satisfied that
if MIR. Downham and himself went to Rich
mond they would visit other places than the
gas house aud tho cost would be moro than S25.
Laughter.
The Board at $50 o'clock adjourned
COMMON COUNCIL
This Board had twelve of the sixteen seats
filled ct the meeting last night.
Soon after tho journal was read
MIR. Beach called up tho report of the Com
mittee on Finance, adverse to the petition Of
Mcssrs. Grigg and Murray, asking exemption
from tax on machinery and material used as
manufacturers in the tailoring business.
MIR. Beach gave an account of the discussion
which preceded the passage Of tho act exempt
ing manufacturers, which he commended had the
Judgment of the then Corporation Attorney,
Charles Il. Stuart, sr., aud was adopted by the
Councils without dissenting vote. lie caused
to he read letters from Corporation Attorney
+. l.. Smith. and Joseph Hopkins and }. Is:
Johnson, who wcro in Council when the bill
passed, and who certify that COL Stuart adj
vscd Council that the bill was constitutional.
Mr.. Shinu, President Of Council at the time,
also had said chat the bill was passed with the
sanction of the Corporation Attorney. Nor was
this ell, the City Council had since exempted
property from taxation. 1t had exempted the
passenger railway; that was in 1872: l have
the record here from tho Gazette, Mr.. /. IT,