Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1878-04-24

MI. Latham said he did rot know the exact
location Of the point.
Mr. Hill! said that the lamp was 10 be On the
corner of The alley souii OF Queen street, on
Lee.
Mr.. Lstham-Just Oh your corner.
MIR. Hill said that the alley would iu'bsh q
most convenient resort for sneak thieves 400 10
cendiares, for % policeman could had them 10
the dark.
MIR. Latham thought that MIR. Hill ought to
contribute little to the lamp. Tie hlr. LAIN
ami had paid one half the cost of the lamp op-
posite the house formerly occupied by him GU
Lee street, near the corner Of another alley.
The subject was then laid aside.
The consideration of the revenue bill was
then resumed.
The only subject which oc,asioncd debate was
the omission of the clause IN last year 8 OIL ex'
empting manufactures from taxes.
MIR. Hill moved to add provided that the
machinery and capital employed 10 manulsc'
lures 10 said city shall be exempt from lax
ation."
MIR. Latham urged that the exemption had
drawn 20 manufacture here, and Its operation
had been quite different from what was expect;
ed. The fact wa7 that the city was so pressed
for money that it could not afford the eXemp'
ton. A rule intended to increase the property
of the CITY had now been so construed as to make
unfair exemptions.
MIR. Hill regretted that MIR. Latham thought
the city could not afford TO exempt ma1ufac'
tories. For himself he held that it could not
afford to tax manufactures. He read q report
on the subject from Baltimore commission
iosapcipg the case of John Roach, whom high
taxes drove away from New York to establish
himself at Chester, Pa. with his great ship
yards.
MIR. Latham did not know how to reply to
such speech az no had just heard. The idea
Of comparing Alexandria with New Yotk bet
ter compare it with UccHquan. When the ships
of John Roach were alluded 10 he could only
recolleot that Johu Jackson had just built Il
canoe here. Where is there Obe mandatory
that has been introduced since he exemption
was passed :?
Mr.. RisheiIl-Where is your ship yard ?
Mr.. Latham-John Roach apd lohn jack
SOD.
Mr.. Evans favored the exemption of manu-
factories. The fnot was that manufactures had
never been taxed, for even before exemption
the assessment of manufactures was nominal,
and it is better to exempt factories openly than
10 concealed way.
Mr.. Hill said that manufactures here had to
compete with Northero MANUFACTURES, most oil
which ware not taxed. 10 his business there
was an active competition between Alexandria
and Philadelphia, for Ireights arc DOW so light:
He thought Alexandra should be compared
with New York and BlItimore-not with W..
ccquan. He said his own establishment had
EMPLOYED thirty nine mcu, some or whom hau
hnilt houses OIL of their earnings
Mr. Latham replied, aud urged that the ex'
emption had never carried out its original de-
sign. 1t had been Intended to bring large fac
tories here, but 10 place of that it was DOW
used to TAXI the taxes off Of one class of ctl'
zous and impose them on another When was
Mr.. Hills business established
Mr.. Hill--In 1869.
Mr.. Latham-And sou never discovered
that you were manulac'urer until 1877.
The question was undecided. when the iioard
adjourned.