Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1878-05-15


ly meeting last night
BOARD OF ALDERMEN.
This Board met at eight o'clock With Blk
members present and one other subsequently
came in.
| The resolution for repairing franklin street
| above FallfaX street coming up, sundry amend
ments we're offered.
| Mr.. Armstrong thought the whole expense
very useless one as there were very few houses
where the Improvement was contemplated. Ii
the city had any money to spend, it had better
be used higher up the street. He did not think
to do the work, if an arch was to be built.
Mr. Smoot said that Mr. Graves had built q
foe store there and complained Of the bad con.
dition of the street. 1t was not proposed to
build an arch across the whole street.
Mr. Armstrong again opposed the resolution
and said thar if it was passed the property
holders on Gibbon street would demand the
same thing. He thought the expenditure
wasteiul one.
! Col. Reid moved to lay the resolution ever
until the next meeting for more light.
MIR. Smoot said the people 10 the First ward
all paid their taxes regularly and had asked for
very little 10 return. The wooden bridge at
the point named had cost good deal for repairs
aud would sooD require more. He would not,
however, oppose the postponeme0t
Mr.. Downham and the President concurred
with Mr.. Smoot Gs to the small amount OF
money used on the streets in the First ward
The resolution was then laid over
The Salary bill coming UP as unfinished bust
ness,
Massrs. Reid aud Armstrong we're proceed,
ing at length to discuss somo Of the provisions
~ tbo hill rDhbn ibav noro yulaa out IF ordar
by the President and the question taken on q
motion to postpone, which was lost.
Mr.. Armstrong moved to fix all the salaries
as at present. II the Council were determined
10 squeeze the people to death, then he thought
that the eficeholders had better have tho
money, than some other people.
!, The President suggested that az no agree
ment seemed probable, it might be better to
pass the bill and send it to tho Common C0un
Gill; who might suggest some plan of compro.
mise.
After some further embarrassing debate the
, bill was put upon its passage aud lost-ayes l.
noes 5.
MIR. DoRnham mnvcd to rcanact the Salary
bill of last year.
The bill was read and Col. Reid moved a
:, ten per cent reduction Oh the Mayors salary
!, Hostages 8, noes 4.
The reading continued, Col. Reid announcing
his intention to lnterp0se 20 further amend
mc0t, but to vote against the bill.
Mr. Moore mr. Armstrong in the chair
: favored some compromise between conflicting
: views. Some of the officers were paid little
enough, but others he thought should BIO re
duced. The salaries paid were larger in pro
portion To the cost Of living than they were
several years ago.
MIR. Moore took up each salary named in the
; bill and gave his views on it. He favored the
small saving proposed and said that it would
soon amount to something. He favored econo.
, my and thought that the corporation should
have saved $4,000 year for several years
, past
MIR. Smoot had shown spirit of compromise
{ and was determined to oppose nothing further
f until he came to vote.
Col. Reid thought some effort should be
made to save and explained his course. The
city owed bonded debt which be considered
sacred. He would follow the example of MIR.
Smoot.
Mr.. Downham said Mr.. Moore's ideas were
exactly what the Finance Committee had start
=: ed out WITH but they considered $500 too small
an amount to lop eff from the officers, and
passed it by. In regard to saving he thought
that if the city had had officers all along like
| d
been saved. He paid high compliment TO
the officers, especially the Auditor.
MIR. Armstrong repeated his views on the
bill, the corporation debt, &c., and announced
his intention to oppose any tax higher than
$3.50.
The bill was then put upon it's passage and
lost-ayes 4. noes3.
A considerable amount Of routine business
bills, petitions, &o., was disposed OF without
debate.
A communication from DR.. O. Fairfax rela.
tive to part payment on his judgment against
the city was received from the Common Coun.
Gil and the action of that Board agreed to.
The Revenue bill was received from the Com
mon Council and read once.
The Board then ct 955 o'clock adjourned
until next Monday pight.
COMMON COUNCIL.
This Board held is usual regular session
last night. The attendance neither within nor
without the bar was large.
After the commissioners Of election had been
appointed, and some other business transacted,
the unfinished business, tho Revenue bill,
came up.
The pending question being cxempting CAPT.
tel employed In manufactures from taxation,
Mr.. Hill called attention to a summary OF
certain branches Of manufacturing business, In
Baltimore, all classes of which could be carried
on here. He instaDcad 7O4 establishments,
! which employed $4,000 hands, paying them
So $50 900 in wages annually. In these estab-
lisbments only $685., 900 was invested, end yet
they produced values to the amount of $751;
$50, 900. Now calculating four persons in each
employees family. there would be $4,000 per
Sous, a basis for taxation Of far more impor.
E lance than the FIVE millions invested 10 manu-
factories. Mr.. Hill instanced the following
trades in operation 10 Baltimore. He gave the
following statistics Of the Industries OF Baltl'
more, Census of 1870: Agricultural impIe'
ssg gs' o nSi I'm mens canned Fus, urniture
iron, (fored, sash, (bIinds,) cigars, and wooden
goods, 7O4 !; bands employed, 1886 capital
Invested. S. 255 1870 wages paid, SO 63O,O45 ;
products SIS $50 27s lie mentioned as work
men supported largely and directly By man.