Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1878-05-30


:"ntoa D. G.. May 90 l87S-]03O q. H.
Ivy the Middle Atlantic States falling followed
-. rising barometer, increasing northeast to
eu35nthesst winds and cloudiness, rising followed
nv falling temperature. frequent rains and local
Storms
COMMON CouNCIL-AJouned Meeting -
The Common Council, last night, was SHINY
attended.
nav their taxes. however, important 10 bust
ness aspect, is not very interesting reading, so
that as Council had adjourned on Tuesday night
10 escape the inalctiou, it is not wonderful that
less than quorum came UP last night. The
services of the messenger we're, however, put
10 requisiticn, and after eight had come 10 an
other was sent for, and the requisite niue took
seats and were called to order.
The President stated that the reading OF the
DELINQUENT tax list was the order of the even
Ing.
MIR. Hill, member from the 4th ward, intro
duoed the following:
Whereas the present embarrassment surround
ing the financial condition of the city makes it
the imperative duty of the City Council to en-.
force the collection Of all revenues due the city
snd whereas by report from the collectors OF
Taxes it appears that there is SOB, 97S 10, now
over due up to the year 1877 on account Of taxes
upon real and personal property therefore be 1t
Resolved, That list of all unpaid taxes, in
the name of the person or persons owing the
same, up to the year 1877, be referred to select
committee of two members from each board Of
the City Council which said committee shall
have power to and shall proceed to the collec
ton Of said taxes in the following manner to wit:
l. Said committee shall publish daily in the
Alexandria Gazette, beginning with the said
de!inquent' in the First ward, two hundred
names Of said delinquents. with accompanying
notice; that after the expiration of - days
from the date of publication the collection of
taxes due by sail published dellnquents shall be
proceeded with in the most direct legal course
That said daily publication shall be con-
tnued until the whole list Of delinquents shall
hsve been published.
3. Immediately upon the expiration OF the SAID
SO days from the several dates of publication the
sid committee shall proceed. with the advice
snd assistance of the Corporation Attorney, to
enforce, by legal process the collections as here
IN de,cribed.
Said com mittee sh all have authority to en-
pillow counsel to assist lne Corporation Attorney;
provided. that the fees to be paid said counsel
shall be contingent upon the collection of said
delinquent taxes.
Mr. Hill said that the law upon the subject
of the collection Of taxes was very plain, but
that the collectors bad not complied with it,
The list showed that while the town could not
pay it's debts there was nearly $50 600 of un
paid tax bills 10 the hands of the collectors
The law was plain; the collectors and their
sureties were responsible for all good bills which
were not collected by them. The law required
them to retura bills that could not be collected
under an oath stating that fact, and yet this
law had not been complied with. He urged
prompt action in the matter, and thought that
either by advertisement or by pamphlets scat
tered broadcast, the delinquent tax payers
should be first notified and then compelled to
pay.
Several inquiries we're made as to the cost OF
the publication. but no cne possessed definite
Information.
Mr.. Risbiell thought that pamphlets would
be the cheapest way Of publication, and he
moved as a substitute that the clerk Of the
Council be directed to ascertain the lowest rate
at which 2 QUO copies of the list can b. printed
10 pamphlet form, and this was agreed to.
Adjourned.
The tax collectors desire to state that the list
now before Council was prepared several months
ago ard shows the taxes due ia the beginning
;ot the present year..
A very considerable number Of tax bills have
Ibeen paid since that time, while OF course the
payments do not appear 90 the lists.
DECORATION DAY.-To day, tho Federal
decoration Day, has been very generally OBJ
iserved both in Washington and this CITY,
ALTHOUGH the stores here were not closed many
Ipeople went on excursions doWn the river, or
ITO the celebration at Arlington.
At the latter place there was national So
IIute fired at sunrise and nooo. Shortly after
leoon the procession formed at the manson,
HEADED BY the Marine Band, decorated the
|graves and proceeded to the amphitheareo
|wherc there was prayer, music. readlRg OF
ipocms and an Grafton by Hon. Charles ".
Williams, of Wisconsin,.
The excursions on the river wcr' numerous.
|aud the steamers Express, City of Washington,
MARY Washington. and Arrow, and the Drae
blockade City all carrie down large crowds
ISo arsc was the number of passengers on the
!Arrow, that she refused to make her regular
auding here.
The LADY of the Lake carried large excur.
sion party to Fortress Monroe yesterday even
ing and the Jane Mosley another to Norfolk
last night. -
All ofthe steamers, this moroing, were gally
decorated with flags. :.
Numbers of people from Wasblng ton VS.
lied this city, and the various points OF inter
sst and the shady hooks on the suburbs were
througed during most of the day. The thund'
showers this evening put damper on the pro
csediuys and sent most OF the pleasure seekers
home in hurry.
A special train on the A. u i. Railway
passed through here this morning, carrying
large number of excursioDists tor Rlchmono.-
They will return to night.
During the night train containing mum
Der Of spo ed knights Templars from Washing
ION and points further north, passed through
here and we're ] med by delegation from
Nit. Morish Commandery, Of this city; under
c,mmsnd of Eminent Commander, George
Preston. They will drill 10 Richmond to day
On THE WAVES. Tuesday evening party
Of ycpIlemeo consisting Of Col. Marye, Judge
Keith and Messrs. Louis E. Payne, Courtiapo
ii. Smith ADD Edmund Burke. members OF the
bar, and City Sergeant Lucas. aud Deputy Arm
strong went down the river in the sa1dsom ?
Yacht Americus, uoder command OF C a
iioN = n :Es,a, . n excnrsion to Bort w ash