Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1884-05-14

Ta,-iaN> il last mouth.
N THE BOARD OF ALDERMEN
m,mhe,s on, oil the eight were pres,
49,, .u.: alter the reading vt the minutes Of
,,,.,,.,i,uu meeting The different com
..,,.- were cui,ed "n for reports and
,-r,I nn minor matters were SuoDlhteu
i ,Ioutcd without debate.
=. Ri-G.ili, from The Committee on Pub
prnr,r,y. reported back the commune
nt' me Commissioners OF the Sinking
.,,,d asking Eoancl TO have retiring rooms
..,t.I M lie Market building. The cost,
t,.,j,l IL rrcrt,ng said closets would reach
e., and Ii" was opposed to such eXpendl-
,,r. and nnped he communication would
r..,,.rrcd to the Finance Committee.
Mr. Sroot said it had been understood
,t., there would be enough money left
rom the appropriation for the sewer to
..r,,t these closets
Ur Strauss was opposed 10 taking the
,a,rry f:ul:l the general fund tor tue purpose
q, u1Niu. the proposed improvements. If
,h,. commissioners were bent on having
,..-, rouveniepces IN the Market building
,n..y -huu!d DAY for the same out of the
r.r.l.ls from the building. 1t was stated
d. first that so would be sufficient for the
wor.. now Council was called OH for Sl15.
the matter were referred to the Finance
t'ouut;c, he would oppose it there AZ well
a. IN the board.
The communication was finally referred
IL the Finance Committee.
Nr. Risheili then presented Il communi-
cation from The Columbia Fire Company
enclosing. IL resolution passed by that com
raay recently praying the Committee on
iublic Property TO ascertain the amount
of hoi aW
ruiltiing and Hay the same before Council.
Mr. K. said that the Committee on Public
Property had estimated that $1,000 would
IL, required TO complete the building.
Ihr!r we're some $500 owing to different
parties for work done on the same and it
wuuf take AL OF 5000 10 flush the upper
rooms. tower, Sc. Mr.. Peake, the chair
man Of the committee, who was out Of
Town. had DOUBTLESS, through the best
motives exceeded his powers in allowing
over $500 worth OF work to be done on the
building on credit, relying upon Council to
make the necessary appropriation. lie,
tl. SPEAKER, hoped the matter, like the
i.I!ncr. would be referred TO the Finance
Committee. before whom Mr.. Pcake would
appel. and make the necessary statements
regarding his action. There had been no
,rookcdnesS. however, in the MATERIAL
the money had been legitimately expended,
Hi,t Mr.. Ptake himself was ono OF the
citi,orS Of the committee.
Str. SInoot wanted to know what guarau-
ice Council bad that this would be the end OF
the appropriations for the erection OF this
iuI.du-. He detailed the history of the
nrw rn.iue house from its incipiency how
Council md ircin time TO time made appro-
priations for the erection Of the same, and
SAID Council was again called on, this time
for 81 900. 10 complete the house. He
would knowingly do nothing TO cripple the
efficiency OF this company, but at the same
rI;nc would like TO know where the matter
OF additional appropriations would be IKE
IL 10 end There was such u thing aS too
Iuanv cXlravaxauccs Alexandria must not
undertake TO ape large cities III indulging
herself in colossal eng inc houses with all
modern tonrelliences and contrlvances.
We could moi expect to erect city hall
Ike Baltimore or other large places. He
thought The Committee on Public Proper
~ the pruppr one to examine into the mat
Ter.
Mr.. nisheiiI explained that former
amounts asked for by the company were
merely for the purpose Of rendering their
new quarters tenantable III order that they
mi. Int move into the same-not for the en-
tire finish and completion of The building.
Tue upstairs portion Of the same had never
been finished. He believed himself, how
ever, that too much money had been spent
OH this engine house in udiciousy, though
IA he repeated there had been no crooked.
ness. MIR. Peake had been guilty OF
inoughliessneSs in allowing debts to the
amount Of $500 to accumulate, trusting 10
Council I" pay the same.
Mr.. Smoot again spoke OF the uncertain
" of the amount now asked being sufficient
to end The matter. There WAS no telling
where this thing would stop, and should II
hc kept going nobody could tell how soon
the llydrauliou company might grow dis
cunt.nted in their present house, petition
Council for u new one and threaten 10 ois-
b.u.d in case the petition was not needed
aud they would have an equal right. He
wanted some guarantee where the matter
ol these appropriations would stop.
MIR. Reid said it had been brought out in
the debate that members of Council had re-
c.iyed contracts for furnishing certain arti-
c,rs used in the erection of this house. 1t
ml.1lt interest these parties to know that
by an act of the General Assembly they
we're positively forbidden while in Office to
accent any contract for public work. A
member of the Richmond Board of Alder
men had recently had bis bill for work done
Tor The city repudated under this law. lie
me,ely mentioned this fact, thinking that
the members might possibly be ignorant OF
such statute.
Mr.. Strauss defended the action of the
members who had furnished material fo1
the engine house. Law or no law, he was
opposed to going out of the city for mate
rails that could be furnished here.
Mr.. Reid said the gentleman from the
Alexandria trade and mechanism than other
members of the board. That question had
not been raised. He, the speaker, only
called attention to plain law.
The communication was subsequently re-
fe,fed 10 the Finance Committee, and the
board at an early hour adjourned.
COMMON COUNCIL.
The regular meeting of the Council las as
kfn