Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1885-12-23
IN THE BOARD OF ALDERMEN

called to order at the appointed hOuF, aGd
the committees called for reports, none u
which, however, had any to submit; after
which the Mayors message retoing the act
recently passed by both branches Of the City
Council! extending certain privileges grant
ed in 1866 to the Alexandria, LordouD and
Hampshire Railroad Co., and to its success
sor, the Washington, Ohio and Western rail
road, was read. The original act granted the
company the privilege of extending their
track from the present depot on Princess
street, between Lee and Fairfax, along Lee
to Cameron street. The act to which the
Mayor refuses to append his signature was
pending in Council for nearly year, hay
ing passed the Board of Aldermen, but been
repeatedly tabled in the Common Council
passed By the last named board. The act
extends the original privileges granted the
railroad company by allowing them TO run
their track along Lee to King street. The
Mayor in his message gives his reasons for
not signing the act in an elaborate manner,
quoting the acts granting the O. & A. and
W. & A, roads similar privileges, and show
ing where necessary provisions had been in
serted in said acts-rcgarding rate Of speed
on the streets, the necessary turn outs,
the number OF tracks, whether or not the
grades OF the streets SO used should be al
tered, ard making it optional with Council
to have said tracks removed in the event Of
their proving distractions to the traffic On
the streets so used-all OF which safeguards,
the Mayor says, are omitted in the act he
returned
Mr. Leadbeater moved that the Mayors
veto be sustained, which, upon an aye and
no vote, was carried unanimously.
The Aldermen subsequently concurred in
the action Of the Common Council in seve-
raj matters, and at at early hour adjourned.
COMMON COUNCIL.
There was quorum present, when Presi-
dent Eichberg took the chair and opened
the regular meeting last night.
When the application of Jane Q. Coleman
for the reduction of special taxes came up,
Mr.. Snowden said that this money had
been paid out of the corporation treasury,
and it would be bad precedent to re-
lease the property owner from paying
it back. The report Of the Finance Com.
mittee adverse to the application was con
Cured in.
Tho message of the Mayor objecting TO
the bill authorizing the occupation of Lee
street by the tracks Of the Washington, Ohio
and Western Railroad, came in from the
Aldermen endorsed the Mayors veto sus-
tanned.
Ga motion to concur with the Board Of
Aldermen, some discussion occurred as to
the proper parliamentary method of pro-
ceeding.
Mr.. Brent Insisted that no action was
needed.
The chair thought that there should lie u
vote on concurrpg with the Board OF Alder
men.
Mr.. Snowden--It is no use killing O dead
nan or dead bill. The action of the Alder
men in sustaining the veto of the Mayor
ends the matter.
Mr.. Sweeney supported the veto Of the
Mayor, and thought that it should be sup.
ported by Council.
Mr.. Smowden suggested that the proper
parliamentary method, was to receive the
Mayors message and that would be all that
vas needed.
The motion TO receive was lost.
The Chair said The question would now
be on coucurring with the Aldermen.
Mr.. Brent made the point of order that a.
the Board had voted not to receive the mes
sage Of the Mayor, it could not act on thai
which it had never received.
The Chair overruled the point OF order,
and Mr.. Brent appealed.
Debate then proceeded on the method Of
proceeding with the message.
Mr.. Snowden said the Mayor had killed
the bill; the Board ofAldermen had killed the
bill why was it needed that Council should
kill it? He was in favor of sustaining the
veto Of the Mayor, but not in this irregular
way.
Mr.. Peakc thought that both boards were
entitled to vote on the subject
Mr. Brent was willing to sustain the
Mayor but would not stultify himself by
voting in a useless and parliamentary
manner.
Mr.. Goodrich read the provision of the
charter on the subject as follows: The
acts of the City Council shall be signed by
the president of each branch, and shall be
presented to the Mayor for his appreciation,
who, if he objects thereto, shall, within
three days after it shall be presented to him
for his assent, return it to that branch of
the City Council in which it originated,
with his objections in writing, and if ma
iority Of the whole number of the members
Of each branch shall be of opinion that the
law ought to be passed, it shall, notwith.
standing the objections of the Mayor, be-
come a law, and be signed by him." Mr..
G. urged that both branches should have
vote in the matter.
The Council then concurred with the
Aldermen.
When an ordinance introduced by Mr..
Uhler adding cows to the animals forbidden
to go at large on the streets came up,
Mr.. Strider moved its reference to the
Committee on General Laws.
Mr.. Fisher moved to amend by referring
it TO the Committee on Poor. He thought
that as the matter was of special interest to
the poor that committee should take charge
of the subject.
After some expostulation on the subject,
Mr.. Fisher withdrew his motion, and the
bill wss referred to the Committee on Gen
eral Laws, and the board soou adjourned.
PARDoNs.-Robert Williams, colored, who
was convicted of horse stealing at the De-
cember, 1874, term of the Circuit Court of
Alexandria county, and sentenced to the
penitentiary for seventeen years, was yes
terday pardoned by the Governor. The
recommendation for clemency was made by
Speaker Stuart, who defended the prisoner
at his trial