Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1885-07-16


nc.Tu or ROBERT BELL, EsQ.--The many
i,i.nds and acquaintance OF this Well-knoWn
',,,,Ie,oan will regret to hear of his death,
-',';ch occurred at his late residence, on
M M"i street, at an early hour this morning.
Though he had been confined 10 the
t[,,.. inn, for q few weeks a gradual decrep-
,i,ude had been manifest IN him Tor some
limo which his friends correctly interpreted
a. an index to the fact that bis days were
,,.oriro their close Mr.. Bell was born IN
Sn,tnu. Isle of Ely, county Cambridge, Eng
land. in 1909. but came to this country III
ISIS when 9 small boy, locating in Wash
;no,oa. ID. c., where he learned the art OF
urnting with Jonathan Elicit. he was
soon afterward employed by Duh Green,
and Mes-rs Gales & Seaton, on the oid va
ti,.h Inteitigcncer, together W!tn the ia'e
Reuben Johnston, as p:ool-reaoer.
r..v;cus 10 working on the ItGHgehccr he
,,,yj;,i in 81 printing Office in Pennsylvania
r;.rr ex-senator Simon Cameron, then
yo,,ur man, was also employed. Mr.. Bell
r.,urued to biz home in England II 1873 or
~ making hut short stay. howcvar, soon
ra.emharking for the land ot bis adoption,
and arrived in This city in the year
,,og in the same ship on which the late
j
U.v. -. ..e.E,.si at his trade, AID WAS, Tor
i'm. foreman nf tae GAZETTE when 1t Was
;p[,i.l..d "a whal was lEcn known as
Printers ai;ry, > tio site on wEicE shc he
form Gin, hall now stands. After leaving Inc
G,zr,TE ,.llicc--at least half a century ago
n, E.li orrncd n confectionery store
which n. shortly afterwards c!rseG and VILE
.h,, l,i. James Eu:,gi"io bought cut w. "A.
NoTri.ol'4 bookstore end entered into 8
partnership with lhe first named gentleman
nnGrr the ira namc CT Bel! Il it";wisic.
Tine partnership was subsequently, dissolved,
each ,ar.aer opening separate store Q! hls
own. Mr.. Eri conducted the hook and sta
,;oncrv business successfully Tor many years,
hut. sin!rii. after TIE late war he returGcH
10 his cd love. THE art prescrvaliva cl
arts" end purchased q job printing Office
which he conducted in con junction with his
other business. He soon afterwards, how
ever. gave az the book business and. with
his sous, devoted his entire attention
once more 20 printing. Mr.. Bell was
President Of the Board Of Aldermen
short time prior 10 the State entering
the Union after the close of tho war;
he was also for number of years magis-
,rste for the 4th ward. He had been an
elder of the First Presbyterian Church Tor
many years, and q religious man during
nearly the whole of his life. He was espe-
cially an active worker in the Sunday
school He leaves a wife and nine child
ren-six sons and three daughters-and his
;s the first death that has occurred in the
immediate family for over forty years
TIVE HYpRAULIoN ENGINE HOUSE has
recently been greatly improved and though
inht In no
been done, is most conveniently arranged.
A strong and handsome new floor has been
laid and upon it new Hanged rail for the
engine, which runs nearly to the back wall,
20 allow room for the entrance Of the horses.
IN ornamental wood ceiling has, also, been
substituted for the old one, and q handsome
81 and,iicr, the gift our popular City Treas.
ur.r sets il en- Behind, is one Of the most
convenient hose towers in the country, with
~sace !cr drying 500 feet Of hose ut time,
sni provided with - Jew method OF Clevat-
mo and O. III cS>.iiig them, Ia avoid rottng,
IN, invention Of Mr.. =. +. Price, of this
city.
The alley to the north has been nicely
;ooltd over and doors placed at each end,
whilst hcneati! it passes waste pipe which
+.mptieS the drainage into the gu;terin front.
Large doors have been placed III the sides
Of the stable and engine house, working
,au!div by weights, so that tho horses,
who's. handsome new stalls face them, can
free themselves, by n patent arrangement,
and move instantly across tn" llo0rcG alley
To their places at the pole OF the engine, to
whch they can hc attached, ready to
start cut with il, az fourteen $ccoad$.
The stable has been ceiled, waiuscated, and
nuored throughout, aud IS rs clean as a
sitting room, its drain pipes conveying al!
offensive matter under ground to the street,
where it is conveyed away by the water
waste. The staircase has been changed and
made mnch easier and shed built over the
space to the south, for storage The plan
of having the stable separate is unusual in
modern engine houses, but uravold-
able in this case, and has the great merit Of
both freeing the former FROM the odor in
separate to the presence Of horses, and the
horses from the heat necessary for men.
The members Of the company are highly
pleased with the work, and on Monday
night last passed. unanim o,sly, the follow
ing resolution, viz:
Rcsolrcd, That, in the judgment of this
company, Mr.. L. +. Price has fairly and
honorahly executed the contract made by
him with it, and THAT its thanks are due him
Tor the handsome designs executed.
They have applied TO the City Council
Tor q further appropriation, to conpletc the
work.
The FINANCE COMMITTEE Of the City
Council, composed of HIessrs. W. II. Mar
bury and T.. S. Leadbeater, of the Board OF
Aldermen, and Geo. s. French and Hubert
s;nowden, Of the Common Council, met last
night and organized by the election of Mr..
Hubert SnoWden as chairman. Mr. Mar
bury was rendered the position, but declin-
ed to accept it. The accounts and vouchers
for the month of June were examined, and
:. number of them referred to the special
committee now engaged in examining some
of the citys affairs. 1t was determined
hereafter to have monthly settlements with
ail the corporation officers, and the Auditor
was directed TO require itemized statements
hefore paving bills. The Auditor was also
directed from and after the first day Of Au-
gust nex:, 10 receive no orders, and make 10