Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1886-11-10
CITY COUNCIL.
BOARD OF ALDERMEN.

SIX members were present in the Board OF
Aldermen last night.
The first thing which came up for action
aas g bill of James EntWisle for medicine
FINISHED the poor, which was soon disposed
of when recess was declared.
non being called to order, Mr.. Snowdea
rom the Common Council, appeared in tac
"bamber and Invited the Aldermen to mec.
,re lover board in joint session for the pur-
no.e OF electnS an Oyer5eer Of the Outdoor
Poor and upon their return flood Of cleo
lion bills which had been referred to tie
committee Oh Claims by the Common Coun-
~ were received from that board and their
,r'ioi cGucurred ID.
The Only debate which was provoked in
The Aldermen was on "a report of the Finance
committee adopted by the Common CCun.
ril reducing the asse ssment on Certain
,,operty belonging TO Il. &. smith.
Dir. smith strenuously opposed :, concur.
,pnct in The action Of the lower board He
aid cur c;iL.ns, rs Il rule. paid their taxes
.r,arGing 20 he assessment, and il seemed
i,,iy.sahie 11r Council TO be continual;.
abal.n- lac .uxe5 OF nonresident property
ow:efs.
Nr Narnury, from the Finance Commit
zee spoke IN favor OF IL concurrence, and
.avt Il history Of the matter before tbs
board. Il hid been customary of late to
mate C-rteIu reductions in settling long
sanding bills On property, and more money
had been collected and placed in the treasury
lnan would have Eeen turned liz had Coun-
Ill remained lnexorable to all compromises.
Besides the property Ill question had been
bJught IL NJ 81 tax sale, and according TO a
remark made by Mr.. Smith at the last
meeting of the board the question might he
raised Could the city tax property ityrofess.
eli TO hold tho title &c?
Mr.. Smith-Am / then to understand that
the committee made this report with the
admission that The city had no light to col
lect dues on property it had bought IL at
tax sales
Mr. Ma7bufy-No, sir; but it mas been the
custom Of the Finance Committee foranum-
Der of years TO proceed with suoh matters
o. ii has with the one under consideration.
The President (Mr. Downham) corroboia
ted Mr.. Ms. statement and said the com
!a!ltee had found that the procedure now in
vogue was satisfactory one, rs did also
NIr. Strauss, who said by SETTING sach
claims for back taxes the property might be
sold under clear titles 10 other parties who
would doubtless improve it aud make it
productive of more revenue to the city. He
therefore hoped Mr. Smith would Withdraw
nj objection to adopting the report.
Mr. Leadbeater favored the adoption Of
the committees report. The property men.
toned had been overtaxed for years, AID
dues on such real estate up To 1879 were
generally settled at the rate Of fifty cents on
the dollar, but after that year all were made
TO pay alike according to the assessment
"A nf upIn G.
were paid BY the parties in whose favor &c.
auctions were made. Many bills were be
ing paid daily by means of these compro-
misses.
Mr.. Smith said doubtless the case under
consideration was a meritorious one. II
was the principle, however, he attacked
compelling or expecting residents to pay &C.
C0rdng To the assessed value Of their prup
erty, and making reductions in ?."or of
non-resGeuts.
The action Of the Common Council! WAS
finally conquered in, after which the board
adjourned.
COMMON COUNCIL.
President Eichberg presided last night at
the meeting OF the City Council, and The
attendance was much better than has been
usual for some time.
After some routine business, which was
transacted without discussion, the president
said that Mr.. Downham had suggested to
him the propriety Of eecting IN overs ,er OF
the out door poor this evening
NJ. Snowden moved that the Aldermen
be invited to n joint convection to elect I'm
ovrT7eer Of the poor.
Mr.. Whiting wished to know the term
Of ollice of the overseer. There had been
proposal to limit his term 10 six mouths.
Mr.. Snowden, in reply to the chairman,
said thnt was the law now.
Some doubt having been EXPIRE; SD, the
Clerk brought in the MS. book of The Iaws,
aud it was found that the pay was $780, and
the term from October to April.
The Aldermen were then invited into
convention.
JOINT MEETING
Tie two boards having meet in Joint can
ysntOn ths chair announced that the cleo
ton Of an overseer of the out door poor,
was in order, and the following nominations
were made BY Mr.. Aitcheson. Norman +.
Moore; by Mr.. Snowden, J. r. Roberts.
First ballot, Roberts, Il; Moore, s. not
IS as required.
Second ballot, Roberts, TO- Moore, 8; 70
election.
Third ballot, Roberts, II Moore, s.
Fourth ballot, Roberts, -; Moore, I.
Fifth ballot, Roberts, IS; Moore, 6; go
Mr.. Roberts was elected.
Mr., Snowden suggested that the office Of
Oyster Inspector be filed. 1t was now, ad
interim, filled by James Hepburn, the ap-
pointee Of the Mayor.
GA Mr.. SnoWden's nomination Mr.. Jas.
Hepburn was unanimously elected by the
Vote Of the chairman.
su2erin! endent of Gas Roxbury then ap.
peaTed before the convention and made a
report, in accordance with resolution
passed last ummer, on methods Of improv-
ing the Gas Works. He detailed results Of
nis visit TO the gas works of Richmond,
Washington, New York. Philadelphia, &c.,
"ua advised the purchase of an exhauster.
governor and a new station metre at an
expense Of about g 200. He believed that
lot only an improvement in light, but q
saving in cost, that in six months would pay
NE cost of the exhauster. would result.
D., hn