Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1886-05-29

to an agreement. The bill was then returned
10th Aldermen, the lower board having con-
Cured in all the formers amendments except
the one relating to butchers and physicians,
dentists, and lawyers. The Common Coun-
Gil had placed the license at So for the butch
ers and Sl5 for physicians, dentists, and law
yers, which action the Aldermen finally con-
CURED in, after which they adjourned.
COMMON COUNCIL.
The chairman read communication from
the Mayor calling Council to consider the
revenue bill.
Mr.. Brent offered q resolution directing
the collectors to sell property delinquent
for taxes, under the provisions Of the city
charter, which was referred to the Commit.
tee on General Laws.
A number Of election bills were also pre-
sented and referred.
a recess was then taken till the revenue
bill could be acted upon by the Aldermen.
The bill coming into Council with several
amendments, MIR. Fisher moved that the
whole bill be read.
The reading was proceeded with till the
section fixing the tax on persons selling
liquor to be drunk on the premises at $40,
was reached, when Mr.. Sweeney moved to
make the tax $50.
Mr.. SnoWden said that the same effort had
been made at the last meeting to change
this clause, but had failed. The board had
fixed the tax at $40 and the Aldermen had
cOncurred and it was now too late to make
any change in section of tho bill which
had been agreed upon by both boards.
Mr.. Brent, and others, also held that it
was now too late to act on any clauses OF
the bill save such as had not been concurred
in by the Aldermen. This aroused the op.
position Of Messrs. Fisher, Sweeney and
others, but the chair ruled that no clause
could now DO acted upon except those on
which the Aldermen had differed. An ap.
peal from the decision Of the chair was
made but the chair was sustained.
The amendment ofthe Aldermen changing
the tax on common cricrs from $40 to $50,
was rejected
The amendment Of The Aldermen chang
ing the tax on doctors and lawyers from $50
to $l5, Us was originally provided in the bill
"a it came from the finance committee, was
also rejected after some debate.
When the Adermen'5 amendment to the
clause fixing the tax on butchers selling
meat in the market was reached, which
amendment put the tax back from $50 to 81
AZ was the original sum named III the Dill,
Messrs. Sweeney and Fisher objected and
Mr.. Brent offered an amendment fixing the
tax ut $25, and allowing butchers to sell out
side Of the market on tho same license.
Mr.. Fisher moved to further amend by
fixing the rate at SO.
Mr.. Snowden asked that the amendment
making the tax 81 be cCncurred in He
said this was the request Of the sinking fund
commissioners, who had charge OF the mar
ket building, and who from . long expert
ence knew more about the matter than
the members of Council; these commits
sioners had managed their affairs so we'll for
the city that they had embarrassed them
selves, for short time ago, in retiring the
debt, they could buy the city's boods at from
forty to fifty cents on tho dollar, but now
they had to pay sixtythree. The butchers
were paying rent to the city of from $l2O
to $50, which Of itself was a fair tax.
Messrs. Brent and Fisher insisted that the
butchers ought to pay more, and the amend
ment of Mr.. Brent was carried.
The amendment OF tho Aldermen striking
out the section prohibiting the distribution
OF cards, circulars, etc, except by Il licensed
bill poster was rejected.
The section exempting barber shops was
passed.
The bill as thus amended was then
passed, and recess was taken, to await the
action Of the Aldermen.
The bill was then returned from the Al
dcrmen with the Councils action in regard
to the butchers and doctors and lawyers
license non-concurred in, and committee
of conference was asked. Messrs. Sweeney
and Snowdep were appointed to act with
NIessrs. Smith and Strauss of the other
branch
After some delay the conference commit
tee returned, and Mr.. Snowden reported
that they had unanimously decided to fix
the butchers tax at 50. After an explana-
ton by Mr.. Sweeney rs 10 how Mr. Brents
amendment would discriminate against
those selling outside the market, and Mr..
Brcnts stating that lie would always vote
to sustain the unanimous vote OF a confer
ence committee, that report was adopted.
i Mr.. Snowden then reported that three Of
the conference committee had agreed to fix
the license on doctors and lawyers at SIS,
and that Mr.. Sweeney would give his views.
Mr.. Sweeney then agreed to the report,
stating that rs there were many young law
yers aud doctors who would be affected by
an increase, he would vote to let the tax
stay at 49, but with the understanding that
q change would BIO made next year.
Mr.. Fisher was opposed to the report. He
said ii the doctors and lawyers could not
pay $50 az a license tax, they had better get
out OF the business ard let tnose nave 1t VINO
could do so.
Mr.. Brent at first opposed the report Of
the committee, co2tending that the lawyers
and doctors could afford to paw the tax.
He thought these gentlemen should be
graduated SO that those having large in
comes should be required to pay more than
those who made bare living. However,
as Mr.. Swecncy's action had made the re-
| nF 10 mi
nous, he would vote to sustain it.
Mr.. Snowden said that next year an ef-
fort would be made to graduate the tax on
the professional gentlemen, and hoped Mr..
Brent's tax would be $780,
The bill as then agreed upon was passed
and after n resolution had been referred to
the Committee on Streets, directing the re-
moval of the pump at the corner of Royal
and Cameron streets, the board adjourned.
The revenue bill as finally passed differs
but slightly from the original bill introduced