Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1886-06-23
CITY CnuNCI

CITY COUNCIL.
The City Council held regular semi.
monthly session last night.
IN THE BOARD OF ALDERMEN
no one but the Messenger was present at s
o'clock, the hour for assembling. About
ten minutes previous the windows ofheaven
were opened and it was generally thought
that rain fell as fast as it did during the
Noachic flood. which, of course, accounted
for tho slowness of the members in making
their appearance. 1t was about quarter
10 nine before quorum was on hand.
The President being absent, Mr.. Strauss
was call, d to the chair.
The report If The Committee oa Light on
the operations of the Gas Works for the past
year vas read, showing an increase in the
receipts iiom that Source over several pre-.
viOus years.
Mr Leadbenter Inquired the amount OF
the unculI,c!cd bills for the year.
Mr.. Stratus replied that they aggregated
about $3.50, which the Superintendent had
agreed to collect and pay into the treasury
within few days. Mr.. S. spoke in glowing
terms of the management and prospects OF
the works, and said the committee would
soon be able 10 recommend TO Council! re.
ducion in the price Of gas. At the proper
time he purposed to Introduce a bill! to that
effect
This report was approved and ordered to
bo printed.
After some routine business the reports of
the Auditor, City Treasurer ard Commits
sioners Of the Sinking Fund for the past Gs-
cal year came in from the Aldermen en-
dorsed "ordered to be printed"
Some further business was transacted, and
after All hour and q quarters session the
Aldermen adjourned.
COMMON COUNCIL.
A bare quorum were in their seats when
the council opened.
Mr.. Brent moved TO take up the Alder
mems order granting $3.50 to the Alexandria
and Maryland Ferry.
A vote was taken, and the president de-
cided that the motion was lost.
Mr.. Brent call for the yeas and nays"
The president said the call came too late,
after the vote had been announced.
Mr.. Goodrich moved to reconsider, but
the motion was lost.
When the act for repaving upper Prince
street by special tax came up,
Mr. Brent said that all the legal authori-
ties were to the effect that special rates
could he levied on the adjoining property,
as we'll for repaving as for the paying of
streets.
Mr.. Sweeney urged that council should,
before going on with this work, ascertain
whether the property holders would be will
ing to pay. In this way suits would be
avoided.
Mr.. Brent said nearly all the siguers of
the petition were willing to pay, but at all
events the question ought to be settled by
the COURTS.
Mr.. Sweeney was unwilling to put the
city to the expense of a law suit to decide
the question,
The ordinance was passed unanimously.
Mr.. Brent, from the Committee on Gener-
al Laws, presented two bills looking to the
suppression of gambling in the city, and
asked that they lie over till the next meet
ing, which was ordered.
When that committees report for terra
Gotta sewer on Princess street, to cost $1,000
came in from the Aldermen
Mr.. Brent said the committee had gone
down there and examined the matter, but
there had been no meeting or the adoption
of any report.
Mr.. Fisher thought $1,000 spent in terra
Gotta pipe was false economy, $4,000 in a
brick sewer would really be cheaper.
Mr.. Brent said Engineer Cox had exam
med the matter and advised as inch terra
Gotta pipe.
The subject was laid over. The board
then adjourned.
CLOSING EXERCISES the heavy
rain many friends and visitors were present
last night at tho joint final celebration ofthe
Fairfax and Blackford Literary Societies OF
the Episcopal High School, near this city.
The exercises of the evening were opened
with prayer by the Rt. Rev. T. U. Dudley,
ID. D., of Kentucky. The address of vel.
come was delivered by Mr.. Thomas L..
Wood, of Albemarle, President of the Fair
fax Literary Society. Mr.. Edward Hane.
wnckel, of Richmond, President OF the
Black ford Society, then conferred the de-
bater's, declaimer's and readers medals
upon Messrs. Ralph Robinson, of Maryla !;
Francis c.. Milton, of Kentucky, and VIM.
II. X. Pendleton, of Fauquier, respectively !;
while in the Fairfax Society like honors
were bestowed upon Messrs. Henry W. Con.
ner, ir., of South Carolina; Allen G. Muir
doch, of West Virginia, and T. Noble Lind
sey, of Kentucky.
The two declaimer medalists during the
evening spoke "Regulus to the Roman SEN
ate" and Longfellow's "Sandalphion," the
former being given by Mr.. Francis G. Mill
ton, of the Backford, and the latter by Mr..
Allen C. Murdoch, of the Fairfax Society,",
The Joint valedictory address was made
by Mr.. Ralph Robinson, OF maryland.
After short recess Morgan II. Beach,
esq.,, of Alexandria. introduced by the Pres
ident of the Fairfax Society, delivered the
annual address to the two societies. Mr..
Beach was singu!arly felicitous in his re-
marks. aud dufing his whole speech, which
was interviewer with much quaint humor,
he held the undivided attention Of his audi
ence, the older persons present being no
less delighted than were those whom he par
ticularly addressed.
At Intervals during the evening sweet
music was discoursed by part of the Ma
rne Band, of Washington. Tonight the
annual address at the closing exercises OF
the school will be delivered by Hon. J. II.
Tucker.
The commencement exercises of the Epls.
copal Theological Seminary began to-day:
At II o'clock the alumni held their annual
meeting, at which an address was delivered