Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1888-07-11
CITY COUNCIL.
A regular monthly meeting of the City
Council was held last night.

A regular monthly meeting OF Inc City
Council was held last night.
BOARD OF ALDERMEN.
A Quorum was present in the chamhe: az
the appointed hour, though the board was
not called to order till some minutes after
eight o'clock.
The Committee on Light reported in favor
of accepting the proposition OF w. Cnannlng
Nevip. Of the American Gas Light and Heat
Company, TO put into the Gas Works appa-
tus for the manufacture of gas from petrol
cum at cost of 600. The committee
also submitted letters from Mr.. Nevln ana
testimonials from places where the system,ls
in use, together with explanations from par
ties in st. Paul, Nina, intended as reiuta-
TORS of the unfavorable dispatch received
from that place concerning the new process
by Mayor Downham two weeks ago.
MIR. Leadbeater rather favored the enter
prise, but saw difficulty in the fact that
the lower board had laid on the table res
olution of the Aldermen providing for the
erection of gasometers, which would Dc es-
sential should the report be adopted.
The President suggested chat the Com
mon Council might reconsider their ac'lon.
Mr.. Leadbeater thought, however, that
action in the matter should be deferred I'LL
Mr.. Mckenzie arrived, and 1t was Temporal
rily passed over.
The Committee on Streets reported back
the petition of the Mount Vernon Railroad
Company for permission to lay tracks on
Henry street, south of Duke, without rec
ommendatop, and Mr. Bryant, chairman OF
the committee, gave the reasons Wnicn nau
actuated them. Personally he objected 70
the use of the street by the company-1st,
because in the event of the road being built
it would be necessary for funeral corteges to
cross another railroad track in order to
reach the cemeteries. %, he thought the
company could use the Fayette street track
and cross Hunting creek north of the Gene.
teries if they felt so disposed and, 81, the
granting of the right of way would leopard
the city's right in the Henry street track.
He portrayed the alleged inconvenience to
the residents Of the locality in having trains
passing through the street at all hours, and
said the company owing the track had Eev-
er complied with their contract regarding
the street after having once placed their
track on it. The city could have it taken
M. and now was the time for action.
MFR. Mckenzie entered the chamber at
this iunctrre, and said he was astonished at
Mr.. Bryant's objections, who, he thought,
favored having railroad tracks on all the
streets of the city, The company merely
asked the use of three squares OF henry
street, and he was somewhat mortified to
find such strenuous opposition to IN enter
prise which had been contemplated for
wears. The Mount Vernon road could not
go to Fayette street conveniently, az 1t
would he necessary to cross about dozen
tracks if that route were adopted, and all
trains would be compelled to slow up In
crossing, which would retard things consid-
erably besides, the company would have
to pay for the use of about one and half
miles of the Fredericksburg track. He
then proceeded 70 give history OF former
attempts to build railroad to Mount Yer.
non.
Mr.. Agnew endorsed all that Mr.. Bryant
had said.
Finally, on motion of Mr.. Leadbeater, the
petition was referred to special committee
of two from each board.
The report Of the Committee Cd Light
recommending the acceptance of Mr..
Nevin's proposition was then called up and
adopted.
A resolution appropriating $500 for the
use of the Mary land Ferry Company togeth
err with petition Of number OF Others
praying for its passage, elected considerable
debate, ard was antagonizad by MIR.
Lamhdin and others, all of whom, while
wiling to contribute personally to The enter
prise, were averse to using the city's fun DIS
for such purpose.
Mr.. Burke favored approprialing the
needed sum, as did also MIR. Marbury, and
upon a vote being aken the resolution was
declared lost-Messrs. Agnew and Bryant
declining to vote.
A communication from John W. Green in
regard 10 taxes on certain property cover
ing number OF pages of closely written note
paper) was presented The clerk started to
read the paper, but the town clock having
long since tolled cut ten strokes, the mem
bers grew FESTIVE, and unanimously clsmor-
ed for q cessation Of the reading and a refer
ence of the communication to the Finance
Committee, which was accordingly done.
After some time spent in recess waiting
for business from the other board the Alder
men adjourned.
COMMON COUNCIL.
An unusually large attendance opened
the regular meeting Of the Common Coun.
ell last night, and in short time all the
members were in their seats.
When the ordinance for paving Patrick
street from King TO Princess was called up,
AIR. Aitcheson announced himself an enc
nv of cobble stones. He said that the city
had spent on them $4,000 to $1,000 per an
mum for repairs in ten years, and the streets
were no better than before. He knew that
asphalt pavement was much more costly
but he believed that if one square of that
pavement was once laid no more cob de
stones would be laid on the streets in Alex.
andria.
mr.. Snowden said that Capt Bryant had
told him that the street superintendent of
Philadelphia had written that there were
500 or 600 miles of cobble stones in That city
and they were still putting down that kind
of pavement there. He seid that while
badly constructed cobble stone pavement
was not servceable, we'll made co5ble