Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1889-04-10

doubt in my mind, become source of much moro
revenue in very few years, than will be sufii
cent to pay the interest on the bonds or scrp is.
sued.
First. Because of the enhanced value of real
estate beautiied thereby and secondly, because OF
the sources hereinafter named.
From comparison of the reports OF the Auditors
of several cities to whom wrote for information,
[ learn that our present bonded Indebtedness is
much less per capita on tho assessed value of cal
and personal property than that Of other citi of
| larger and smaller populations:
L would recommend tllreo series of bonds or
warrants be issued. First. Internal Improvement
or street bonds or warrants in such sums, and at
such times as the money can be expended ind;
ciously after system OF improvements may be
agreed upon
enclose herewith letter and blank warrant
kindly sent me by his Honor. the Mayor oil Buffalo,
N. Y. l have requested copies Of the acts of the
City Councils of Buffalo and the Legislature of
New York referred to on the warrant, but as yet
have not received them.
twill be observed that the city of Buffalo has
| 80, QO0,00 of those street Improvement war.
rants or street obligations in circulation most OF
which are held in New York City and are sought
after as investments.
| You will perceive that not over 10000 are
| made redeemable in one year. / think this sys-
tem q good one, and would recommend the neces-
sary acts be presented to the legislature when 1t
| assemblies.
0O0 per annum, in issuing warrants OF this Kind.
Wec)uld place them as we expended the money
and frequently could save six months interest on
them. hope your honorable bodies will see the
importance of this special legislation at once.
Open out and extend every street in the corpora
ton to the corporate limits and grade and pave
them with some improved pavement of which
there is plenty in use; give work to our mechanics
and laborers and it will only be q few years be-
FORE with the enhanced value of zeal estate, the
revenues will be enough to pay the interest and
provide sinking fund for the rEghdinsipall
In fact tins sbsn VIC now espend on The streets
vuS rs the amount expended last year for
repairs amounted to S3.OUO
With proper legislation enactmcnts similar TO
those presented to your honorable bodies fromNew
York. | would guarantee to place sll the money
| at any time in such amounts rs may DO required,
| tn accomplish the work recommended the scrip
to be issued subject to call in five years or sooner
and believe with the enforcement OF the present
laws az far as they apply to property owners and
| their liability to paw one-third each side the
street for improvements, that all bonds or certlh
Gates of Indebtedness issued by the city could DO
easily and readily placed with the contractors
who do the work. :,
lam in receipt daily of letters of inquiry and
circulars from different parts of the country,
stating they have heard we contemplate street
| Improvements These have been more frequent
| since the Inauguration; no doubt some who were
! here and saw our streets think 1t time
During the past year $4,000 was expended
| in buildings in this city, Principally homes Tor
thu ga who built them il not they were built with
bo,ee capitql Nothing of speculative character
Il in these Investments, bat let Council adopt the
I me sur - l here suggest; I. O., open and grade
| the streets from Franklin street to the northern
| limits. and extend and grade to our western line
| and you will SEQ more transactions in real estate
| in the next two years than there has been in the
| past tueiy
Property will change hands as in Washington.
Nov, in my opinion, is the time for us to make an
| fort TO induce capitalists to look this way. With
the prospect of the Mt Vernon Avenue passing
through our city, we should inaugurate and adopt
some system of improvements commensurate with
those cities that have taken the initiative but
few years since and are now reaping the rewaJ
Other enterprise.
Ai0pe your honorable bodies will see the import
ance OF sis matter and ANA. ouch iesolat'1n Nh
Will enable,.s TO at once improve our highways.
SEWERAGE
ID. Another important matter for your conside-
ration Is that Of system of sewerage
an of the opinion, that the subscription that
can be secured from the property owners and
tenants ad jacent to the lines where sewers may
be run, will very materially lessen the cost to the
city of q proper sewe-, and if the revenues are
used to create sinking fund, the amounts so re-
ceived If used as jndiciously the funds set
aside for the redemption of our present bonded
|
to reimburse the city for the cost of such sewer.
i Iwoud suggest that tho privilege of tappin 6
/ the sewer be scaled according to the capacity OF
the pipe used, and the of buildings which are
to have its use; enact ordinances requiring per-
sons to use them and abandon tho ystem now in
use, that of wells and boxes
One barrel sewer on King street would &c al
that would be necessary, and the connections OF
the crossstreets could be made with terra Gotta
piping of the requisite sizo
This system would not materially interfere
with our present system of surface drainage OF
course there should be drainage enough led into
the sewers so is to flush them, and keep them
clean. One great objection that capitalists
have who desire to construct tenement houses as
an Investment in city, is the fact, that they
cannot build them with modern improvements
(without great risk because of the lack of sewer
ags facilities this difficulty removed, there would
soon be tenement houses for rent with ri! the
modern improvements.
trust your honorable bodies will see the i'm
portancs of this legislation aud direct the City
Surveyor to report together with estimates of the
cos complete system of sewerage for our
| city.
ELECTRIC LIGHT,
! A subject which should receive your considera-
tion is that of electric lighting of streets 1t
has now become settled, that the best manner OF
lighting streets il By electricity and the necessity
| of introducing this System in our city 10 be used
ga becomes every day more and more apparent.
Few cities of our population have so closely ad-
hered to the old system of gas light exclusively,
which We can attribute to the fact, that the city
! owns the Gas Works and is willing to deprive
our citizens of the improved system for the sake
of a few dollars revenue received from the Gas
Works.
1t is fact admitted by those who are compe-
tent to Judge that the present mains or supply
pipes are totally Inadequate to supply the de-
mand satisfactorily to the consumer and as our
streets are extended and moro consumers added,
it must get worse particularly, as the gas pipes
were laid many years ago, they must in the nature
of things be low almost destroyed by rust, and
like the pipes of the Alexandria Water Company
must be renewed in few years.
would suggest the introduction of electricity
to light the streets. and abandon the street lamp
system. The present gas pipes would furnish
sufficient capacity to supply the present CONSUMERS
aud those who in addition, might desire to enjoy
the luxury, and the public buildings for some