Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1890-05-14
CITY COUNCIL.
A regular semi.monthly meeting CT the
CITY Council was held last night.
BOARD OF ALDERMEN.

Ii was twenty-five ihlhuOeo W mug olooa
when quorum appeared IN the AideTman's
chamber.
Mr.. Mckenzie. from The Committee on
Light, reported back petition of suudry
persons for the erection of an electric light
at the intersection Of Union aud Wilkes
street. the committee being divided as to
the aGviss billy of granting The prayer OF he
petitioners.
Mr.. Hinken, membe. Of the comnittee,
said there were no houses within less than
square OF that intersection, and should the
lamp be placed there it would be of 40 boz
eft to any one save the employees Of the
railroad company. The petition was signed
by parties who lived squares eff.
MIR. Burke corroborated MIR. Hinken's
statement If the city thought proper to
place lamps all over the city, it would ne
well enough to grant the prayer of the petit
TONERS but at present it was best to erect
them where houses had besn built.
MIR. Mckenzie thought there should be q
LIGHT at the point designated, but would not
urge the matter. Ia regard to 1t benefit
the railroad company, he would say he was
much pleased with the improvement made
at the east end Of the tunnel. Whether he
smoke ironically or not is mooled question,
as he may have fad In his minds eye the
south eide of Wilkes street. between Lee
and Union, which has been virtually ruin
ed-thes is if it is to be left in Its present
condition.
Mr.. Bryant moved that the petition be re
ferred back to the committee in order that
they might settle 1t. It YVES not III the prov
ince OF Council to decide the matter i! the
committee couldn't.
This molten was carried.
A petition, numercua!y signed, praying
The Aldermen to pass the ordinance !aid On
the table at the last meeting prohibiting
ducks and chickens from running at large in
the streets was read.
a member-Thet was the ordinance pass
ed by the Common CCurci! at the last meet
ing.
Mr.. McKenzie-I move TO lag it on the
| table. The idea of having fifteen or sixteen
policemen chasing chicken all over town !
MIR. Bryant seconded Mr.. Mechanics nc
ton and it prevailed.
Mr.. Goodrich, from the Committee on
Claims, to whom had been referred claim
of $40 of Messrs Harlow & Agnew for belt
ing which had been stolen while In the cut
tody of the police, reported adversely on the
same aud the report was adopted. He
stated that the attorney FOR the Capital Pres:-
cd Brick Company had been notified several
times to remove the property from the
station house, but hsd neglected to Go go,
and in the meantime it had been stolen.
Considerable routine business was subse-
quently transacted and number of papers
| which bad come in from the lower board
we're concurred 10. About an hour and q
half was then spent in an interm;ssiou,
wniting for the Common CouociI to send in
the revenue bill, but as that body, at quar-
ter to eleven o'clock, seemed likely to PFC
long it's session till morning, the Aldermen
adjourned.
COMMON COUNCIL.
MIR. Fisher YVES called 10 the chair Mt lit-
teen minutes after eight o'clock and qnor-
nm was found present.
President Sweeney coon aherYard arrived
aud took the chair.
No business excited discussion until res
oluton was introduced appointing MIR. VIM.
Shock agent of the city to receive the stand
ard weights and measures from the State
officer at Richmond, and authorizing pnJ
ment therefor.
Mr. Fisher had heard enough of the res.
olution to indicate that the storekeepers
were again to be taxed for their weights and
scales. He thought that this tax was un-
necessary. IL was worse than useless and
he WAS opposed to doing anything which
would bring the system now abandoned in
to operation again.
| Mr.. Aitcbescn doubted The propriety Of
Mr.. Fishers motion if it would have the
effect to lake away the protection afforded
| by seaer of weights and measures against
| false scales.
Mr.. Fisher said that this was no protec-
! ton. A scale could be tempered With after
| the eealer left,
President Sweeney wished to know the
effect of the State law upon The Corporation
| las which made the Market Master seaer
| of weights and measures.
Com monwealth'5 Attorney Cation, hy
permission OF Council, explained that the
Uoted States mad established q standard OF
weights and measures and that there was
State Superintendent and Seaer OF
Weights and Measures, as the Code re
CURED tho County and Corporation Judges
to appoint like sealer5 in each city ard
county of the Commonwealth. This took
precedence Of the city lag.
Mr.. Fisher thought that If Council took
no action the State Law copld not 90 into
.Gsct.
The subject was referred to the Commi
tee on General Laws.
The tax bill was reported by the Finance
Committee, ard II was stated on Its hfse
reading that it made the nssc s5meDt on
ground rents twelve times their annual
value.
Mr.. Al Oh 20 approved The amendment.
Under the law heretofore II one man bought
ground rent and another house OF the
anna value, the man who bought the house
paid more than ten times as much tax as
the purchaser OF the ground rent.
fha hill rnnnafiDp fhe DreEcnt fax
rate of 50 on the hundred. with the usual 10
and per cent discount &c had been read
the first tine and WAS on it's second reading,
Mr. Fisher moved TO strike out f;om the
bill the 50 tax and insert sl90. with no dis
count. He thought that In this way the f
nances of The city would be improved and
taxes eqpslized. Now one portion Of Cit
zans paid 81 80, another paid 81 90, another
so q nd nthars siill 20 o. with interest