Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1891-10-14
MAYOR OFFI'E, |
ALEXANDRIA,, VA, October, 1891. !

70 THE CITY Council:
Observation-Disclosures which in my judgment should
Immediate attention Il the reason Tor tlls
communication.
More than year ago, my predecessor in Office,
Mayor Dowuham, and Corporation Attorney Brent in
stucd proceedings i'll the Circuit Court TO dissolve
Nh injunction which prevented the city from removing
the railroads. tracks ON Henry street.
on November ~, 800 the City Council by joint rcso-
luton directed the Mayor and Corporation Attorney
suspend until further action of the Council all legal
proceedings i'll the removal of the tracks on Henry
street and at the meeting appointed committee
10 confer with the railroad authorities controlling or
owning the tracks the uri osc of agreeing upon
plan by which the continued occupation of the street
would bc allowed If at all.
ON May 70 l-9 this special committee submitted its
report, To which was appended proposition Of MIR III.
i. Ecnncy, General Superintendent. You are familiar
with the action OF the committee, and had the Wash
ngton Southern Railway Company accepted their
proposition, genera; satisfaction would have followed.
That Mr.. Kenncys proposition was not ilvorably con-
sidcrcd is shown by the non-ction of the last Council
consider this matter OF vast interest not only To the
patrons of the roads, but 10 the community ut large and
especially persons living and doing business in that
section ol the city. There is probably not house
lot the line of Henry and Fayeitc streets but which
receives and justly low assessment by reason of these
railroad tracks.
Tie amount the railroad company pays the city In
the way of taxes Is poor return for using the streets.
The tax the mile OF track ON Henry street from the
city limits the north 10 that the south is but SUS,
upon assessment OF Sb,UOJ.
The value of the tracks asccraincd by the Board
Of Public Works for State taxation Is SO OU0 per mile.
-Four thousand dollars could have been collected from
the railroads in twelve years had the city assessed
did the State. What this four thousand dollars would
have done in the of keeping both Henry and
Fuycttc streets III good condition can be estimated
am well aware ION this subject bring new in
formation that will cause an Immediate and satisfactory
settlement of "a question which for years has Caused
comment but do think something should be done by
Council towards improving the condition Of Henry
,IBi Fayctc streets, and also procuring from the rail-
road better accommodations nj their station.
What here said is free from no unirendncss to the
road4 for ii would be only little short OF diocy TO
crnbarrilss or hamper them nccdessy.
am strongly impressed with the Idea tiat another
conference with the railroad managers would bring
good results, and that failures heretofore should not
deter us For this | would suggest that the
committee appointed by the last Council or new one,
be authorized 10 ask for only what fair Press the
nintcr and then indifference would not be likely to
follow.
to your attention by, think. both of my immediate
predecessors certainly by the late Mayor Smoot. The
last codicston i'll 1914. Many of the laws are con-
sdered Obsolete and some seemingly III conflict with
The last publication of the Acts of the City Council
bear the imprint September /, 1885, 10 November
lSs7 This matter is Important and hope Council will
give il the attention which II deserves.
wish Council would pass ordinance authorizing
the arrest ana punishment OF any person or persons
keeping houses Tor improper purposes trial under
the city law and fine, II imposed covered into the
CITY Treasury. A law similar TO that found in the
State Code of 1857 Section No 3790or something better,
which could be reported by the Committee on General
Laws and Corporation Attorney is recommended.
Complaint is sometimes mnde that engineers of rail-
road obstruct the streets with their engines and
for unreasonable length OF time their is any
have failed to find 1t. II there Is no such Inv iii my
Judgment there should he.
Your attention is called to the vacancies that exist in
the Offices of Health officer and Physician Poor
City Surveyor hope will be your pleasure 10 make
" 1900 " 49, HENRY STRAUSS, Mayor
The recommendation Of the Finance Committee
upon the petition OF John McCuen for rebate OF
taxos that the petition be granted and that he be
rounded So Co. no having boon taxed upon prop
orty not owned by him, was adopted.
The folio siDg Hero referred to the Committee
on Streets: viz: Tho petition OF Robert Elliott
and others for the Improvement of Patrick street.
between Duke and Wolfe; also tho resolution that
tho superintendent OF Police b. ordered to have q
ditch cnt from st. Assph street to Fairfax street
on Pendioton street. to allow free egress of water
to the river, the work to BIO done under the direc
non OF the Committee on Streets
communication from John E. Zimmerman
asking that the property known as the American
Goal wharf be rented to him upon certsiu terms
naned, was referred to the COMMITTEES on FjneI,re
AID committee on Public Property Jointly
Inc following was referred to the Com ittaeon
tubhc Property viz: A communication from 70
- breen q 20 In reference to the purchase at
stone Situated cu tho berme ba K of the old canal
The following were referred to the COMMITTEES
on General Laws: An ordinances for the preserv, .
ton Of the health Of the city; also resointion
amending chapter Ii, section s, and chsnter IA
section s, OF The city laws.
The petition Of 81. Bryant for permiss;on to
or, C frame buildings and aheds on the northeast
COZ ar 4 Duke aid Union treets WAS granted
prov.d II ;he consent of adjoining property own
els be frs: obtained
The following was adopted: