Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1893-05-10
AIEXANDRTA GAZETTE AND VIRGINIA ADVERTISER

reasons. He recalled having recently
voted for an ordinance now on the
books which he thought was in conflict
with the resolution.
The order was adopted-yeas, II;
nays, ,.
The bill creating city engineer was
called up,
Mr.. Kraft favored it and made an in
.teresting statement of the grades and
lines of the city and of what trouble
they gave property owners in ascertain
ing their boundaries. He said the pas
sage of the bill was urged by large
number of citizens and that it would be
of great advantage to the community.
The proposed law was similar to the
one recently adopted by Norfolk and
other growing cities.
N1r. Smoot suggested that the matter
be postponed. He saw no reason for
present action.
Mr.. Mushbach said the friends of the
bill did not wish to press it until the
Council was ready to vote, but the bill
had been published and all had an OPP
portuuity to see it. 1--WE cannot re-
MAN," he said, sin 18th century con-
dition and expect to be a 18th cen
fury city with streets that are antiqul-
ties. He suggested that the idea that
the desire was that City Surveyor
Graves should not be allowed to COM
pete was mistake. 1t was proposed
to leave out the ''fve years clause" and
have an examination to determine the
capability of candidates. He knew MIR.
Graves was born here, went to the
University sc. If he was living here 1t
was a mere accident. People are not
born at places they choose. He him
self was not born here. 1t might be
true competent engineer could be got
ten from abroad but we want
ed not surveyor but an en-
gineer. He then depicted mistakes
That low-priced surveyors had made
for a century past.
Mr.. McCuen asked if the city was not
bound by the mistakes of the City Sur
veyor?
MIR. Mushbach hoped that it was not
so, for the city would, in that case, be
more than bankrupt; for the mistakes
are as many as the leaves of autumn
He had had that question asked him
many times, but no retainer had been
given and he did not propose to give an
opinion. 1t was time for Alexandria to
take rank with progressive cities. Let's
keep up with the procession.
Mr.. Smoot did not think that the
CITY could afford to have an expensive
officer when it had so little money for
street improvements.
Mr.. Mushbach said that the present
City Surveyor probably made now by
his fees a salary of $4,000 per annum.
Those fees, under the new law, would
90 into the city treasury.
Mr.. Evans did not see how changing
the name Of City Surveyor to City En-,
gineer, and giving salary of $1,000
could enable him to settle lines which
had been unsettled for hundred years
Any man with a transit and level could
run straight line and give grades, but
no engineering skill could determine
lines without data to base the lines on
The bill was crude thing and not tit
to pass. He saw no reason why the
engineer should be required to serve
five years, when young lawyers were
allowed TO go to work at once.
Mr.. Mushbach said he did not know
what the young lawyers would say, but
he thought their clients would be glad
of it. The 5-year clause would be
stricken out, however.
After further debate the subject was
made the special order for next Tues.
day night, and the ordinance postponed
until that time.
When the proposal to appropriate
$500 to cut through the hill on Wythe
street, between st. Asaph and Pitt
streets, and carry the dirt to the
marsh, came up,
Mr.. Uhler wanted to know what
right the city had to pay $500 for rails,
ing the sunken lots of one set of citi-
zens when other citizens have always
been made to pay for raising sunken
lots.
MIR. Davis said the work was needed
to protect the new sewer, which cost
$1,000.
Mr.. Fisher said the new sewer dam
med up the water west of it and made
a lake of seven or eight acres, which
had now no outlet and must be left to
stagnate until it evaporated.
Mr.. Uhler said that the law would
require the owner of the suuken lots to
fill them up.
The subject was laid on the table.
No other business occasioned debate
and the board adjourned until Tuesday
evening next in order to consider the
CITY Engineer ordinance.