Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1894-01-16
CITY COUNCIL.

body considered the amended charter
OF the city as passed by the Common
Council last Tuesday night.
BOARD OF ALDERMEN.
Mr.. Leadbeater. chairman pro TEN.
at the last meeting. called the board TO
order in the absence OF President Mar
bury. and the clerk proceeded 10 read
the ordinance asit came from the lower
board.
Il was agreed that the ordinance
should be read by sections and an aye
and no vote taken On each.
Section s, regarding the election OF
certain officers by the City Council Il,
concerning the workhouse, the gas
and electric light works, the repair and
paving Of streets. the laying OF sewers.
the tapping Of the same and levying as
sessments Tor their maintenance; also
compelling property-owners to connect
their premises with such sewers for tae
purpose OF draining their premises. 20
abolish sinks, wells, &c. and cause all
such accumulations 10 flow into sewers,
was adopted without debate.
Section 20 was also adopted without
discussion. This section regulates the
collection OF taxes and dues to the gas
works. As is already known. the only
changes in this section are those which
read ''Collector" instead OF "Collec-
tors" Of Taxes, and Clerk instead OF
Superintendent OF Gas, the object be,
ing in future TO have but one collector
Of taxes and abolish the Office Of Su-
perintendent OF Gas.
Section 81, which prescribes certain
rules for the guidance Of the Collector
of Taxes and Clerk Of Gas, providing
for the periodical settlements by these
officers with the Auditor, was also
adopted without debate.
Section %, giving the Mayor power
10 remove the Collector Of Taxes for
failure 10 carry out the provisions OF
section - was next read, and, on mo-
ton Of Mr. Carlin, amended by insert
ing the CLERK OF Gas" and as amend
ed adopted.
Mr.. Johnson, Clerk OF the Council, at
this jurcture appeared without the bar
and informed the Aldermen that he
had been requested by the lower board
to ask the Aldermen TO return the
amended charter which the Aldermen
were then considering.
Mr.. Sweeney was 10th to return the
instrument. The Aldermen, he said,
had proceeded TOO far in the matter to
return the paper. Several sections
had been adopted, and it would be i'm.
proper to return the amended charter
to the lower board until the Aldermen
were through with it. He was decided
Is opposed to sending it to the Common
Council at this stage of the proceedings
Mr.. Carlin said he understood the
lower board had reconsidered their &C
ton Of last Tuesday night in passing
the ordinance, and now wanted the pa
per withdrawn from the Aldermen. He
voted, however, against returning it, a:
did also all the other members.
After some verbal alterations haC
been made in section p it was adopted
as was also sc ton %.
Section % hung fire for little while
This paragraph provides for lien OF
property for non-payment of taxes ant
provides for certain legal proceeding;
for making the same.
Mr.. Carlin said the section was prob
ably wise provision to meet the diff
Guilty, but in some instances it would
amount to a virtual confscation o
property. For instance, person owing
81 80 taxes would be subjected to le
gal charge of about $75 should it be
come necessary to enforce the provis
ion Of this section in order to collec
dues to the city. He urged no objec
ton, however, to its adoption.
The chair (Mr. Leadbeater) said a
present it was often exceedingly diff
cult to collect taxes due the city SOM
persons had an aversion to paying sucl
bills. He knew case where taxes hat
been allowed to accumulate during thu
past twenty years. Under the presen
city law nothing could be done.
Mr. Carlin said the city could ente
suit and subsequently file a bill il
equity. The amendment, though, pro
yided for shorter route in which t
arrive at the same result. 1t saved ONT
suit
The section was finally adopted.
Mr.. Johnson again appeared without
the bar and repeated his first message,
TO the effect that the Common Council
requested the Aldermen to return t
them the ordinance under considera,
ton.
Mr.. Carlin moved that the Aldermen
adhere to their former action and refuse
to deliver up the paper until they hat
acted upon it.
Mr.. Goodrich supported the motor
and spoke against returning the ordi-
nance. Mr.. Lindsay seconded the mo-
ton to adhere to the former action.
Mr.. Sweeney said he was astonished
at the action of the Common Council in
being so persistent. He gave history
of the ordinance since its introduction
into the City Council, and said the
lower board had taken nearly three
hours to consider it at the last meeting
and the Aldermen were now holding q
special meeting for the purpose of act
ing upon it. He thought the Common
Council exhibited considerable CALM
fact, more than he had ever seen ex-
hibited before on any occasion. The
lower board had been told that the Al
dermen were considering the amended
charter, and the matter was now before
them-hence it would be entirely out
of order to deliver it up until properly
disposed of. The Common Council had
been allowed ell the time they desired
on it and the Aldermen wanted rea.
souable period in which to examine
into it.
Mr.. Carlin said he understood the
lower board had repented that it had