Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1896-06-24

Inspection OF lumDeT, Whieu
been in vogue so long in Alexan'
dria, should prove such a bugaboo now;
the ordinance now before the board was
not as stringent as the old law.
Mr.. McCuen asked if dealers were not
compelled to pay these duties and COM
pete with those in other places who
were not hampered with such exac-
tons.
Mr.. Cation said during the examine
ton of the matter by the committee 1t
had been shown that those who had not
paid for the measurement and inspec-
ton of their lumber charged the same
as those who had.
Mr.. Greene said the bugaboo referred
to bv Mr.. Cation had come out. Now the
consumer should have something to say
about this matter. 1t cost money to
have lumber inspected and measured,
and somebody has to pay for it.
Mr.. McCuen's motion to refer the Or
dinance to the Corporation Attorney
was lost by tie vote.
Mr.. E. 3. Taylor, attorney for MIR. j..
R. Smoot, of the firm of Smoot & Co.,
was then given the privilege of the
floor, and he spoke for about fifteen
minutes in opposition to the proposed
and existing law, contending that it
was ali injustice to lumber dealers and
unnecessary. His clients never had OBJ
iected to the inspection of their lum-
Der, but were averse to compulsory
measurement, which Smoot & Co. had
to pay. The people they purchased
lumber from refused to pay the extra
assessment. They sold by measure
ment and were not compelled to have
the lumber measured again in any
other place in the United States. 1t
was true other dealers in this
city favored measurement from
the fact that those they bought
from were. willing to pay for that
service; hence they lost nothing. 1t
was different, however, with Smoot u
Co. The latter, though, were willing
to have their lumber measured when
they believed it necessary, but protest
ed against being compelled to do so.
He also asserted that money had often
been collected by the inspector when no
service had been pertormed-in other
words-cargoes of lumber were "pass,
ed" without either being inspected or
measured.
Mr.. James L. Adams, the Inspector,
averred that the Messrs. Smoot paid
but one-third of the cost for his services,
the seller and purchaser paying the re-
mainder.
Mr.. Benton Cbinn, bookkeeper for
Messrs. Smoot & Co., controverted this,
producing letters to show that the firm
paid the entire cost, and said it always
did so on the lumber brought here by
the steamer Dennis Simmons from
North Carolina.
Mr.. George barley. employed by
Smoot s. Co., corroborated Mr.. Chinn's
statements.
After some further remarks by those
interested and several members OF
Council the ordinance was referred to
the Corporation Attorney, as was also
the eligibility of Mr.. Henry Strauss as
Police Commissioner since his remov-
al from the Second ward.
Mr.. Burke, from the committee on
streets, presented resolutions providing
for the repair of certain pavements III
the city; also for the grading and paw
ing of number of alleys, and they
were adopted.
A resolution that when Council ad-
journ it be until the second Tuesday
in October was adopted.
After the transaction, without debate,
of some other business, which will be
seen in the official proceedings, the
board adjourned.