Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1896-03-31
BUSINESS MEMS LEAGUE.

President harlow IN the cualT.
A communication from the Denver
Chamber of Commerce, addressed to the
people of the United States in favor OF
| free coinage was read but no action was
! taken thereon.
Mr.. Harlow stated that he had re-
Gently met gentleman who under,
stood operating a knitting factory and
thought it possible to get people 10
come here and start such q factory, pro,
vided the old cotton factory could be
secured at reasonable sum or mod
! crate rent. He asked Mr.. ]. T. Burke
if he could give information concerning
the factory; nothing, however, might
come of this.
Mr.. Burke said be had been in Balti-
more recently and had asked the own
| ers of the factory why something was
not done with it. He thought the factory
| might be leased for low rent and that
! the owner would now take less price
| for it than had been asked some time
since.
Mr.. Eichberg suggested that the Gar
retts be communicated with and asked il
they would sell or lease the property.
MIR. Burke said that the next time he
went to Baltimore he would look into
the matter. He thought the owners
were tired of holding the property; IT
had cost them SIC, 600 since it had shut
| down.
The report of the committee on pub
| lie improvements was then taken up
the report which recommends to the
City Council the issue of 5000, 600 bonds
| for street improvements &c.
Mr.. Eichberg favored action; he ex
pected more members present at the
meeting, but like everything else, at
ter the newness had worn OFT they
seemed 10 take less interest in the mat
ter. he wanted to make start of i'm
provements somewhere; we were how
spending from 5000 to $4,000 a year
on the streets and there was nothing TO
show for it.
Mr.. ]. R. Zimmerman said he under
stood that not over 81 500 a year was
spent on improvements-the remainder
| was spent for cleaning streets, remov,
ing ashes. sc.
Capt. Bryant said he did not see how
anything could be done without inc-eas.
ing taxes; many people were opposed
10 The issue of bonds and if SAC, 900 a
year were to be spent for improvements
it would have to be done by increased
taxation and after the improvements
were made, then 10 get back what
money could be collected from the abut'
tinO proporfv owuarq
| Mr.. Eichberg said he believed the
property owners were in favor OF i'm
provements.
Mr.. ]. A. Marshall said as property
owner he was opposed to the increase
of taxation and believed the majority oil
property owners were of his way oil
thinking.
Mr.. E. S. Leadbeater told how the
city had been taxed for improvements
before the war, and how the city had
voted to build railroads and canals, the
people being told that prosperity would
follow. THIS had proved fallacy and
now only the debt remained. He then
told how the debt had been compro
missed and opposed the increase of the
debt, saying that it was not just or
right to those who now hold the city
bonds. He said it was hard work now
Tor roperty owners to pay their taxes
the tax rate now greatly interfered with
the welfare OF the city and he could not
favor recommending to Council an in
crease of the debt under the present
condition; it must be borne in mind
that this is a poor community; it is
easier to borrow than to pay.
Mr.. Harlow asked Mr.. Leadbeater
that if he thought he (Mr. L } could in,
crease his business by borrowing money,
would be hesitate in doing 80.
MIR. Leadbeater said if he was deeply
10 debt and had recently paid his credi-
tors but half the interest he owed them,
he would hesitate before trying to Dor
row more money and thought he would
have considerable trouble in doing 80.
Mr.. G. R. Hill could not agree with
Mr.. Leadbepter; the issue of bonds did
not contemplate that the city would
stand still, but on the country it would
increase in prosperity as improvements
were made. He favored the issuing Of
bonds; this would be advantageous to
the present bondholders, as the i'm
provements resulting would give
them better security. He favored ex-
tensive improvements at once-im-
provements which embraced the en-.
tire city.
Mr.. Charles King said he was man
of action, not of words; he had under
stood that when the city debt was COM
promised it was with the understanding
of the bondholders that no further issue
of bonds should be made till the debt
was paid off.
Mr.. Eichberg said this was mistake:
the understanding was that the amount
of the original debt was not to be in
creased.
Mr.. King favored improvements and
an increase of taxation to pay for them;
every man who owned Q horse and We
hicle spent from $25 to SIS year
for repairs of damages. He said if the
present Council would not favor i'm.
provements, then pressure should be
brought to bear to elect Council that
would, and that there should be a
"Shepnerd" in that Council. This ro-
mark was received with "tbat's it"
| from two or three members. Mr.. King
again spoke in favor CT increase If
taxation, and said improvements could
be made here at one half the original
cost of such improvements in Washing
ton. He thought if necessary to secure
| improvements taxes should be increas-
ed to fifty cents on the dollar.