Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1896-02-12
CITY COUNCIL.
BOARD OF ALDERMEN.

There was lui mCSeah5
Board of Aldermen last night.
When the resolution authorizing tna'
Auditor Price be made agent for the
CITY te-receive of Mr.. Nj. b. Harlow,
commissioner of fund of 1878, that
amount being in his hands, etc., came
up for consideration,
Mr.. Burke said he would explain
the resolution. The owners OF the
property in question owed the city
ground rents, and the Auditor and
Others thought the money snould De
in the hands of an officer ofthe city. Mr.
Mr.. Harlow could pay the money over
to himself, and it was for that reason
that the resolution was offered author
izing the Auditor be made agent OF the
city in the matter.
MIR. Marbury wanted to know if she
Board of Aldermen had the authority
to pass such bill. :,
Mr.. Burke said that the city had
possession of the money, and possession
was nine points of the law.
After further discussion of the reso-
luton by Messrs Smoot, Sweeney and
Burke it was finally adopted BY a unan-
imous vote.
The ordinance to increase the
police force then came up for consid-
GRAFTON, and was passed by a unanl-
nous vote of the Board.
When the report of the City Eugi-
neer came up for discussion,
Mr.. Smoot said he thought it would
be better to have the report of the City
Engineer printed so that every mem,
Der of Council, as we'll as citizens could
read it. He did not think it necessary
to read the report, as it was very long,
and he thought the members would Tor
get the first portion of it before the
clerk finished reading it.
Mr.. Ballenger said that as the city
engineer had sent the report in it should
be read.
On motion of Mr.. Smoot the City
Auditor was authorized to have lOO
copies Of the report printed.
A resolution from the Common
Council appointing committee to con-
slider the advisability of the recodi6ca'
ton of the code up to July 1, 1896, was
explained by Mr.. Sweeney, who said
that it was almost impossible to find any
law. When the committee looked up
the police law they could hardly find
| it, and it was to this end that the reso.
luton was offered.
The resolution from the Common
Council authorizing the repeal of the
election of eight readymen, or as many
as are necessary. was laid over on mo-
ton of Mr.. Marbury.
Mr.. Smoot was of the opinion that
| the Police Commissioners elected ready
| men.
MIR. Burke said that it was the GUS
tom of Council to elect readymen, but
az the law under which the police
J commissioners did not provide for the
election of these officers, it was the
duty of Council to do it. He said that
if the bill passed giving four additional
policemen there would hardly be any
need for readymen.
Mr.. Burke and Mr.. Hinken thought
the measure should be passed.
Mr.. Sweeney was of the same opinion
as Mr.. Marbury on the subject, and
Mr.. Marbury's motion: as stated above,
prevailed.
The board was then invited to meet
the lower board in joint convention 10
listen to the address of Mr.. Leadbeater
on the need of third fire engine, after
which the board adjourned.
COMMON COUNCIL.
Eleven members were present when
the Common Council was called to or.
der. Three came in late.
After the reading of the minutes OF
the last meeting President Snowden
placed in the clerks hands the report
| Of the City Engineer for the past year
It was agreed that the report be re
ceived.
The President also submitted COM
munication from the commissioners OF
tho sinking fund calling attention to
the fact that there is no regularly bond
I'd Market Master. The paper was re
| ferred to the finance committee.
A resolution providing for the sewer
ing of certain streets was referred to the
committee on streets.
An ordinance fixing the number o!
policeman at nineteen was introduced
oy Mr.. Cation, from the committee Oh
general laws.
Mr.. Snowden (Mr. Burke in the
chair said he did not suppose anything
he could say would prevent the passage
of the ordinance, but he desired TO go
on record as opposing it. He reiterated
what he had said when the petition o
the Police Commissioners had been at
irst presented to Council-that there
was not enough employment for the
present force of fifteen men to keep
Them busy. He was convinced that
the increase would tend to render those
already on the force inefficient. He
saw no reason whatever for the extra
expenditure of $1,000 year and believ
ed that such an expenditure would be
needless tax on this already overbur.
dened community this money, he
thought, could be much better expended
in other directions.
Mr.. Cation agreed with Mr.. Snowden,
but he had been whipped and as a
member of the committee on general
laws he had performed his duty by re-
porting the ordinance. His opinions,
however, on the subject were un-
changed; in fact he bad heard enough
since to make bis opinions more pro-
nounced.
The bill was put on its passage and
adopted by the following vote Ayes,
Messrs. Burke, Thompson, Moore, La-
than, Strider, Beach, Klaus, Harrison,
Uhler, White and McCuen-11. Noes,