Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-10-27
AFFAIRS IN ALEXANDRIA
An Interesting Meeting of the City Council
Held Last Night
Discussing the Leakage OF Gas
Thought to BE Insane-Othcr
Matters Of Interest.
Evening Star Bureau,
No. so King Street,
Bell Telephone, No. 100.

Bell Telephone, No. 1O6
ALEXANDRIA, Va, October "a, 1897.
There was quite n lengthy session Of the
city council last night, and for a while
things waxed warm over the discussion of
the enormous leakage in gas which was
discovered by the experts who recently
gave the city gas works a thorough ex-
animation and reported that 'extravagance
and waste rather than economy was the
order at the works.
When the council got down to business
Chairman B. b. Smith of the committee
On streets introduced a resolution provid-
ing that all buildings erected in Alexandria
in the future should be rooted with some
non-combustible material and that when
ever it became necessary to repair the roof
of any building already standing non-com-
bustible material should be used. This
resolution would amend section o, para
graph 2, of the city charter, and was re-
ferred to the committee on general laws
for a report. Permission was granted r.
H. Warder to replace Shtngle roof on
his dwelling.
The matter of grading and crawling Glib
bon street. from Henry to Washington
streets, which was laid on the table at the
last meeting, was then taken up, and Mr..
Smith offered a resolution appropriating
$1,000 for the purpose. While the matter
was under discussion Chairman Snowden
moved that the discussion of street i'm
provements be suspended indefinitely, and
the motion was carried.
resolution to the effect that the COM
mittee on light and the committee on
finance jointly consider the proposition of
the Potomac Electric Light Company to
furnish current for the city's electric lights
was voted down. The petition of the
merchants on Lee street for the Southern
Railway Company to be granted permis-
n arE Loo ctr To
sons alley, was referred to the committee
on general laws. who. with the corpora
ton attorney, are to report on the matter
at the next meeting of the council. Fifty
dollars was appropriated for placing a
catch basin on Henry street near Duke, for
the purpose of turning the water from the
cellar of T. ]. Fannon. The quarterly re-
port of r. T. Cook clerk of the gas works.
was received. The two boards then went
into joint session for the purpose of dis
cussing the leakage in gas. Chairman
Uhler of the finance committee showed in
figures how the city had been losing
money. Mr.. Uhler stated that the city fur
nished free three engine houses, the in
Urinary and the city offices, and the cost
of these lights was $4,000 year. He also
stated that out of the %, 0O0, 600 cubic feet
of gas made annually at least 100000
cubic feet were given away or wasted OF
could not be accounted for.
Mr.. Hinken, chairman of the committee
on light, thought that the city council
should put competent man in charge of
the works and make him responsible. Mr..
c. n. More thought the committee on light
were trying to shift the blame off their
shoulders to Mr.. Hantzmon. the superin-
tendent. MI. Trirlyer thought the commit
tee on light had absolute control over the
gas works and employees. as indicated by
the reinstatement of Mr.. Mullen but a
few days ago over Mr.. Hantzmons head.
Chairman Snowden said he did not be-
lieve the free gas amounted to $1,000
year, and thought council should take some
action to find out where the 100000 feet
Of gas went to annually No definite ac-
ton was taken in the matter.
HI. VI. s. Pinafore.
H. NJ. S. Pinafore as presented by
Sharps and Flats. the local musical organi-
cation, for the benefit of the Hydraulion