Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1898-05-11

last night.
BOARD OF ALDERMEN.
! 1t was the first meeting of the Board
of Aldermen for the past four weeks, nc
quorum having appeared at the last
meeting in April.
The business transacted by the Com
| mon Council at that meeting was i'm
mediately concurred in without debate.
A batch of other matters which had
bsen acted on by the lower board was
rect ived and concurred in, among
them the ordinance for the repaving OF
King street betwe en- Fairfax and Royal
with viiritied brick.
The revenue bill, passed by the
Common Council, WAS received from
that board and their action concurred
in.
The license bill was recommitted to
the committee on finance.
An application OF the Portner Brew
ing Company asking the city to pay
one-third of the cost of paving ST.
Asaph street, between Pendleton and
Wythe, with belgian block, was receiv-
ed from the Common Council, having
been reported favorably by the COM
mittee on streets.
Mr.. Hinken said he was opposed to
granting the petition, and moved that
it be laid on the table.
His motion was lost.
Mr.. Hinken said the movement was
for the especial benefit of the Portner
Brewing Company. Half of the street
was taken up by cars. If they wanted
belgian block roadway let the COM
pany pay for it. If the petition was
for the benefit of some thoroughfare
which was used by the public to any
extent he would cheerfuliy vote for it,.
A vote on the adoption of the COM
mittee's report was then taken and re-
suited as follows Ayes, Messrs. Dobie,
Curtin aod Mr.. President-3-Noes,
Messrs. Havener and Hinken-2. So
the report was mono oncurred in.
Mr.. Dobie said some time ago q reso-
luton had been adopted requesting
the committee on light to employ the
services of gas expert. A number Of
people had called bis attention to the
matter, and applications had been re-
ceived from several gentleman, who
claimed to be experts in different parts
of the country, off ring their services to
the city. He desired Mr.. Hinken to
give the Aldermen information concern
ing the matter, he being the chairman
oil the committee on light.
Mr.. Hinken said The committee was
not prepared to report on the matter
at present.
Mr.. Dobie said sons time ago he had
introduced resolution providing that
none but Alexandrians be employed on
street work in this city. Ee didn't
know what had become of it.
Mr.. Hinken said the resolution had
been referred to the committee on gen.
eral laws, of which Mr.. Greene, of the
Common Council, was chairman.
At twenty minutes to ten o'clock Mr..
Trimyer, from the Common Council,
appeared in the chamber and notified
the Aldermen that the lower board was
through with their business and ready
to adjourn. No further business ap-
pearng the board adjourned,
COMMON COUNCIL.
The Common Council opened with
less than a quorum, some of the mem
bers being engaged in committees, but
the committee work was soon COM
pleted aud when the minutes were
read more than q quorum was present.
The message of the Mayor yetoing
an order making refund of special
taxes to Mrs. House WAS called up.
MIR. Greene moved to refer the ques
ton OF the validity of the Mayors veto
to the Corporation Attorney. He said
that all the members of the bar with
whom he lad consulted had agreed that
the veto was void, not having been re-
turned to coucci in time and that the
order had already taken effect.
The Chairman saw no reason to incur
further expense by calling for an opinion
of the Corporation Attorney. The
pre- sent business Of the board was to
decide whether or not the order should
be passed over the Mayors veto. The
Mayor had sent bis message to the Of
fee of the Auditor, which was also the
office of the clerk of the Common
Council, within the three days required
by law. The Mayor had also on the
morning after the order had passed in
formed the Pres ident Of Council that he
had disapproved the order.
Mr.. Greene said the case must be
tried not on oral statements but upon
the record officially made in the case.
The subject was postporpd Tor awhile
but taken up again after other business.
Then Mr.. Greene urged that the
money had been unlawfully exaoted
from Mrs. House. and while the act of
limitation precluded recovery by law,
vet her natural right to he money re-
NAMED unimpaired. He appealed to
the members to pass the petition Of
Mrs. House.
Mr.. Brill intended, notwithstanding
his great respect for the finance com
mittee and the Mayor, to vote now as
he had formerly voted in favor of the
order.
Mr.. Trimyer said be wished to do
Justice to all interested aud had the
Mayors message read for Information.
He though the Mayer should b sus-
tanned in the stand he had taken.
Mr.. Smith held that this was dona-
ton, but he believed that the City
Council had right to make donation
of $25 to this widow lady.
The chair did not want sentiment
to influence his vote on measures affect
ing the city's interests. The Mayor
la oIaorl1, ,,oiptaS out uhera Council