Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1898-03-23
COMMON COUNCIL.

The board was but sparsely attend
ed at its opening, but the seats were
nearly all filled before the close.
The finance committee presented a
communication from T. NJ. Tompkins,
agent of the Garrett estate, asking that
the assessment of 100000 on the Mt.
Vernon Cotton Factory be reduced to
$4,000.
1t was stated that the agent would
sell the property for $4,000, while
another member said that rent OF
So, 600 per annum had recently been re-
fused for it.
The subject was referred to the f.
nance committee.
The Auditor reported the appropria-
lions for fire department, poor, law
expenses and public property exhaust
ed and the report was referred to the
finance committee.
Mr.. White in presenting an applics-
ton of citizens for an Improvement of
Duke from Commerce to Payne streets
said that number of citizens of West
End had waited upon and told him that
the Fairfax authorities had agreed to
improve the West End road. He
thought that disposition Of this kind
should be met in a proper way and said
that if Alexandria ladies patronizsd
the Alexandria stores rs did the West
End ladies the city would be greatly
benefited. The petition was referred
to the committee on streets.
MIR. Brill presented the memorial of
VIM. F. Carne renewing his claim for
payment of services as clerk OF Council
before 1890, and by consent MIR.
Carne was allowed to explain the
purpose of his application.
Mr., Carne said that his claim and
that of Mr.. G. c. Car!in for similar sell
vice had already been favorably passed
upon by the finance committee, For
himself he had not the slightest person
al interest in the claim as be had long
ago assigned it to the school board in
aid of establishing q reference library.
The trouble in the case was that the
committee had reported in favor OF pay
ing for one nights work onl y when he
claimed, for the library fund, pay for
all the nights he had served at % per
night, the sum which the city had for
many years paid the different clerks OF
the Board of Aldermen. He explained
that free reference library was diff
ferent thing from the circul atipg libra
~ which the excellent ladies had with
great trouble established ct Peabody
Hall. He illustrated the workings of
q free reference library and said that
Mr.. Spofford, of the National Library
at Washington, had advised the estab.
lishment OF such library here.
The application was referred to the
committee on claims.
The report of the Fire Wardens on
the subject OF the ere alarm telegraph
came up and on motion of Mr.. Brill its
consideration was postponed until the
next meeting.
MIR. Smith called up the order for the
use of the IS 600 received by the city
from the direct tax refund, In the i'm
provement Of Washington street, north
from Queen street.
Mr.. Uhler asked if it was the inter-
ton of the committee to have this work
Done under the a3rd section. He did
not think that it was fair to spend all
this SIS 900 to improve three squares OF
Washington street, free to the owners
of the adjoining property. while it was
proposed TO make property holders pay
f5r street work to be done on King street.
He also said that as it had cost but
81 $50 to repair four squares on south
Washington street he did not see why
it would require 5000 to repair three
squares on north Washington street.
Mr.. Smith thought thai the work
should be done on Washington street
in the best manner but had no objection
TO the application OF the SSrd section to
that case if it was decided that all such
work hereafter should be done under
that section. He did not think The