Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1899-10-18
BOARD OF ALDERMEN.

the City Council last night. The ses-
I! sion lasted about two hours.
BOARD OF ALDERMEN.
! Six members were present, and the
bulk of the business transacted melted
no debate.
Mr. Dobie introduced resolution,
which was passed, appropriating $50
for placing a log pump at the southwest
corner of Patrick and Ofonoco streets.
He ssid the pump would be great
convenience TO many people living in
the neie hborhood. The old pump had
been repaired several times, and it was
now beyond Gxing, new one being
| necessary.
| Mr.. Clark introduced resolutions,
| which were referred to the committee
on streets, appropri ting 500 for gravel.
ing twenty fest roa lways on Com.
merce street from West to Payne, and
on Commerce street from Payne to its
intersection with King and FaYette
streets.
An ordinance to amend section 40 Of
the license law (applyirg to tele-
graph companies) Was receive from
| the Common Council, it having been
read three times and passed by that
board. II provides that telegraph COM
panies having fifty or more offices in
the State shall pay license tax OF 500;
those having less than that number $50.
| Mr.. w. 81. Sweeney. of the commit
tee, said there are two companies in
shis city-the Western Union and the
Pos. al Telegraph. The former had
400 Offices in Virgioia and the latter
ia The Postal Company had petition.
ed for this rating, being unwilling to
pay as much license tax as their com
peIitor. The finance committee, MIR.
Sweeney said, had ascertained from
Richmond that this could be done, and
the ordinance under consideration had
accordingly been drawn up.
Mr.. Hill moved that the ordinance
be placed upon its second reading.
No amendments having been suggest
ed, MIR. BalleDger moved that the Or
dinance be placed upon it's passage, and
It was unanimously adopted.
There being DO papers on the clerk g
desk to be acted on, @ recess was taken,
during which time some OF the Alder
men went to the chamber of the Com
men Council to witness the proceed
ings. They subsequently, returned and
reported that the lower board had
adopted motion to invite the Board
OF Aldermen to meet them in oint ses-
sion for the purpose of electing City
Engineer.
NJ W II ,aapa1 noyad thot tho
Aldermen accept the invitation.
Mr.. Clark was averse to going into a
Joint session. Should the Aldermen
( accept the Invitation their act would
be recognition OF q plain violation of
law. as it was specially provided that
applicants for this position shall first
pass an examination, ard there had
been 30 euch preliminary procedure.
Mr.. Hill also objected to the joint
session, urging the same reasons. Seve-
ri gentlemen desired to enter com
petitive examination for the position OF
City Engineer, among theIl Messrs.
Slckles, Haney and O'Brien, the first
two being then in the building. The
speaker had told these gentlemen that
there would be an examination before
the election was held. The committee
on streets had been endeavoripg to get
candidates to come forward for a com.
petitive examination.
Mr.. Sweeney said he was aware of
the fact that no one could be elected to
the position without first passing an
examination. but to refuse to accept the
| invitation OF the lower board would be
| discourteous.
Mr.. Clark further stated his objec.
tions.
Mr.. Ballenger did not favor a joint
session under the circumstances. He
understood MIR. Dunn, the former en-.
giueer, was to be put in nomination,
when no one could say positively that
he would accept the position if tender
ed him.
MIR. Marbury favored accepting the
invitation to joint meeting. He, too,
thought it would be discourteous to de-
cline to meet the lower board. In reply
to some questions propounded by Mr..
| Clark Mr.. Marbury explained the mo-
dus qperaudi in connection with exam.
lining candidates for City Eogineer. At
the examination preceding Mr.. Dunn's
election Mr.. Marbury said other can
didates had appeared, but MIR. Dunn
passed more satisfactory examination
than the others.
Mr.. Sweeney again urged that the
Aldermen should accept the invitation
in order to see what was the purpose
of the joint meeting. There would be
no need for the Aldermen to pledge
themselves to any special action.
Mr.. Dobie spoke in opposition to the
joint meeting.
Messrs. Clark and Hill again stated
their objections to the procedure, and
said that should Mr.. Dunn desire to be
candidate he could enter the race Of
Ter others had been given chance to
do so. As matters now stood ell com
petitors would be cut of should on
electiun be gone into, as Mr.. Dunn WAS
the only candidate who bad been given
a chance to pass the required exsmina-
ton. Neither of the speakers had any
objections to Mr.. Dunn, as he was
capable and practical man, and they
would doubtless vote for him under or
binary circumstances. They, however,
we're averse to the proceedings institu.
ted by the Common Council on this &C.
cason. 1t would be wrong to block
Messrs. Sickles, Haney, O'Brien and
others who desire to become cand
dates, and exceedingly discourteous to
these gentlemen, as they had been in
vited to enter the race. Besides these
applicants would pay their own ex-