Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1899-06-28
CITY COUNCIL.

ent City Council was held ilast night.
The financial exhibits and the report OF
the committee on light OF the operations
of the gas and electric light depart
ments for the past year were presented
and, as usual, ordered to be printed.
The ordinances increasing the sala
ries of the Auditor of Public Accounts
and the Chief Engineer of the Fire De
pertinent and reducing the price of gas
were passed and considerable routine
business was transacted.
BOARD OF ALDERMEN.
The members, as usual, were slow 10
assembling, and it was 20 minutes past
| s o'clock when the board was called to
order.
The minutes of the previous meeting
having been read and approved, the
report on the bill OF DR.. ]. I. Miller,
$780, for professional services, reported
favorably by the finance committee,
was adopted and the bill ordered to be
paid.
Mr.. HinkeD, from the committee on
light, presented the report of the gas
and electric light department for the
year ending May 81, 1899.
Mr.. Sweeney explained the items In
the report. There was. he said, in
Guiding the gas consumed by the city,
profit of about $11 900 for the year.
The report was adopted and ordered
to be printed.
Mr.. Sweeney then introduced an or.
dinance fixing the price Of gas at S1.3O
per l 600 feet with a discount of 10
cents upon every thousand feet for
prompt payment, from the first day OF
June, 1899.
Mr.. Hinken moved that the ordi-
nance be put upon it's second reading.
Mr.. Havener thought the wording OF
the ordinance would produce some mis-
understanding. 1t provided discount
of 10 cents on the thousand feet for
prompt payments-not ten per cent.
upon the bills as formerly. He was
avarse to the wording of the ordinance.
Mr.. Sweeney gave succinct explain
alton of the ordinance, and urged that
the committee in proposing it had act
ed through the best judgment.
Mr.. Smoot thought the ordinance
was sufficiently clear, but urged that
gas used for ordinary purposes should
be at q lower rate than that consumed
in illumination.
Mr.. Sweeney said it would require
double meters to carry out MIR. Shoots
plan.
| Mr.. Smoot moved an amendment
providing that the price OF fuel gas DE
reduced to 81 10 per 1000 feet with 10
per cent. off for prompt payment.
Mr.. Sweeney made an earnest speech
| 10 opposition to the amendment. No
one in Alexandria was more willing to
furnish cheap gas than himself, but ne
was averse to lowering the price to
such q rate as to eventually bring
about an increase of taxes in order to
keep up the works. The people OF this
city had spent their money in erecting
the plant at an enormous cost, and it
was no more than proper that fair in
terest should be earned on the amount
invested. He showed that with one or
two exceptions gas in Alexandria was
as cheap as elsewhere. In places
where the price was lower workmen
were paid one dollar day. He was
radically opposed to introducing such a
regime at our gas works. Alexandria
had ever paid its operatives living
wages, and when the city determined
to introduce dollar workmen he desired
to be taken from the committee on
light Immediately. The speaker made
an elaborate statement of the opera
tions of tie works, and urged the i'm
practicability of further reducing the
price of gas. The ordinance, he said,
had been carefully considered by the
committee in the light of all the sur
roundings, and it was the result of de-
liberate, sober judgment. One hun.
dred and fifty thousand dollars had 30
far been spent on the works.
Mr.. Smoot saw 10 argument in the
statement that the works had SO far
cost $4,000. They bad not cost that
much orr sinally, and it was unfair to
value them at that figure now. A man
could buy house at certain figure,
but it would be illogical years later to
aid ali the papering, repairs. paint,
&C.. he had put on it to its original cost.
He went on further and engaged in a
spirited colloquy with Mr. Sweeney,
the latter earnestly controverting all the
arguments used by his opponent.
| Mr.. Hinken suggested, as compro-
mise, that the price be fixed at 81 10 for
beth fuel and Illuminating gas.
Mr.. Havener favored uniform rate
| for both. It would render extra meters
unnecessary.
Mr.. Shoots amendment was lost By
vote of ayes 2, noes 8.
The ordinance as originally intro
duced was then read the third time and
passed, ayes Z, noes none.
The report of the finance committee
on the ordinance placing the salary OF
the Auditor OF Public Accounts at 1850
per annum was received from the Com
mon Council and their action concur
red in by unanimous vote.
Mr.. Sweeney introduced an ordi-
nance, recommended by the committee
on light, fixing the salary of the Clerk
of Gas at 81 200 to take effect after July
l, 1899. He described the duties of the
clerk and the personal expenses he
was compelled to incur in many in-
stances; also his increased duties and
the satisfactory manner in which be
was conducting the affairs of the Office.
After some debate the ordinance was
referred to the joint committees on
finance and light.
Mr.. Dobie moved q reconsideration OF
the vote by which the ordinance was