Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1900-05-10

Council for special ordinance empow.
eriug said committee to complete GER
tain work left unfinished by tho city
engineer, and 10 the discussion OF the
veto OF this ordinance, most extraor-
binary disclosure was made; the Board
OF Aldermen's proceedings written by
most capable, conscientious and cor
rect reporter are herewith cited:
Mr.. Curtin said the committee on streets
had never considered the ordinance, and he
hoped they would be given an opportunity TO
do 90.
Mr.. Ballenger said there was no need Of
referring il to them. He did not understand
how Mr.. Curtin could introduce an ordnance
snd vote for it one night and then vote against
il at the next meeting. 1t looked like he, q
member Of the committee on streets, could
not trust himself.
Mr.. Curtin said he introduced the ordinance
without closely examining it. He now saw
it was imprscticable in it, present shape and
would rather have the matter placed In PROF.
er shape.
Mr.. Hinken said he objected TO the ordi.
nance when it Was first introduced. Original
ly il gave power to the chairman Of the COM
its present shape vested the power In the COM
mittee collectively
Mr.. smoot sad there seemed to be some
Misunderstanding about the matter. He had
NJ yer consulted with Mr.. Curtin about the
ordinance The speaker would not have
voted for it had he been present, and would
now vote 10 sustain the Mayors objections.
Mr.. Curtin made some further remarks IN
explanation OF the part he had played In the
matter, and said when he found himself wrong
he was mau enough to confess it.
Mr. Sweeney said Council occupied very
peculiar position in the matter. He gave q
history of the CT finance and how he had suR.
geted 10 Mr.. Curtin the sdvisability of strik.
ing out the word chairman" and substituting
committee" therefor. For many year, the
committee on sire rs bsd been empowered n
have all street work done under their super
vision 1t was an important committee and
was composed Of practical men, including q
civil engineer. II in this emergency this
work could not be entrusted to them for q
short time strange picture would be present
ed. J he ordinance merely empowered the
committee to finish up certain work, sppfo
pTistions for which had already been mad
The committee had no power to make new
spproprist ons.
That is to say, gentlemen, the chair
man OF an important committee is cup
posed to have written resolutions
naming himself as the one who should
be invested with most extraordinary
power aud Ignoring completely the
rest OF his own committee, and instead
|, Of Offering them himself in the Com
non Council, of which he was q mem
Der, they were handed to that excel
lent citizen and esteemed representa-
tive from the Third ward, Mr.. J. z. N
Curtin, to be presented to the Board of
Aldermen, but Mr.. J. T. Sweeney,
the able representative from the
Fourth ward who had been 10 pub
lie life too long TO take everything for
granted, very prudenlly advised the
striking out of chairman aud insertion
of committee; in this form it was pass
ed. This retrospect enables Us to con-
templated most striking and uncsll.
cd for attempt at individual usurpa-
ton, and in connect ion with resolutions
now under consideration 1t furnishes a
coincidence, as, perhaps, the present
resolutions were written by the same
hand that penned the ones of last year,
aud that they too are also presented In
the Board of Aldermen by q member of
that board, instesd OF being offered 10
the Common Council by the writer
himself. The coincidence, harmless 10
Itself, Is an amusing reminder of the
old, old story of the hand OF Esau, but
he voice of Jacob. The question OF
by whose authority, &c." could easily
have been removed from the domain OF
argument if your honorable body had
specially directed some one to take up
the work where Mr.. Dunn left of, but
when the Mayor had transmitted to the
Council all the facts connected with the
vacated Office, the chairman OF your
committee on streets Immediately upon
the reading of the message moved an
adjournment. Again, when a member
from the First ward offered the follow
ng resolutions:
Be 1t resolved by the City Council of
Alexandria,
80 That the committee on streets be
80 !, hor4h, a., -.horizsd and empower
Ill
ed to take charge and prosecu.. AL W.
flushed work on streets, sewers, etc.;
aud have performed all necessary WORK
IN connection with clesning streets, re-
pairing pumps, etc, uotil the election
OF new city engineer.
2nd, That they be authorized to ap-
prove necessary pay trolls In connection
with the duty assigned them, as above,
which pay roll shall be recognized by
our Auditor.
3rd. This ordinance shall be 10 force
from its passage.
An exact copy of those adopted last
year, Council promptly laid them on
the table, thus possibly emphasizing q
fear that some member might again
furnish to our people the novel spec
tscle OF the evolution of member OF q
street committee into paid foreman of
street work. This matter is only dwelt
upon to criticise measures, and not
men, for legislation generally lie environ
ed with many restrictions upon the
right of members to enjoy personal
ly pecuniary advantages through
their own votes, and In all
legislature bodies, there is either
an unwritten or written law pre-
venting the vote of a member upon
any matter 10 which he is directly con-
cerned. The statutes have followed
this idea 10 denying to members OF city
councils the right to enter into con.
tracts &C., with corporations, and while
it is easy 10 perceive the justification of
employing for a specific emergency task
a member of council whose scientific
knowledge of the task 10 question does
outside labor no injustice, yet 10 the
matter of the formsnship of street work
-. g ha