Evening star., 1901-02-13
AFFAIRS IN AExAN DR. Ia
MEETING. OF CITY y9UNCIL HELD
LAST NIGHT.
Suggested Reduction Of the Police
Force-PrOposed Amendment
to City Charter.
Evening Star Bureau,
No. 7O1 King Street.
Rall Taienbone No 1OS

Dell ItiSpuoHe NO. lOO
ALEXANDRIA, Va, February 13, 1901
There were only nine members present
last evening in the common council cham
Der at the regular semi-monthly meeting of
the city council Under the regulations no
new business could be considered but re-
ports and communications were received.
Clerk Stansbury read a message from
Mayor Simpson suggesting the advisabiity
of reducing the police force from nineteen
to fifteen privates. In the mayors opinion
the reduction could be made without inn
pairing. to any noticeable extent, the eff
cheney of the force and would save the city
about $1,000 per year. officers now en-
poyed should not be dismissed, the mayor
thought, as that would be unfair to men
who had served the city long and faithful
ly but he believed the reduction might
be effected by not making appointments to
fill vacancies caused by death, resignation
or removal for other cause The communi-
cation was referred to the joint committee
on police and finance. AT present the police
force consists Of nineteen privates. a cap
tain and lieutenant.
Amendment of Charter.
A communication was received from Cor
poration Attorney Gardner L. Boethe ask
ing that an ordinance be passed for the
amendment of the city charter by the state
LEGISLATURE
before the courts Of delinquent taxpayers
whose property has been bought by the
city for non-payment of taxes. Mr.. Lawler
presented the communication 1t was ex-
planned that the corporation attorney was
about to enter suit against several delln-
uuent taxpayers and that it was necessary
to have the matter cleared up at once. Mr..
Boothe wished to bring 1t to the attention
of the present legislature, and therefore
requested immediate action by council. AS
H. her
was not sufficient to pass upon such meas
ures and it was referred to the committee
on general laws. In the board OF aldermen
the ordinance was passed. 1t Is sald thdt
a special meeting of the lower board VIII
be called shortly in order that the bill may
be presented at this session of the leglsla-
ture.
The report Of the Jail inspectors was re-
ceived from the clerk OF the court ana re-
ferred to the joint committee on general
laws and public property. Several improve
ments to the building were recommended.
A petition from the directors of the Alex
andria Free kindergarten Association, ask
ing for $500 with which to establish another
school, was referred to the committee on
finance. petition from Policeman weston
Atkinson that he be allowed pay for the
months of December and January, during
which time he was off duty owing to sick
ness, was also referred to the committee on
finance. At an early hour council ad-
journed.
Application has been made before Judge
Norton in the corporation court for char
ter for the Dovemus Novelty Works Com
pany, the object of which is to operate ma
chine shops for the manufacture of novel
ties in metal and wood. The officers are:
George c. johnson, president: Addison G.
Dubois. vice president: William G. Bryan,
secretary and treasurer, and William u.
Dovemus, manager These officers in addi-
ton to John A. Wynkoop, constitute the
board Of directors. The sum of $4,000 is
named as the capital stock, and Gardner
L. Roothe is local representative.
General Matters.
A special series of mission services was
commenced at the railroad reading rooms,
corner Of Henry and Wolfe streets, last
evening. Rev. DR.. Hugo Lacey of Lynch
burg delivered sermon. which was listened
to with much interest. The meetings will
be continued throughout this week at 7:30
O clock pm. Prayer services will be held
every afternoon at 4 o'clock.
Fire broke out last night about II o'clock
in the rear of a barber shop on King street
between Fairfax and Union streets. The
department was called out, but the flames
were extinguished with a chemical appa-
ratus Yesterday afternoon an alarm was
sounded for blaze in the residence of Mr..
w. F. Henshaw, on North Columbus street.
This was also handled with an extinguisher
The damage was slight and was covered by
insurance.
The annual meeting Of the stockholders
of the Washington, Alexandria and Mount
Vernon Railroad Company was held in this
city yesterday afternoon and the following
directors elected for the ensuing year:
George E. Abbot, Park Agnew, Samuel Rea,
Joseph Crawford, John Cassells, P. F. Huff
D. c. Leach, Frederick Mertens and j. s.
SwartZ.
By a score of to the Alexandria Ath-
letic Association basket ball team defeated
the Junior Eastern Athletic Club of Wash
ington last evening at the Alexandria Light
Infantry Hall. A large crowd witnessed
the contest
The stockholders OF the Mount Vernon
Construction Company held their annual
meeting here yesterday afternoon and elect
ed the following directors: George E. Alb
bot, J. S. Swartz. ]. K. Swartz. D. c.
Leach. F. K. Nipple ana G. B. Murrell. G.
E. Abbot was elected president.
The following directors were elected yes
terday afternoon at the annual meeting of
the Land and River Improvement Company
OF New Alexandria, held in this city: F.
Mertens. j. S. Swartz. Park Agnew. D. c.
Leach. ]. r. Cation, G. E. Abbot and F. X
Hipple,