Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1901-10-23
The board then adjourned.
]. L. SWEENEY, President.
Teste LUTHER II. THO MPSON. Clerk.
COMMON COUNCIL.


October %, 1901, there were present:
Messrs. Trimyer, Burke, Snowdea, Rishe.ll,
Fisher, Normoyle, Desmond. Basder, Bril-,
Bryan, Johnson, Uhsr, McCuen, Lesdbester
and Spinks.
In the abb Of the President Mr.. Uhler
was elected President pro tenn.
The following message was received from
the Mayor:
Alexandra, Va, Oct. IL, 1901.
To the Honorable, the City Council Of Alex.
andria
Gentlemel-I regret to re.arn without my
approval en- ordinance adopted by the City
Council, October 8, 1901, granting to the Old
Dominion Glass Works grounds belonging to
our city. The people Of Alexandra, pnque.-
tionably, interest themselves sincerely and
enthusiastically in all measures that are be-
lieved to be conducive to our community :
welfare, and psrtisanship would reach low
D g. 0, indeed, we're it 10 attempt to transform
honest differences Of opinion into ugly dis
turbance of that friendly intercourse which
has ever existed among cur citizens. 1t Is
safe 10 sssume that in this community there
is no slothful indifference to the needs and
wants of the people. There is unsnlmity OF
desire for industrial nterprises-enterprises
tbst give employ Gent to willing workers
that better the condition of men and that
add to the wealth and importance OF com-
munities. A reference, therefor g, TO Alexan-
dria's efforts for the beIterment Of the city
and people, is supererogstory, except, that
such reference affords an opportunity to ut.
tingly emphasize the prudent necessity OF
hsrmoniously consic erng q question in which
we ere mutually interested-a question OF
possibly separating Impractical municipal
prodagslity from those carefully distributed
subsidies which encourage industries with
out permitting one Of said industries to me-
ropolize fsvors that should belong to all.
The glass plant recently insugursted hss
been splendidly assisted by our city, and its
compre hensively drawn plans have be gen.
erously stimulated by valuable concessions
made by youT honorable body, and Will 1t Il
not difficult to confess that the prosperity OF
this plant in no wise impugns the wisdom OF
our oity's liberslity, and that there Is no wish
to minimize the importance OF this plant to
our community. yet in the interest OF just
consideration OF an IMPORTANT subject 1t Is
not improper to mention that Alexsndris's gilt
comprises extensive g'oundS, reaching from
Fairfax street to the river, and including .
magnificent water front, and in fact includ.
ing everything asked for, and the company
nav now AaIBo pohCcl7 VI shio 6A"ehA NHe'S~
and unoccupied.
In view Of these fac's the spectacle Of our
taxpayers being called upon to relinquish
graluitously property to q company, which
has now more than is needed Is novel, II not
positively startling. 1t may be said that the
land heretofore given is not suited to present
purposes. II this be 90 il wonld be quite easy
for the company to exchange ont-bslf square
of its present holdings Tor our cisy's one-half
square
The company has been more modest in its
pressnt demands than the grant under dis
Gu, son indicates, for Pc gusal of petition
and it is not unreasonable to assume that the
present Council has not read this petition
shows that the city was asked Ito sell us that
square, etc., etc., to be subject to all city and
state taxes" But, gentlemen, even free
lift A. q business proposition would be ind
nitely better for our city than lesse for ten
years at an annual rental OF $1,000, for the
lease carries with it an ex .mptlon from taxes,
and q gilt would enable US, certainly, TO real
ize moro than that amount. Aside from this
aspect of the subject We are confronted with
prospective inability to aid other enter
prises, When one industrial plant is permtts1
to gather unto itself the substance Of the in
ducemeDt for other manufacturers to settle
themselves among our people. For giving
one enterprise more than it actually needs be-
comes an obstacle, instead Of an aid to i'm.
provsment
The new plant is neither the nucleus nor
the whole OF Alexsndriss manufacturing in
terests. There are manufacturers in our city
today that employ fully as many hands 81 the
new glass works, ana they have asked no
fsvors of the city. some Of these. in addition
to giving employment to many OF ouI people,
have been q source Of great revenue to the
city. The establishments operated By j. II
Zimmerman & Co, and Paf d Co., pay into
our gas receipts probably thousand dollars
annually. The new knitting mil, and In
fact large and extensive manufacturing es-
Establishments reaching from Portner's Brewery
to franklin street, and from the river to
West Eend, have received no favors at our
hands. Portner's, Shoots Alexandra Shoe
Company, Kretol Works, AitchesoD, Field,
Risheil, Cuitin & Butts, Moore's. Virginia
Glass Works, and others. whose names do not
lust now occur to me, have, unsided and un-
assisted by municipal gifts, built up and con.
Quoted prosperous and fonrishing industries,
and have given Alexandria a manufacturing
importance that non.residents and many OF
our own people do not fully realize.
These facts are mentioned, not that We 70.
greet the assistance already given to the Old
Dominion Glass Works, but that We should
have something left for other deserving insti-
tutions.
1t may be urged that our city really paid
but small amount for the property now in
question, but the price has nothing to do With
the value OF today, for it Is well known that
property Of the Alex 3ndria canal bought by
the railroad company at Four Mile Bun
would not be surrendered by said railroad
company for ten times the amount paid, and
it is eq lslly true that property OF the kleK-
andria canal al Rosslyn bought by q syndi-
cate could not be repurchased for ten times
the amount then paid. 1t may also be said
that the Old Dominion Glass Company has,
by its improvements, given 8 valve 70 our
land. We will not question the correctness
OF this proposition, yet it furnishes no reason
to surrender property to company simply
because that company has made it valuable,
for IL property. holders are to give up property
to those who enhance its value, it would be
quite difficult 70 discover wherein the
property holder hiss bean benefited. Ii IS
also urged that the company is better judge
Of its needs than wa, snd this statement can
not be controverted, but, at the same time,
the holder Of property Is centrally recognized
as most excellent judge OF the value OF his
own properly, and while the judgment of the
buyer as to his needs esnnot be impesche1
this does not carry with it the right to pre-
scribe price for the eoler.
In conclusion desire TO say that the gen.
tlemen composing the Old Dominion Glass
are my personal frissds, and am
the debtor to some OF them for f.vers that
have never been able to return, and no man
would more gladly embrace an opportunity to
feciprocste these Dsyer-to-be-forgotten obi
cations than l, bat as Executive Of this city,
not myself, but people who
have bonored me with their confidence, my
official acts shall neither cancel psrsonsl
debts nor resent priysts injuries
Respectfully,
Gro l.. SIMPSON, Mayor.
motion by Mr.. Burke 10 re-commit the