Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1901-01-09


Council. He repeated that personal |
antipsthy to Mr.. Dobie had prompted |
the movement.
A vote to ley on the table was finally |
taken and Mr.. Hills motion was
adopted: Ayes, Messrs. Hill, Dobie,
Marbury. aud Clark, 4. Noes, Messrs.
Curtin, w. II. Sweeney and ]. L.
Sweeney, 3.
A proposition Of E. r. Boyer to
act as foreman OF the street work for
$500 per annum was received from the
Common Council and their action in re-
ferring 1t to a committee concurred 10.
Mr.. Hill, after il had been read, said,
81 told you so; there is the would-be
successor OF Mr.. Dobie."
An ordinance similar in every respect
to the one offered by Mr.. Sweeney last
year compelling the electric railway
company to pay the city Sl,6OO year
for the use OF Royal street without
specifying any period OF continuance,
came in from the lower board.
Mr.. Hill moved en- amendment TO
section 3, providing for a fsgmsn at
Royal end Wilkes streets, by inserting
instead thereof "King and Royal
Streets"
Mr.. Dobie objected to the amend
| ment, saying that at. King and Royal
streets train hands always ran ahead
and acted "a fagmep. He thought
Royal and Wilkes streets the proper
place for fiagman.
Mr.. Curtin saw no use for one at
Roysl and Wilkes streets. The cars
always stopped there and man ran
ahead to see If everything was safe be-
fore crossing.
| Mr.. Hill withdrew bis amendment.
Upon reading section z, which provides
| that the ordinance shall be in force
from it's passage, Mr.. Hill offered the
following amendment:
"Seclion 6-This ordinance shall re-
main In effect so long ss the said COM
pany complies with the provisions
thereof, provided, however, that at the
expiration Of the period OF twenty 1ve
years from it, passage it shall be SUBJ
jsct to repeal or amendment by the
City Council OF Alexandria."
Mr.. Hill urged the adoption OF the
amendment. He said when a man
rented house ne did not enter into
any hspbszsrd contract, but he ascer-
tanned definitely the period for which
he could hold the premises. 1t was
unfair to place the railway company 10
a position OF uncertainty. so as to make
| 1t the victim OF future capricious Coun-
ellis.
Mr.. J. T. Sweeney made an extended
speech in opposition to Mr.. hilis
amendment, during which he urged
many of the reasons for his action that
he gave when similar bill was before
Council few months ago. He disavow--
ed auy hostility to the railway, and
said his action was prompted solely by
a sense OF duty he owed the community
and his responsibility as Councilman.
He concluded by saying it would De
absolutely dangerous to enter into sucn
a contract with the company as propos-
ed by the amendment. They had never
acted squarely with the city, but had
taken advantage Of the latter on every
occasion.
Mr.. Hill again took the floor 10 ad.
vocacy of his amendment. He said II
the railway company were to pay 81 800
a year for the use of Royal street they
should have some specified period
guaranteed them. They wonld then
know how TO act. A movement
was now on foot to make some
improvements in the lower part OF the
city. Buildings on the line OF the raul
way were to be renovated and utilized.
Should the company be compelled Dy
unjust legislation TO abandon Royal
street of course the project would fall
through. A number OF houses, 1t Will
be remembered, were built at Del Ray
because it was supposed the railway
would pass through that village.
Mr.. w. H.. Sweeney spoke in OPP
position to the amendment. He said
the people OF Alexandria depended
upon Council to fix their tax rates year
by YER. Railroads should do the same.
| Conditions were constantly changing,
and he cited the variations In the as
sessments of the Southern Railway
Company's property as an instance 10
point.
The amendment was lost-Messrs:.
Hill, Dobie and Clark voting aye, and
Messrs. w. H. Sweeney, Marbury, J.
L. Sweeney and Mr. Curtin voting no.
The bill was then read the third time
and lost for want of constitutional
msiority-Messrs. Hill, Marbury, J. I.
Sweeney, w. II. Sweeney and Curtin
voting aye, and Messrs. Clark and
| Dobie no.
A motion to lay on the table followed
and prevailed, the Messrs. Sweeney
voting aye in order to be enrolled Cd
the prevailing side and to be able 10 call
| it up again at the next meeting.
The other business which came 10
| from the Common Council occasioned
no debate, and at $40 the board ad'
journed.
COMMON COUNCIL.
| The Common Council was called to
order a short time after the hour fixed
by the rules.
Mr.. Burke said that the committee
on streets had been instructed TO confer
| with committee of Lee Camp, Con-
federate Veterans, concerning the paw
ing, etc., at the Confederate Monument
| dnring the winter. As the work had
been stopped by the Camp no further
action was needed.
An old house, dangerous to persons,
on Cameron street, which the commit
| tee lad been directed to remove, had
been made SAFE.
The resolution passed by the Alder
men at the last meeting, directing that
q number OF men be given work during
the holidays. Mr. Burke said, could not
be reported to Council till after the hol-
idays, 80 no action had been taken.
Mr.. Burke then presented two reports
on the resolution increasing the street
committee from four TO five members.
Two of the members, Aldermen Hill