Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1901-10-23
CITY COUNCIL.

known tnab tue mayor W0ulu seuu III
message vetoiDg the action OF Councli
at the last meeting 10 leasing to the
Old Dominion Glass Works the hall
square of ground west of their present
plant. IL WAS known that most OF the
members OF both boards were 10 favor
of making the lease notwithstanding
the Mayors objections, and the out
come was anticipated with interest by
NAM apart from those connected with
the glass works. The action OF Coun..
Gil resulted in the lease being granted
Notwithstanding the Mayors objections
the vote standing 6 10 l in the Alder
man and 10 to 5 10 the Common Coun-
Gil. A petition of property owners on
Fairfax, Cameron and Royal streets Tor
q vitriied brick roadway on the block
on which the City Hall is situated was
presented and referred, as we're several
other ordinances, resolutions &c., OF
routine nature.
BOARD OF ALDERMEN.
Seven Alderman were present. The
only business which ocoasioned an in
terchange of opinion was the Mayors
message concerning the lease Of the
property described above. When the
document with the petition OF the glass
company was read aud the announce
ment made that the lower board had
adhered to their former action not
withdrawing the Mayors objections,
Mr.. Burke arose aud said he was not
present at the last meeting OF the board
and the matter under consideration was
comparatively new to him. Now that
attention had been called to the fact
that In this instance the city had been
generous and that on other occasions IL
had sold property desired by manufac-
turers, he thought 1t would be better to
reconsider the former action and re-
commit the petition of the glass com.
pany. II after further investigation II
was seen that nothing unreasonable was
asked OF the city and that the manufsc-
tory needed the ground 1t would be
time enough to give the matter favor
able consideration. Had he been pres
ent at the last meeting he would doubt
less have voted with the ma GRITTY, as he
would have seen no harm in the reso.
lutioD. But as the action OF Council had
been criticised 10 giving property away
in this instance aud selling iton other oc
casions, he believed the matter should
receive further investigation.
Mr.. W. II. Sweeney gave succinct
and clear history ofthe matter, explain
ing the geography OF the locality OF the
glass works, and showing that the
original petition was for square
OF the city's property and that the
report OF the finance committee graft
ed the company but half a square
west OF their present building. He
also described the portion leased to
Mr.. Dean for shipyard purposes. The
company, be said, originally Intended
building east OF the railroad track, but
had subsequently, found this to be i'm
practicable. Had the original plan
been carried out their warehouse, for
which they now want land, would
have been erected on the site OF their
present works.
Mr.. Burke said he was not opposed
to leasing the land to the company II IL
was needed by them, but be reiterated
that the matter should receive further
consideration under the circumstances.
He at any rate was not ready to vote
for the grant under present conditions.
President Sweeney thought the COM
mittee should have made q more
specific report by describing more
minutely the geography OF the land
petitioned for. A member might vote
for granting the lease Notwithstanding
the Mayors objections, but when the
proper ordinance necessary In such
cases was introduced he would feel
justified in voting against 1t.
Mr.. Clark moved that the action oil
the Common Council be concurred in.
Mr.. Curtin made a clear statement oil
the matter at issue. He bad personally
examined the premises and believed
the company needed the half square
asked for.
Some questions we're asked concern.
Ing the prscticabiIity oil putting the
plant or warehouse east OF the rail-
road track, and it was generally con-
coded that the land was too low for
either purpose, Mr.. Bsllenger saying
he had seen the tide rise over Ii. Ii
was also suggested that the bed of the
old canal took up considerable OF the
ground now in possession Of the glass
| company.
The question was then put-"shsll
| the lease he made Notwithstanding
the Mayors objections ?" aud the ques
ton was decided in the affirmative by
the following vote: Ayes, Messrs.
Billeuger, Msrbury, Clark, Curtin, W..
H. Sweeney and Mr.. President-6. No,
Mr.. Burke-1.
The Aldermen concurred by unsnim.
Qua votes 10 the action OF the Common
Council on the other papers which
| came 10.
COMMON COUNCIL.
The clerk called the meeting to Or
der and announced that he had tele-
gram from President Paff announcing
that he would not be able to reach the
city in time to open the meeting.
Messrs. $40 WIDEN, Bryan, Johnson and
others having declined nomination to
the chair,
Mr.. Uhler was nominated and de.
clined, but was chosen while he was de-
Ginning and be took the chair.
A message from the Mayor dlsap'
proving the lease by the Council of GER
tain lands to the Old Dominion Glass
Company was read, 80 was also the pc.
tition OF that company asking leave to
purchase the land.
Mr.. Snowden said that at the last
meeting he had stated that the city had
paid $1,000 for the canal property.
Since then, however, the Auditor had
called his attention to the mistake.
The city had received sl1 900 as it's