The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-01-19
NEWS FRoM ALEXANDRIA.

ALEXANDRIA. Jar. ls--About twenty
FIVE Alexandria business men met in tbs
rooms Of the Business Mems League last
night IL response to a circular letter re-
Gently issued by some members OF that
league. for the purpose of suggesting
plans and methods whereby a neU cts
council composed Of business men alone
might be elected at the coming spring
election II B. Harlow was elected chair
man Of the meeting. He stated that The
object Of the meeting was to get into the
city council business men who were in
terested in improvements and had the vel
fare Of the city at heart Mr. James
Bayne then read a yoluminous document
concerning street Improvements and mod
ern sewerage he favored the issue OF
$zto,to0 in bonds 70 carry out his ideas on
the subject. He reviewed the present sys-
TEN OF assessment, and made comparisons
between the city assessment and the State
assessment. The speaker was Of the
opinion that about $75.oG3 or SS9. go could
De derived N the shape o. revenue. per
annum, by proper assessment. HIS idea Of
proper assessment was that property
should be assessed By the square foot and
according 10 its location The speaker
thoroughly discussed the street and sewer
question. He concluded by saying that
the Legislature had done its part, aud it
was now time TO elect a new and repre-
sentative city council. Mr.. George r. EIiII
was Of the opinion that it would be well 70
publish Mr. Bayue-s document. ana he was
Informed, by the president, yhat It y 5ud
be done
Mr.. James r. Cation said there bad been
too much talking ard 1t was now tine 20
take some action. He said cfat when he
was d member OF the city council he was
chairman of the commi5te on streets.
and, at the time, ne authorized bill for
issuing bonds for so, 90 for street I'M
provements, al > per cent He said that.
al the time the bill met with MUCH oppo-
sitIon, bat was finally passed. The sum
Of $4,000 vas spent annually on streets.
AR Cation said that al the time many Of
the members of that body thought that
It was q rash move The speaker thought
that the FIRST thing we need WAS city
council who were interested IN the perma-
rent welfare Of the city. Many people he
said fear increase OF taxation lie con-
Sidered X the duty Of those present 10 Sc
lect for the city council AID board of al
dermen men who are progressive and in
tereSted in the Improvement Of streets.
Politics, he said. should be eliminated
The speaker said there was no harmony
among the present members OF The t-itv
council lie thought that as Ions as the
streets are in the present condition there
will be no prosperity. M DOWnhan then
took the floor and stated that during his
term as mayor he had made @n effort 90
inauSurate q system of sewerage improve
meats- He recommended the employing
Of 2 competent engineer. and that the
work should be done one square At 4 time.
The speaker said that he had e0mmuni-
Gated with the mayors Of many of our
la md had nEf ~lGEE-.- m gflea
subject and presented the matter 20 the
city council He said that the best plans
came from the city of Buffalo. y Y In
that city the city council had supervision
Of the work, and bonds were issued,
known assstreet Improvement bonds, and
We're issued in blocks of $4,000 at per
cent. They were optional at the city re-
demption, and We're finally reduced down
TO ! per cent. Finally the bonds were
called in and the ones bearing q smaller
rate of interest were issued The speaker
said something should be done to improve
the streets. as smaller cities were doing.
The grocery trade of Alexandria, he said,
was equal 90 that of any other city. of its
size, in the country The speaker de-
clared that the committee on streets mas
responsible for the present bad condition
of the sidewalks The present state Of af-
fairs, he said was caused BY petty malice
The city council were trying 10 set even
with the mayor and the mayer was trying
10 get eVenwith the city council. and as a
result nothing was accomplished. Isaac
EiChlerE thought that a committee Of one
hundred should be appointed. consisting Of
representative citizens, VINO would pledge
themselves TO advocate street improve
ments-- The speaker said King Street was
in a shameful condition. lie said II was
Impossible 10 get anything from the pres
enj city council, as they were wrauSunS
with one another and no harmony existed
among them NJ =. Harlow said that IL
was evident that 1t was necessary for the
citizens 10 do something toward the i'm
pfoVements of streets and TO induce in
duStries to locate here Mr. Harlow sug-
gested that q committee of eight or ten
he appointed to decide on plan of action.
The present city government he said, was
doing nothing to InQEeaSe the value OF
property. Mr.. James SR. Cation said that
the unseemingly Indifference OF the city
council and the mayor was not beneficial
to the city Wrangling. he declared, en-
sued over things OF n triding nature Mr.
Cation then suggested mat 4 committee
of sufficient number be appointed to in
terview and ascertain who viii be candi-
dates II the coming election. and TO re
port the names of the available candidates
at the next meeting. He thought that one
or TWO citizens on each block. in every
ward, should be selected TO use their in
huence toward securing the election of the
business mems candidates, who viii favor
improvements.
Mr.. A. d. Brockett then took the floor
and stated that If the business men wish
ed 10 win out they should have money 10
run their campaign, and suggested that a
committee OF ten be appointed Who woIld
each give SO, and that this committee get
ninety more, each Of whom would give SO
After some little debate among different
members the following We're appointed 10
constitute j committee: James 2. Cation,
a. d. BrOcheJJ, {. c. Le2dbea ter. T.. p
Downham. George r. Hill, William g.
Smoot. James Bayne, Isaac Eichbers,
Henry F. Robertson. George 3. Carlin.
] r. Zimmerman, jr., John Grilly. John
+ Tackett r. +. Tucker. @. William
Ramsay, and NJ. B. Harlow This com
naittee win elect a chairman at the next
meeting and devise their plans for the
coming campaign. As the spring election
approaches much interest is being mani