Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1902-07-09
CITY COUNCIL.

volume ofrOutine business was transacted.
There was a joint session of the two
boards and Mr.. Thos. A. Fisher was elect
ed Police Commissioner from the Third
Ward and Mr.. C-R Yates School
Trustee from the First. An ordinance
providing for the issue of $50, 900 bends
for street improvements and repairs to
the gas works was passed, and resolu-
ton adopted by both boards adourning
until the second Tuesday in October.
The ordinance allowing the electric
railway company to form a loop around
the block bounded by King, Prince,
Fairfax and Royal streets was passed by
the Board of Alderman.
BOARD OF ALDERMEN.
All the Aldermen were present and
more spectators were without the bar
than usual.
Mr.. Balenger offered a resolution,
which was unanimously adopted, pro-
yiding that when Council adjourned il
be to meet again on the second Tues-ay
in October.
Mr.. Ballenger also presenteda petition
of Mr.. Frank T. King asking that the
assessment on the propersy bounded by
Lee. Queen and Union streets and
Thompson saley be reduced from 50, 900
to 81, 600. On his motion it was referred
to the finance committee.
Mr.. Marbury made inquiries concern
ing the ordinance recently laid over by
the board providing for loop OF the
electric railway around the square
bounded by King, Prince Fairfax and
Royal streets, and upon motion OF Mr..
Hill it was called up. The ordinance
having been read the second time,
Mr.. Burke arose and said the ordinance
was in the nature of a grant to the cleo
trio railway company where it was to
receive certain benefits and not the prop
erty-owners in front Of whose premises
the track was to be laid. He was not
averse to the railway nor to the proposed
loop. believing, as he docs, that the
modus operandi of shifting cars at King
ant Royal streets is dangerous. He,
however, believed property-owners on
the proposed route should receive some
benefit from the procedure and that the
comrany should be compelled to pave
ROYAL street from Prince to King while
the loop was being made. lie alse
thought a repeating clause should be IN
serted in the ordinance. The company
would perform no street service under
the provisions of the ordinance, but
would merely run its trains between this
city and Washington, 1t rendered nc
street service in the latter city either,
but had been compelled to use an under
ground current there. He would cheer
fully vote for the ordinance with the
amendments he had suggested, and re-
pected that people should have somC
compensation for the running of cars in
front of their property.
Mr.. Hill said he was sorry he was un-
able to agree with Mr.. Burke in his con
victions, as he be..c,cd property on tho
line of the proposed loop would BE-
materially enhanced in value after tho
work shall have been done. He further
said he was in favor ofgetting all possible
out Of the railway company. 1t had NJ
claims upon him, as he had paid in full
for all value received when he had had
business with it, but he called attention
to the fact that the company was a
present paying 81 600 a year for the us,
of Royal street, and under such circum
stances it would be unjust to force it t
pave that street.
Mr.. Hill said he was anxious to 900
the vitrifed brick paving extended OF
Prince to Royal street, as it was his de-
sire To have it continued up Prime,
street. He did not believe there was {
single dissenting voice on the route o
the intended loop.
The President OR. Curtin in tho
chair was ayerse to the ordinance in it.
present shape and his objections were OF
the same lines as those expressed by Mr.
Burke He, too, was not averse to The
railway company, but believed certain
amendments should be inserted in the
ordinance before it was passed. He sale
in the event of the loop being formed
the property of the company il
Alexandria would be increased il
value to the amount OF 500, OOO
which would be big item should
it desire to sell out. The city would
get nothing save the paving of square
and half He reiterated that he was
not immicaI to the railway, but in ISSUES
like that pending he was for guarding
the city's interests at all hazards. The
company was to pay nothing for the
privilege they were asking. The people
living on the route were merely getting
improved paving in front of their houses.
Mr.. Sweeney gave an exhaustive history
of preceding legislation in connection
with the railway, especially that III con-
nection with the use of Fairfax and
Royal streets, and argued that it would
be unjust to people living on Royal
street between Prince and King were
that square not paved. 1t was true that
the city received 81, 600 for the use OF
Royal street, but the money went into
the general fund and people living on
that thoroughfare received no more bene-
fit from the sum than those residing else
where in the city. He closed by urging
the insertion Of repeating clause in the
ordinance which would provide for re-
imbursing the company for their outlay
in paving should Council at some future
time desire to obliterate the loop.
Mr.. Hill again opposed the amend
ments suggested. He said were the
electric railway taken up people would
/ .o, . Io.:J.I - IN Alaxondrto