Evening star., 1902-02-12
ALEXANDRIA AFFAIRS
Troubles Of an Eloping Couple
Happily Ended.
CITY COUNCIL MEETS
REPORT FROM THE GAS INVESTI-
eating COMMITTEE.
Estimates as to improvements Of
Streets-General and Per-
sonal Notes.
Evening Star Bureau.
No. 101 King Street.
Bell Telephone, No. 1O6,

Christine X. Cunningham, daughter OF
Capt A. T. Cunninghom Of Washington,
and Mr.. Joseph M. Smith of this place,
which commenced last evening at the
manse of the Second Presbyterian Church..
and was concluded this morning about 10
o'clock at the parsonage Of ST. Mary
Catholic Church. was thrilling in the ex-
treme. During the interim the young peo-
pie were bounded over the city. and when
finally apprehended were confined all night
at the police station. In the meantime,
also, the bride and groom stood in immi-
nent danger from an irate fathers wrath.
His threats against his new son-in-law
were sufficient to appall the stoutest heart.
Miss Cunningham and her lover came
to this city yesterday afternoon about D
o'clock and were married at the manse OF
the Second Presbyterian Church, Rev. Dr.
Frank ]. Brooke performing the ceremony
AS Miss Cunningham was Catholic. Rev
Father H. ]. Cutler of st. Mary's Church
was first visited, but he declined to per-
form the ceremony because the young iaay
could not certify that she had the con-
sent of her parents. Being aware that
the father of the bride would pursue them
the newly married couple went to the
j. W. Smith. who resides mile north OF
the town. Here they were discovered py
Lieut.. Smith and Officer Knight at an
early hour this morning. They were at
The police department had been notified
to look out for the young people In tele-
phone message received from Washington
about o'clock. They were on the alert
the marriage
At the station house the groom was con-
fronted by his father-in-law. who up
braided him in the most emphatic manner
In order to prevent any possible violence
Lieut.. Smith had before relieved Captain
Cunningham of a revolver found on MS
person. 1t was some time before the dis-
tracted parent could be persuaded that the
case was beyond his control. but he final
ly consented. on the advice of Mayor Simp-
son, to let the couple alone He had OF
fered a reward of 800 for the apprehen-
sion Of his daughter before her marriage.
1t was stated that in order to insure her
arrest Capt Cunningham had accused his
daughter of the larceny of a large sum OF
money from his home. But this ne at
length admitted was only hoax. and this
morning in the police court Mayor Slmp-
son dismissed the young woman.
About this time her mother and sister ar
rived from Washington, and another sensa-
tional scene occurred. Being strict Cath
olic Mrs. Cunningham did not like the idea
OF her daughter having been married by a
Protestant. At first the bride was obdu-
rate, but she finally yielded to the wishes
of her mother and went to the parsonage
Of ST. Mary's Church. where Rev. Father
Cutler read over the couple the blessings
of his church. Although Captain Cunning
ham was in town at the time he was not
in the company that gathered in the parlor
of the parsonage Officer Knight had been
designated to act as escort to the bride
and groom. Father Cutler was made ac-
quainted with the facts that had occurred
since he was visited by the elopers the pre-
vious afternoon. He did not perform a new
marriage ceremony, recognizing the valid
ity of the ceremony already performed,
but the pronunciation of the blessing of the
church served to reconcile the mother and
sister of the bride.
Upon leaving the parsonage the bride and
groom announced their intention of resid-
ing in this city. The groom seemed appre-
hensive of danger from his father-in-law,
but they We're not moleSted any more by
Captain Cunningham this morning. The
latter left the police station at $50 o'clock
this morning, apparently in a happy state
of mind. 1t seemed that he had conluded
to make the best of the circumstances
Captain Cunningham is chief messenger
in the United States industrial commission.
He resides at No. CAT 11th street northeast.
His statement that the attachment betwe -
of few months duration was emphatical-
1y denied by the bride, who claimed that
she had known and loved her husband for
a long time.
City Council Meeting.
The city council held Its regular semi
monthly meeting last evening with Presi-
dent Fred Paf in the chair in the COM
mon council. A report was received from
the committee on light. in regard to a reso-
luton of council directing an investigation
into the matter of improving or remodeling
the city gas works 1t was stated In the
report that the members Of the committee
had visited the plant and were convinced
that repair was out of the question. The
members of the committee had visited the
gas plants in Washington. Georgetown
and Baltimore. The operations of these
plants were inspected with view Of max
ing the best recommendation in regard to
the local works. 1t was recommended that
the committee be empowered to proceed
with plans for erecting new and modern
works and repairing and rebuilding when
found necessary. At the same time an
ordinance, coming from the committee on
light, was presented. asking for an appro-
priation OF 10000 for a new coal gas plant
and buildings, the work to be done under
the direction Of the light commoittee, and
the ordinance to be in force from its pas
sage Mr.. Johnson moved that the report
be received but Mr.. Snowden opposed this.
saying that the report and ordinance went
hand in hand. and remarking that council
was not then ready to make the 5000 ap-
preparation. However. after some argu-
ment the report was adopted and the ordi-
nance was referred to the joint committee
on finance and light.
An ordinance for imposing and collecting
taxes from June 1, 1902, to May 81, 1903,
was referred to the finance committee. The
street committee was empowered to sum-
HUI property owners residing on Prince
street between Fairfax and Lee streets, and
on Lee street between King and Duke
streets to appear before the committee to
discuss plans for improvements along the
roadways Indicated. This committee was
also authorized to summon property own
ers residing on Cameron street from Pitt
street to Washington street to discuss plans
for Improvement in sewerage in that To-
cality.
City Engineer e. c. Dunn submitted a
lengthy report giving variety of esti-
mates for the improvement of the roadway
on Washington street from Duke street to
I Oronoco street. according to a resolution
recently passed by the city council. The
! engineer outlined several schemes and in
summing up the proposed improvements
| suggested that the best plan for improving
Washington street would be q forty-foot
roadway with parking on each side. After
some controversy It was decided to sum-
mon the property owners residing on those
| squares to appear before the committee on
| streets to hear their plans for the best
manner Of improving that thoroughfare.
It was also resolved that the committee
on streets be empowered to summon the
property owners residing on Prince street
between Pitt and Alfred streets to hear
| argument for and against the laying Of q
| sewer on these squares. It was the opinion
| Of Mr.. Uhler that this method was entirely
l out of order, as none OF the prOperty own