Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1903-05-05
CITY COUNCIL.


A meeting of the City Council was
held last night at the instance Of the
committee on streets to further consider
the application of the men employed by
the CITY on sewer work for additional
nav and nine-hour day. The matter
came up in the Common Council where
the petition hung fire last Tuesday
night after the Aldermen had agreed to
grant the men employed in that species
of city work fifteen cents per hour.
The lower board being unable to agree,
it was determined to appoint commit
tee Of conference and request the Alder
men to appoint similar one in order
that some basis of agreement could be
reached. Messrs. Leadbeater and
Johnson were appointed on the part of
the Common Council and Messrs. Mar
bury and Hill from the Aldermen.
They finally agreed to pay men en-
ployed in constructing sewers fifteen
cents an hour until January /, 1904,
and the report was adopted by IN
animous vote in the Aldermen and by
a vote of III to l in the Common
Council.
BOARD OF ALDERMEN.
Five Aldermen were present. There
was no debate and when the report OF
the conference committee was received
from the lower board it was adopted by
a unanimous vote.
COMMON COUNCIL.
The board met at s O'Clock with Mr..
Paff in the chair.
A message of the Mayor calling the
council together to consider reports of
the street committee was read.
Capt. Bryan called for reading of
the message the second time.
Mr.. Leadbeater called up the report
of the street and finance committees,
upon the application of the sewer
laborers for an increase of pay and
moved to non concur with the Alder
mems action at the last meeting.
Mr.. Bryan made the point of order
that the Mayors call restricted the
business to reports of the committee on
streets and the paper which Mr.. Lead
beater moved to take up had not been
reported by the committee on streets,
but by the committees on streets and
finance Jointly. This view of the sub
ject precipitated warm debate, with
Mr.. Bryan on one side and several mem
bers on the other. During the argument
Mr.. johnson insisted that Mr.. Bryan be
called to order, when Mr.. Bryan replied
that his committee was being ignored,
and that he did not propose to be
stopped under such conditions.
The Chair decided that the motion OF
Mr.. Leadbeater was in order, and the
motion having been agreed to,
Messrs. Johnson and Leadbeater were
appointed the committee Of conference
with the Aldermen and retired, and the
board took recess.
After recess the committee reported in
favor of paying the workmen until the
first of January, 1904, fifteen cents per
hour.
Mr.. Trimyer asked if any relief had
been given the overseer of sewer work as
had been asked by the petition.
Mr.. Leadbeater responded that as the
workmen preferred a nine hour day
the overseer would have one hour less
work each day with no loss of pay.
Mr.. Bryan asked how many votes
would be necessary to adopt the report,
and the Chair replied mine" Mr..
Trimyer asked how much the foreman
would be paid. Mr.. Leadbeater said
there would be no increase in his pay,
as the men would be worked only nine
hours instead of ten, as heretofore. Mr..
Bryan then asked the Chair if he still
contended that this was business intro
duced by the street committee. Mr..
Johnson, interposing, said that the
Chair had ruled, whereupon Mr. Bryan,
said: 81 do not propose to be called
down by the gentleman from the Third
ward" The Chair raped for order.
Mr.. Bryan said the passage of the
measure would increase the cost of the
Royal street sewer 5000.
The committees report was agreed to,
yeas II nays l (Mr. Bryan.
Council then adjourned.