Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1904-10-26
Official.
BOARD OF ALDERMEN.


At regular meeting of the Board Of Alder
men Of the city of Alexandra, Va, held
October %, 1904, there were present.:
J. T. Sweeney, ESQ.,. President, and Messrs.
Hill, Marbury. Ballenger, Fisher ana W. H.
Sweeney.
Mr.. w. II. Sweeney presented petition. OF
James b. Fitzgerald for permission TO reshln-
gle the roofs Of three houses on the first alley
north OF Duke street. between Alfred and
Henry, which was granted.
Mr. Fisher submitted report of the joint
Committees on Streets and General Laws on
communication Of ex-Mayor George l.. Simp-
son in reference to claim of the city against
the Washington. Alexandria and Mount Yer
non Railway Company for testing paving and
inspecting and surveying of the paving on
Fairfax and Prince streets. The committees
recommended that the bills be referred to
Frederick j. Paf, Mayor, for collection and
the report was adopted.
The same committees also reported adverse
ly on the petition of w. s. Moore's Sons for
permission to blow up the hull Of the old
steamer Mattano lying in dock between
Prince and Duke street. The report was
adopted.
Mr.. Hill, from the special committee APP
pointed TO confer with the officials Of the Alex
andria Water Company in reference to the
condition Of the city's water supply, submit
ted the following:
To the Honorable J. NJ. Hill, Chairman of
City Council:
At your request will make the following
report: The water supplied to the city Of
Alexandria reaches the basins in good condi
ton, pure and sweet; our water shed ha- been
closely watched and policed the whole season
and is in first class condition. The water
coming into the city now and for some time
past has been bad. having an unpleasant taste
and odor. This is caused by water algle and
water cress, peculiar growth from which.
although very prevalent in many water sys-
tens, we have been virtually free. This
growth has been phenominally rapid in our
basins this year which we think without doubt
has been caused by the unusual disturbance
OF he bed Of Cameron Run by the work done
by the railroad company in their improve
ments west OF the city. All authorities agree
that the growth Of the water weed is greatly
accelerated by increased amount of iron and
organic mstter held in solution in the water.
The remedy for this condition of the water is
TO drain and clean the basins, which the com
pany proposes to do force being now at
work on one of the basins, This will be done
as soon as possible. but cannot be done at
once, as care must be used to keep an adequate
supply of water on hand for use Of town tor
fire purposes, &c. This work of cleaning
would have been attended to earlier but for the.
fact that owing to the lack Of rain, the supply
was so low as to make it unsafe to do so.
While the water supplied to the city at pres
ent is unpleasant TO taste and smell we have
every assurance from the analysis of our own
water and from reports Of other localities SIM
ilarly affected is not unsanitary or dangerous,
and we believe aud hope will soon improve
and very shortly be up 10 its usual fine stand
ard. Respectfully submitted,
WALTER ROBERTS,
President Alexandria Water Company.
The following we're received from the Com
mon Council and their action concurred in by
unanimous votes
A resolution providing that when Council
adjourns it be TO meet on Wednesday, Noyem-
Der 9, 1904. at 1880 p. III.
Adverse report of the Committee on Light
on petition Of sundry citizens for gas lamp
at the corner Of Queen and Patrick streets.
Favorable report OF the Committee on
Streets on resolution appropriatng $50 for
crossings at Prince and Patrick and Prince and
Columbus streets.
Communication of Hubert Sn0wden, Clerk
of the City School Board. announcing the
expiration Of the terms of certain members
of that board.
Petition Of Mrs. Ellen Nugent for permits
sion to tap the sewer at the corner Of Gibbon
and Pitt streets.
Resolution TO reimburse gas fund for money
spent in con tructing roof of coal shed and
paving at the gas works.
The board then adjourned.
J. T. SWEENEY, President
Teste: LUTHER II. THOMPSON, Clerk