Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1904-05-11
City Council.

was reported by the finance committee
and passed BY both boards. There are
several changes in the bill. The tax on
telephone companies is fixed at l per
cent. of the gross receipts of such COM
panies, instead of 500 for $50 transmit
tiers and so cents each for every addition
al transmitter. The tax of $40 on sew
ing machine agents is abolished, as the
State law provides State tax Of 81, 600
on all sewing machine companies doing
business in the State. The annual tax
on fortune tellers, clairvoyants, &c, is
increased from $40 to 800. The COM
mittee favored tax of $3.50 per annum
on trading stamp companies and 500
per annum on firms using trading stamps,
but these figures were increased to $500
and $3.50 respectively, which is virtually
n prohibitive tax. The finance.committee's
of an appropriation OF
81 300 to continue the public schools for
the full ten months was adopted. Five bids
were received for furnishing electric light
and power to the city. Fred. p. Russell
offered to pay $4,000 for the present
electric light plant, furnish arc lamps to
the city for street lighting at $40 per
lamp per annum, and furnish private
consumers current for light, heat, and
power at 10 cents per kilo-watt hour.
G. S. Richards and U. S. Hanks, and
G. B. Kennedy offered 81, 900 for the
franchise to furnish eighty lamps at $50
per annum each; additional lamps al
$75 each, and to buy the present plant
at figure to be determined by apprais-
ers. Their figures for private current
were the same as Mr.. RusselPs. ID. j.
Howell, offered So, 600 for the franchise,
and to abide by all the terms of the
ordinance providing of the sale. L,
E. Sinclair, of Washington, offered
$40 for the franchise, and to furnish the
city for street lighting eighty-three arc
lights at s6S per light per annum. @. +.
Thompson offered $4,000 for the fran
chise, 10 per cent, of the gross earnings,
$1,000 for the present plant, and t.
furnish not less than eighty-fve arc lights
at $72 each per annum. Mr.. Russell
offered another bid in which he agreed Il
furnish arc lights at 500 per annum each
pay %, 500 for the franchise, and 81, 500
for the present plant. The bids were
referred to the committees on finance
and light.
BOARD OF ALDERMEN.
Seven Aldermen were present. The
action of the Common Council on al
papers sent in was concurred in, except
on the report of the finance committee
recommending an appropriation off 81 800
for the public schools. This paper was
laid over until Friday night at which
time another meeting will be held.
Mr.. Clark introduced resolution ap-
propriating 1925 for the repairs of the
intersection of Prince with Alfred and
Patrick streets.
When the proposals for furnishing
electric light and power for the city were
sent in from the Common Council all the
Aldermen concurred in the opinion that
the proposals should have been opened by
the President of the Common Council in
the presence of the members of both
boards, according to the provisions Of
the ordinance. The messenger was dis
patched for a copy of the ordinance, and
in the meantime several members of the
lower board entered the chamber. Parts
of the ordinance wereread and a colloquy
followed between the Aldermen and
Councilmen. Inasmuch as the proposals
had been referred to the committees on
finance and light, the Aldermen finally
concluded to concur in the action of the
Common Council.
The board adjourned shortly after IL
o'clock.
COMMON COUNCIL.
The board met shortly after the time
appointed, with almost full attendance.
The chamber was insufliciently
lighted, the gas flow being obstructed.
Mr. Trimyer, on behalf oiSuperinten-
dent Hantzmon, announced that the
trouble with the light had been located
in the building, but could not be rem
edied at once.
The finance committee reported in
favor of 81, 300 appropriation to con-
tinued the public schools until the 30th
of June, completing the full school year
Of ten months. Capt. Bryan explained
that the committee had conferred with
the school board and the amount named
had been agreed upon as sufficient for
the purpose. Capt. Bryan added that
one of the members of the committee,
Mr.. w. II. Sweeney, a school teacher,
took no part in the report, but attended
the committee meetings simply to assure
quorum.
The resolution was agreed to, yeas Is
nays 0.
The finance committee reported the
license ordinance for 1904-5.
The changes from the present law arc
on telephone companies one per cent.
on their gross receipts. This is in lieu
of tax of$100 and Scots for each trans
mitter in excess of one hundred and fifty.
Capt. Bryan explained that the change
was required by the new State law.
A new section made the tax on trad
ing stamp companies $3.50 per annum.
Mr.. Snowden moved to make the tax
$500. He said that all dealers concurred
that the stamps were nearly rake-off
of there profits and were not wanted in
Alexandria.
Mr.. McCuen agreed with Mr..
Snowden.
The amendment was adopted.
The committee reported a tax On mer-
chants &c. using trading stamps 500 for