Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1909-11-12


CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
A well.stieDded meeting Of The Alex
sudria Chamber OF @ -mDerce Wss helc
last night.
Tho Board Armstrong Company Wss
elected men bsrs of the organ zition anc
acme routine business VAS transacted.
The proposed King street improve
meut Was further considered, and the
Announcement nude tina, the Board
of Supervisors OF Alexandra coun-
ty sere preparing to begin the work.
The cDief business, however, before
the board was the movement toward the
improvement Of north Washington street
TO the city limit, which has been before
the City Council during The past lew
weeks.
A statement was presented setting
forth conditions regarding city improve
ments. The statement announces tbe
determination of the organization to con-
Time their efforts for municipal In
proVemenls.
The statement Is a protest against
the course of the City Council In refusing
10 make the appropriation for the I'm
movement of north Washington street,
and defense Of the chambers pubic
improvement policy.
The following is the statement 10 tuli;
A STATEMENT FROM THE CHAMBER OF
COMMERCE.
The Chamber Of Commerce OF the
city of Alexandra Is Incorporated under
the state lave s1d thirteen is the neces
ssry quorum for the transaction OF busi-
ness 1t represents about eighty per
cent of the freight tonnage aod about
sixtv per cent OF the entire payroilS oil
this city. ,o.
The chamber was organized October
LEI. 1896 About two years ago, the
officials Of the city held frequent con-
fefences With the officials OF the county,
to secure the improvement OF King
street extended. Nothing was accom-
ulished. Then the Chamber OF Com
msrce appointed a special committee,
from its body, to carry plans for the
Improvement Of the aforementioned street
10 a snccessful conclusion. At the last
maetIng of the chsmber this special
committee reported that a contract Tor
the work had been given aud the con-
tractor bad furnished bond. This I'm
oroyement will cost eighteen Thousand
and ak hundred dollars, OF which Alex
andds county has contributed FIVE
thousand dollars, I've commend the orosd
mindedness OF the county otfcisls); Ihe
balance. thirteen thousand and six huu-
dred dollars, Is how in the hands OF the
Chamber OF Commerce and available.
Daring the negotiations for this I'M
provement, the county board OF super
visors became active 10 The improvement
of all It's approaches to this city; notably
a good substantial broken stone roadway
from 81. Elmo postofice to the corpora
ton lioe ct Washington street. AT the
time this work was contemplated the
clerk OF the board OF supervisors sd-
dressed communication TO the chair
mao OF the City Council street commit
tee, r, questiUg that the city government
continue the improvement OF washing
ton street TO the county lice, there con-
meeting with its road. The joint COM
miuee on streets and finance recon-
mended TO Council the appropriation Of
four thousand dollars for the permanent
Improvement of twenty seven feet OF
north Washington street, from Wythe
street to Madison street, and eighteen
feet from there to the county line. This
will leave thitty-nine feet to be improved
at the same cost to property owners as
vas paid by others on the same street.
Notwithstanding the endorsement OF the
Joint committee, the bill was laid on the
table. Tuesday night, the 9Th instant,
the bill was called Gp aud resolution
from the Chamber VI Commerce, with q
list of the full membership, Was Tead,
giving facts as reasons why the aPpro.
pristiOn should be made. After q great
deal of discussion 1t was re-c0mmitted.
The work of this chamber is in the 10.
terest of business, home and individual;
and 1t insists that the interests Of Alex
sudria city and Alexandria county are
matusl, aud that The actions Of the
council In defeating the permanent i'm
provemeut of Washington street, through
the introduction Of resolutions to i'm.
proye that, or another street with gravel
or 'iust like county road" Is not
good business aud without the semblsnce
OF economy. The Chamber OF Commerce
emphalically claims the same right that
should be accorded the least of our
citizens, viz that OF appearing before
the City Council. The safoutiDg chsl'
leuee 10 the words alt Is time for us to
hteO down and out If We are incapable of
Iraossctiug the busintss that cOmts be-
fore Us" Is so injustice to soy ciuEsn
appearing before soy city tfticial in the
iOterest Of public improvement We,
however, accept this, and challenge the
statement that the financial condition OF
this city makes the improvement OF
Washington street impossible; any state
ment to that effect is misleading. This
statement is ordered published by the
Chamber of Commerce, 10 assure the ciu-
gems OF Alexandria that the Chamber of
Commerce will continue its Efforts 10 be-
half Of municipal improvements, aud will
not use its membership to mislesd, or
its messurers to burden any particular
business or interest. We believe that
she streets OF this city should be better
than county roads, and that the liberal
policy of the county supervisors should
be met By the City Council with reciP'
rocal legislation.
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