Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1910-10-12
CITY COUNCIL

held last night. A large volume OF
business was disposed of.
BOARD OF ALDERMEN.
All. the Aldermen we're present and
the business present was transacted
without discussion.
As soon as the board was called to
order President Marbury announced
the standing committees. But little
change had been made. Mr.. Ogden hay
ing been placed on the committees on
streets and claims in place OF MIR.
Marbury.
Mr.. Summers introduced resolu-
ton providing for an appropriation OF
$3.50 TO lay cobblestone cutters with
vitrified brick centres on Alfred street,
from Glbbon to Wilkes street. The res
olution was referred to the committee
on streets.
After some miscellaneous business
had been disposed OF Mr.. Brill intro
duced a preamble and resolution re-
duesting the Auditor to draw his war
rant in favor Of former Chief Of Police
James f. Webster for his salary as a
member OF the police force, uutil the
City Council shall otherwise direct.
The preamble sets forth that the former
chief has spent the past forty-five years
in the service OF the city, and while
still member Of the police force he
is now by the weight OF years incapacl-
tated for the discharge Of duty. Z
Mr.. Summers said he hoped the
board would pass the resolution with
out referring it to committee. He
said it carried no appropriation as the
former chief is still a member Of the
police force and the appropriation
for the same had already been
made.
Mr.. Hill said he heartily concurred
with the previous speakers, and did not
think a more worthy act could be done
in the case OF the former chief.
When the clerk called the roll all
the Aldermen voted for the adoption OF
the resolution.
Mr.. Ballinger asked to be excused
from serving on the committee looking
to the extension OF the corporate limits
of the city Of Alexandria. He was ex-
cused by President Marbury and Mr..
Ogden was appointed in his place.
The Aldermen concurred in the
action of the Common Council on all
papers sent in.
COMMON COUNCIL.
A large crowd was outside the rail
when Council came to order. The
minutes were read and the committees
announced. These committees will be
found in the official proceedings.
Mr.. Smith then rose to a question OF
personal privilege. He said that at
the last meeting certain members had
seen fit to question the right Of him
self and others to hold their seats; he
wished to state the law under which he
held his seat. The sections OF the
constitution which seemed to declare
his seat vacant stated specifically that
they did not repeal any provision OF
any city charter and Alexandria's
charter provided that removal from
a ward did not cause councilman to
lose his seat.
Mr.. Williams suggested the reading
of other sections that he believed show
ed the contrary to be true. -,
Mr.. Brockett said that the chairman
OF the street committee and several
other people had questioned the rights
OF certain councilmen to hold their
seats but after looking into the matter
he though that removal from the ward
probably did not vacate their seats.
Mr.. Monroe thought men elected
should hold their seats, until the voters
of their wards decided differently.
Mr.. Spinks said his eligibility had
been questioned but as he had always
claimed the 4th ward as his home he
believed he had the right to hold his
place. He declared that his home was
in the Fourth ward though for business
reasons he is now temporarily residing
in the Second ward.
The Chair had heard street rumors'
Of his ineligibility but would take the
verdict OF voters OF his ward who had
returned him for % years. He had
not deemed the rumors OF sufficient
important even to deny them.
Mr.. Brockett said despite the head
lines in certain papers he had never
questioned Mr.. Snowden's right to
hold his seat in council but holding his
council seat he did question his right
to hold another Office in the city, do
city work and to receive money from
the city treasury.
Mr.. Snowden called vice president
Smith to the chair, and from the floor
stated that he did not intend to have
his integrity questioned. He was sorry
that a personal matter, one that did
not in anyway concern council, had
been brought up. When he was first
elected clerk Of the School Board
without his solicitation he had sought
legal advice and bad been told that he
had a perfect right to accept. In the
matter OF the public printing the Ga
zette had for nearly one hundred years
published the official notices of this
city. The bills for this had averaged
less than $3.50 per year for some years
past. The law requires that official
acts &c OF the city be published in an
Alexandria paper and as the Gazette is
the onlypaper published here there is
no other medium through which to
comply the law.
The agreement under which the
city printing is now being done was
nnanrnd into NTH his father nuer fifty