Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1912-11-27
UGLY CHARGES
FOLLOW MEETING
Councilman Spinks Declar-
es Corporations Con-
troll Members.
RESOLUTION IGNORED.
RESOLUTION IGNORED.
Question of New High School Building
Is Deferred Until After January Isl
Routine Matters Passed.

Ugly charges at the close of the
meeting of of Common Council last
night followed the attempt on the part
of Councilman Frank G.. Spinks o1
the First ward to have council adopt s
resolution requesting THE state corpo-
ration commission to come to Alexan-
dria and investigate the merger OF
the Washington-Virginia Railway Com
pany and the Washington Utilities
Company. Mr.. Spinks' attempt met
with failure as the body voted to ad-
journ while D. R. Stansbury, the clerk
had the resolution in his hand. Mr.
spinks had placed mis- paper on the
clerks desk early in the evening but
a number of other matters had prior
attention and when Mr.. Stansburv
took up the Spinks resolution Mr.. WILL
ilams moved to adjourn and the mo-
tion was carried.
Mr.. Spinks became very indignant
at the action of council and at the
close of the meeting denounced the
members who had voted to adjourn
He pointed to President Brumback as
the latter was leaving the room and
exclaimed 81 have got you placed
you are a tool Of the corporations yoa
represent"
The members of the City Council,
who were leaving their seats and
some going out of the chamber, stood
amazed Councilman Spings then de-
cared he would come into Mr.. Brum-
backs ward-ihe Secondhand defeat
him. A jesting remark was made by
Councilman Chauncey at Mr.. SpinkS
and the latter also declared he could
come into his. the Fourth ward, and
defeat him.
The incident was tinged with excite
ment and it looked as if trouble would
arise on the floor of the council cham
Der but the members left as, quickly
as possible and the incident was
closed.
The greater part of the time of
council was taken up last night by
the discussion of the report of the
Joint committees on finance and
schools in reference to the new high
school building. The committee re-
ported that they deemed it best TO
withhold action until after the first
of the year. The Board Of Aldermen
had adopted the report of the COM
mittee but when it reached the lower
board Councilman Brockett intro
duced a substitute for the report OF
the committee which provided for i'm
mediate action on the part Of the city.
The site recently purchased by coun-
ell was to lie turned over to the school
trustees who were invested with all
thority to borrow $4,000 for the con-
struction of a new building. The
money was to be secured on mortage
payable $4,000 per annum for seven
teen wears with interest at 5 per cent
A lengthy debate followed the intro
Tduction of the substitute and when its
defeat looked certain it was laid or
| the table at Mr.. Brocketts request.
u Mr. Brockett spoke at length, in fay-
lar of his resolution, deploring the ac-
ion of the joint committee in delaying
he matter and said that the city ol
Alexandria would be in no better po
sition after January 1st, then they
Is at present. He gave a number Of
statistics showing the crowded condl.
ton of the schools and urged the
councilmen to take care OF the boys
and girls of Alexandria who were II
need of the proper school facilities.
Mr.. Brocketts substitute was wlgo
rously opposed by councilmen Mar
shall, Bryan, spinks and Birreil AM
the only member who spoke in tavol
of it in addition to Mr.. Brockett wa
Mr.. Brumback.
Mr.. Marshall gave excellent rea
sons for his objections to Mr.. Brock.
ett's plan. His principal argument
was that the property was outside 0:
the city limits and no action shoule
be taken looking to the construction
of a school building there until th
annexation case was settled. H
was also opposed 10 vesting the tati
of the property in the hands OF tn
school trustees and said that counc'
was fully competent to carry out an