Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1913-01-29
COUNCIL WELCOMES
DOVE OF PEACE
Harmony Restored Between
Warning Factions in
Lower Board.
LEADBEATER ELECTED
Is Unanimous Choice of Members to
Succeed c. r. Yates From First
Ward-Coneerted Action.

Most of the business which came
before Council last night originated
in the Board of Aldermen. The pa
pers submitted were of general ma
ture and they were appropriately dis,
posed of. There was virtually no dis
cussion.
Towards the close of the session Mr.
Field, chairman of the finance commit
tee, made the following statement:
When l presented the resolution
from the Finance Committee, ask
ing for authority to borrow $4,000,
to cover fixed and estimated expenses
for balance of present fiscal year.
l read from data which showed that
the receipts of the General Fund
from all sources to January l, 1913,
amounted to $l34,2OO, and there had
been paid out ,as shown by warrants
of the city, $142,2Oo, or an overdraft
on that fund of $4,000.
The City Treasury was not entirely
out of funds because, the amount to
the credit of the Gas Fund, offset this
seeming shortage. The figures had
been carefully examined by the f.
nance committee, and were also sub
mitted to the bank official, who, as the
representative of his bank, has al
ways kindly assisted US In any finan-
cial problems.
In estimating the amount we might
need to carry us to the end Of the
fiscal year, @e took the receipts to
January 1, 1913, as stated $134,2O0, to
which we added what we hoped to re-
ceive from the gas works, taxes, fines,
etc., during the next five months or
$24,4O0. making total receipts for the
year $158,600 or with $4,000 added
S198,60O.
AS stated, the warrant account to
January l, 1918 amounted to Sl42,-
200, to which 1 added S50,400, which
is made up from what is termed fixed
charges, estimated in some cases,
exact in others. In this estimate NJ
sum was added for streets or sewers,
not yet finished and which Council hs,
ordered, or for any other expenditures
which may be contemplated. stated
also, and was only speaking for my
self, as Chairman of the Finance Com
mittee, that any effort to make ap-
preparations for other than absolute
ly necessary purposes, during the pres
ent fiscal year, would be opposed by
me. / did not deem it necessary to
make any further explanation OF the
necessity for this loan, but after read
ing some of the things which have
been said and published in the news
papers, in reference to this loan, and
those which have preceded it, at the
request of some of our citizens, l
thought it wise to make this state
ment.
Last year / asked "Are we to con-
tinue an endless chain of temporary
loans, and is there to be no day Of
settlement" ! do not claim exemp-
tion as party to these loans, which
I will refer TO later. A member OF
Council said in debate few nights
since. "the loan was no reflection or
the City's financial conditions
This is true, but it will moi
continue to be the case, if We con
tinue to borrow, instead Of keeping
our annual expenses within our annua
income. and in measure observe sec
t;on 16. of the city charter, which
provides,
"Thas the Council shall cause to b
annually made up and entered upol
it's journal an account OF estimate o
all sums, which are, or may be, law
fully chargeable on the said city,
which ought to be paid within one
year. 1t shall order city levy, or s.
much as in its opinion is the amour
which may be raised from all license
and other sources"
Certainly continued and increasln
temporary loars are not contemplat
ed in this section, Of our charter o
rights. Aexandria's financial stand
ing is excellent and has been fo
n,aAy years, il such vas not ths case
holders Of our bonds Of 1879, weul