Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1916-02-09
MOVEMENT FOR
new FIRE TRUCK
Retail Merchants and Other
Citizens Petition For
Apparatus
'sAcTloN OF COUNCIL
Will Cost Between $4,000 and $4,000
Demonstration is Expected to Be
Made in This City.

An ordinance providing for taking
necessary steps to remove the res
trictions in the constitution OF Vlr
ginia prohibiting cities from max
ing local assessments upon private
property abuting on streets upon
which permanent public improvements
are made and calling on representa-
tives in the legislature to support the
measure, adopted by the city coun'
ell of Norfolk, was presented to coun-
Gil last night and referred to the JONI
committee on streets and general
laws.
This ordinance was sent to Alex
'andria by Robert E. Steed, city clerk
of Norfolk, who forwarded the com
munication to Mayor Fisher and the
latter in letter to council stated il
met with his approval.
Under it's provisions, 1t was stated
by q number of members OF council
that the cities making public per
manent improvements may assess the
property owners any amount they
NAV choose which, of course, they
arc unable to do at the present time
councilman Brockett wanted &c
know if the proposed change effected
I fsisnpl lxsst,aets vors sidewalks
Egsaeilmall Brssn, vice president
ossAes IA yhos sidesfin the alb
seiice of Preside dent Smith, Said It's OBJ
iects Ms SIS is merely TO .permi& cities tc
go back to- the old slaEs and make sucn
laws as they may choose for street I'M
provements.
A petition for new truck for the
Relief Hook and Ladder Company
signed by number of property ow-
ners and endorsed by the board OF
directors of the Retail Merchants
Association, was presented and re-
fcrred to; the joint committee. on fire
and finance.
Councilman Harrison said that six
months ago a petition was presented
and report was made. by the COM
mittee. The cost of an aerial truck,
he said, would be between: $4,000 and
$4,000.
Councilman Brockett offered re-
solution that the fire committee re-
port the cost of and kind of truck
needed as soon as possible. Mr. Brock
ett also asked for report at the
rext meeting on the old report Of the
fire, committee recommending the in
stallation of an Saerial truck. :.
Councilman Desmond said that, next
Thursday the members of the fire
committee expected to go to Anna
polls, Nd, for the purrqse of wit,
Messing a test of truck and that il
weather conditions permit. the repre-
sentative of the fire company con
structing the truck will bring it tt
this city and give an exhibition test
Mr.. Brockett also suggested thai
it would be a good idea: for the FIRE
committee of council to have con
structed platforms at certain point:
on the river front for the new fir
engine in case it had to 60 the rive
front to fight fires. He also though
it would be. a good idea to have pipe!
at different points in the river to draw
the water in the event of low tide.
An ordinance to issue 100000 regis
tered and unregistered coupon bond
10 be known as annexation bonds wa
referred to the finance and genera
law committee.
An ordinance to set apart a sun
equal to twelve per cent of the as
sessed valuation of property in tn
annexed territory, in accordance wit
the terms of the annexation decree ef
fective April, 1915, was referred t
the committee on finance and gene
raj laws.
Councilman Lawler presented 6
petition and ordinance for the i'm
provement of South Washingto
street from Duke to Franklin street
The petition was signed by lare
number of property owners. The o,
dinanca provides for an appropri
zion Of $500 for bituminous nj
seaan roadway, twshwfouI f