Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1921-01-26

ASK FOR S150,000
FOR STREET WORK
Street Committee Seeks
Comprehensive System of
improvements
MAY ISSUE BONDS
p. F. German Chosen Tax Collector
Fail 70 Elect School Trustee FROM
Third Ward.

Steps toward securing for this city,
q comDrehcnsiva system of street
improvements for the coming year -
cost 100000, were taken by the city
council at its meeting last night When
resolution prepared and recommend
ed By the street committee appro-
priatinc this amount for street work
was presented and an ordinance was
presented that the city procure tic
sum Of s150,000 by sale Of bonds G.
otherwise for the purpose CT improv-
inr the streets and also for sewer
work.
These matters were first read be.
fore n Joint session OF city council
and aftcrward acted on separately
by both branches, being referred 70
the joint committee on finance and
streets.
At the joint session City Enginee2
f. c. Dunn appeared and made 4
statement relative to the contemplf
ted work. 1t was explained by NJ.
Dunn in his opening remarks that
heretofore. 50 TO speak, the the work
of street improvements ard sewers
has secured cray '':he crumbs from
the table" The practicability OF
making a flat lump sum for such
work vas given b" the speaker.
Figures on tho money expended
on street work during the past nine
teen years were given council By Ny
Dunn who explained that the sum of
SAT 900 was spent in the last twenty
years for which the city at large
vas only called upon for o49,f0r,
the property owners paying the -.
naindcr for streets and sewers. TI-
street committee lie said is Of the
opinion that the city can stand tbs
proposition.
Tho bonded Indebtedness az
present is sl,lo5 900. Only about
s2l7 900 was the increase in bonded
indebtedness during the past riEe
teen years years he said and between
$50 900 and $4,000 is he'd by the
sinking fund.%comn,issioners. About
twenty per cent Of the streets hare
been resurfaced during the past
twenty years and it has taken
twenty years to do It be said.
At the present time tie
city is at a standsrill on street work
he said. Mr.. Dunn complimented the
city on the successful handling Of
iorn,er bond issues.
Mir. Dunn said the question is often
asked, Does it pay?" In reference
to this he said its value cannot oc
estimated in dollars and cents. He
enumerated the many benefits dc,
rived from improved streets and
sewers, among others being health,
cleanliness, civic pride ard the like.
The speaker also told council that
~ had run over the new assessment
hooks and taken a number Of squares
where streets had been improved nna
compared the assessment against ths.
assessment on property on unln-
proved streets and ascertained that
the increase yielded the city rcar:'
! 5! ,0O0 on improved streets. Con
Guiding he urged that n1oncy for
work be provided as it can be hand.
led much more advantageous than
under the present system.
! Counc:lmen Ruben, Downham and
| I.awler all expressed themselves -
! heartily in favor OF the proposition
and on motion Ct Mr.. La"'ler a vote
of thanks was tendered Mr. Dunn
f! for his efforts in gathering data ant
general assistance to the street COM
n,itteo in making the survey for
funds expended for street and se~":
work.
s, At the joint session P. F. Gorman
was elected to fill the unexpire1
term of his father, the late ?.
| German. For several years past Mr.
German has been acting as deDut5
| tax collector.
! Mr.. German was nominated bE
Councilman Ruben. He will serve tIi
January i. A primary 70 nominate
| for this ofice,w;ll be held in May
After taking six ballots Ttaou'
success in the contest fer schon
trustee from tts third psr1 i'et~ee'
S;areS Bsyne, iacun,beG and rsrtj
| T S1:f. 3La matter. vent over till m;