Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1923-01-19
Council Drops Effort to
Collect S25 License
Tax on Garages
IMPROVE GROUNDS
Council Defers Action on Traffic
Laws Until Next Meeting-Un-
der Direction of Department of
Public Safety.

A tentative traffic ordinance
prepared by City Manager Wild
er NJ. Rich was presented to the
city council at its meeting yes
terday afternoon and laid over
by the city council until the next
meeting. 1t provides among other
things that it shall, if adopted,
come under the direction of the
department of public safety. The
ordinance provides for a speed
of fifteen miles an hour in the
business districts and twenty
miles an hour outside of the bus
mess districts: six miles an hour
passing any school and half of the
legal rate of speed in making a
turn; speed of trucks with solid
tires, according to the capacity
per ton, varies from twelve to
twenty miles an hour; parking
limit on King street from Fairfax
to Patrick streets, thirty minutes,
and vehicles must be parallel to
the curb all vehicles must be
kept fifteen feet away from fire
hydrants; drivers approaching
the right of way to street must
reduce speed to five miles an
hour; no vehicle shall approach
closer than 500 feet to a fire or
within. 300 feet when apparatus is
working on a fire; it is within
the province of the director of
public safety to designate heavy
and light traffic streets; all drlv-
ers shall not only comply with
the state law but also shall reg
ister with the director of pub
lie safety; roller skating on the
streets is prohibited, but it may
be done on sidewalks outside of
the business district; both state
and city license tags shall be ex-
hibited on the machines in oper-
alton: machines passing over rail
road tracks shall cut down to six
miles an hour.
The city will relinquish its eff
forts to collect a license tax of
$25 a year from the owners of
small garages rented for the stor-
age of automobiles. This was
done by city council following an
opinion received by the city mana
ger from Corporation Attorney
Garner in which the attorney
was of the opinion that this IL
cense could not legally be col
lected.
According to a canvass made
recently the city manager report
ed that there are ia such gar
ages in the city and 352 stalls.
Council and the city manager al
ready had received numerous COM
pIaints from the owners of such
garages when license tax bills
we're presented them.
The sum of $500 was appro-
nriated for the purpose of I'M
proving the school grounds around
the high school where it is pro-
nosed to place an athletic track,
football and baseball fields and al
90 make other improvements,
The city manager submitted a
report on the collection of gar
bage. ashes and trash. With the
inauguration of the new system
he said efforts are being made
70 give the city cleanup. Inc
mon he said, are collecting from
between $500 and 1000 houses IN
the city and it will be some time
before the city gets the maxi
mum efficiency from the new sys-
tenn which may be from sixty 10
ninety days. g
Manager Rich discussed hnan, !,
arc with the council and SAID
that later he would take up ;Wltp
the council program for streel
i'm ;n,nrsvements for the coming
year and also plans. for floating faa a
bond issue. ,.1oo;vad
4 communication was received
from City Auditor Price showing !
the present financial condition o.
the city, relative to the amoqI. ~
Iof cash on hand to date n.
suggested temporary loan o.
$40 900 to tide the council oNs'
for the next few weeks. -,
There is a. sum equal to 's4',
I952 .O5 overdrawn on the genera
fund, according to Mr.. Prices
Figures.