Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-02-22
ROSSLYN IN DANGER
Citizens Bitterly Oppose the Proposed
New Charter.
WOULD PUT GAMBLERS IN CHARGE
Governor Tyler Hears Arguments Of
Delegation in Opposition.
OTHER SIDE REPRESENTED

| Special Dispatch The Evening Star
| RICHMOND, Va. February PA big
delegation. representing many of the most
prominent citizens of Alexandria county
| and city. were here yesterday afternoon to
protest against the governors signing the
bill recently passed by the legislature. with
reference to the incorporation Of Rosslyn.
| 1t is said here. and. indeed. the impression
appears to prevail that If the measure be-
comes law Rosslyn will become a Monte
Carlo on a smaller but far more degraded
scale. Already a lively war is on, and the
| result is being watched with great interest
| here. as well by the people in the vicin-
ity of the place I'm question.
What the Delegation Claims.
1t is claimed by those who are seeking
| to keep the measure from becoming a law
| that If ii should go upon the statute books
| Rosslyn would soon become a mere gam
| bling place.
This bill was introduced In the senate by
| Mr.. Mushbach during the latter part OF
last week. He stated that It was a local
| measure and asked that 1t be placed upon,
| the calendar. Permission was granted and
under suspension of the rules II was pass
| ed.
Delegate Farley got the act through the
house. without reference to a committee,
| when il reached that body
Yesterday morning Governor Tyler re-
ceived telegram from Mr.. NJ. b. Harlow,
city treasurer of Alexandria and secretary
and treasurer Of the Rosslyn Development
Company, asking him to withhold his sig
| nature from the bill until a delegation
could reach here to be heard in opposition
to II. The board of supervisors OF Alex
andria county met yesterday morning. The
meeting had been called TO prepare papers
| court house. but this matter was passed by
| and the board came on to Richmond with
big delegation to protest against the
Rosslyn charter.
Members of the Party.
Those in the party were Messrs. Saeg-
| muller. Corbett and Duncan, supervisors.
A. d. Torrion. Robert veitch. George
Rucker. A. s. Doniphan. w. W. Douglass.
George W. Donaldson ]. f. Clements.
George 2. Robinson and Mr. Hobson of
| Alexandria county, and Messrs. NJ. B. Har-
low and James r. Cation OF Alexandria
city.
Cover nor Tyler received the delegation in
his office at the capitol at 4 O'Clock. Col.
Barley. the delegate from Alexandra city
and county. was present also. He present.
ed his constituents to his excelency. MI
Harlow told of the meeting of the super
visors and Mr.. Saengmuller presented the
resolutions adopted by that body. This
paper simply asked the governor to veto
| the charter of Rosslyn. A letter from the
Commissioners Of the District Of Columbia
opposing the charter was also given to the
governor.
At the outset Governor Tyler remarked
that he had received several letters and
kilograms on the subject of this bill.
Mr.. James r. Cation OF Alexandria was
| the first speaker. He started out by ask
| ing what citizens of Rosslyn had asked for
the charter.
Hume vouched for the BnI.
When the bill cam, over to the house."
| remarked Colonel Barley, ''I went to the
lorg-distance telephone and called up Mr..
Frank Hume. a gentleman of high charac-
ter. and asked him about the measure. lie
told me 4. was good bill and that the
people Of RosSlyn wanted it passed
why didn't you call me up?" asked
Mr.. Harlow.
Il thought you left your Office at 3
o'clock, and it was after that hour" re-
piled the colonel.
"I am generally in my Office until
o'clock. rejoined Mr.. Harlow.
Did you read the bill?" asked Colonel
Cation.
II did"
didn't 1t strike you as quite remarkable
that this measure sought to exclude the
county sheriff and the county magistrates
from jurisdiction TO the territory proposed
to be Incorporated?
mo, IT did not / understood from Mr..
Hume that the object OF the bill was to
provide better government for The ter
ritory.
Mr.. Saegmuller-''Didn't 1 ask you II any
bill came up concerning Ballston to let
me know, and didn't you say you would
do so?
Colonel Barley-.'I certainly did"
Mr.. Saegmuller-"Then why did not not
let me know about this bill?''
Colonel Barley-"Because you asked me
nothing about Rcsslyn."
Col. Cation Dissects the Bill.
Col. Cation read the BILL ard as he pro-
ceeded argued that it was unconstitutional.
as it provided that the officers named for
mayor. recorder and counc;lmen should hold
office for four years, when several elections
would occur during that time. He con-
tended that IT was against public policy,
because II took away the jurisdiction OF the
sheriff and county magistrates and made
| the mayor the lord high lieutenant and
supreme ruler of the place. He called at
tention to the fact that the mayor was to
Issue liquor licenses, and that the bill pro-
vided that the county court should not In
dict for misdemeanors committed I'm the
town.
Col Barley here remarked that the people
of Eosslyn should be consulted to their
wishes I'm this matter The moment a move
county there was fight. He was not adj
vocating nor defending the bill.
Some Sensational Disclosures.
evening were made. Mr.. Cation prepared
the way by saying Mr.. A. A Lipscomb was
a high-toned, honorable man. He was
ramed as a councilman, but MI. Lipscomb
had said his name was put in the bill with
out his knowledge or consent and he would
not serve. A letter to this effect was hand
ed the gov ernor.
Mr. Cation said he was a large property
owner at Rosslyn, hs could not give his
consent to this bin, Notwithstanding the
fact that he knew his property would In
crease in value with the building up Of an
American Monte Carlo In this town. he
would rather be a pauper than receive
money from such a sourcs.
Mr. Harlow Agrees.
Mr.. Harlow said he agreed with MT. Ca
ton. that with the charter proposed prop
erty would go up. but he did not want to
make money by such means AZ this. He
reminded the governor that this town ad-
Joined Fort Myer, WHARF, the government
had many troops. 1t was at the end Of the
bridge that connectedVirginia with George
town, where there was q fine old college.