Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1898-02-23
THE ROSSLYN CHARTER.


Senator Mushbach and Delegate Bar
lev had the bill passed In the senate
and House, respectively, without refer
ence to a committee. each stating that
it was only local measure.
Governor Tyler received q telegram
from Mr.. NJ. B. Harlow, City Treasurer
of Alexandria, and secretary and treas
urer of the Rosslyn Development Com
pany, asking him to withhold his sigma
ture from the bill until delegation
could reach Richmond to be heard.
Governor Tyler received the delega-
ton in his Office at the Capitol at
o'clock Monday evening. Col. Barley
was present also. He presented his
constituents to his excellency. MIR.
Harlow told Of the meeting of the su-
pervisors. Mr.. Saegmuller presented
resolutions adopted by that body, ask
ing the Governor to veto the charter,
aud letter from the com missioners of
the District of Columbia opposing the
charter was given to the Governor. At
the outset Governor Tyler remarked
that he had received several letters and
kilograms on the subject of the bill.
Colonel James r. Cation, the first
speaker, started out by asking what
citizens of Rosslyn had asked for the
charter.
"When the bill came over to the
| House, remarked Colonel Barley, II
went to the long distance telephone and
called up Mr.. Frank Hume, Il gentle
man of high character, and asked him
| about the measure. He told me it was
a good bill, and that the people of Ross
Ign wanted it passed"
"Why didn't you call me up?" asked
| Mr.. Harlow.
81 thought you left your Office at 2
o'clock, and it was after that hour" re-
piled the Colonel.
81 am generally in my Office until 5
o'clock" rejoined Mr.. BARLOW.
Ibid you read the bill ?" asked Col.
Cation.
81 did," replied Col. Barley.
Didn't it strike you as quite remark
able that this measure sought to exclude
the county sheriff and the county mag
istrates from jurisdiction in the terri
tory proposed to be incorporated ?"
at did not. l understood from Mr..
Hume that the object Of the bill was to
provide better government for the
territory"
Mr.. Seagmuller Didn't ask you if
any bill came up concerning Ballston to
let me know, and didn't you say you
would do so?"
Col. Barley ~ certainly did,"
Mr.. SAegmuller Then why didn't
YOU let me know about this bill ?"
Col. Barley Because you asked me
nothing about Rosslyn."
Col. Cation read the bill and argued
that it was unconstitutional, rs it pro-
! vided that the officers named for mayor,
recorder and councilmen should hold
office for four years, when several cleo
tons would occur during that time. He
contended that it was against public
policy, because it took away the jurisdic-
lion of the sheriff and county msgis-
trates, and made the mayor the lord
high lieutenant and supreme ruler Of
the place. He called attention to the
fact that the mayor was to issue liquor
licenses aud that the bill provided that
the county court should not indct for
misdemeanors committed in the town.
Col: Barley here remarked that the
people of Rosslyn should be consulted
az to their wishes 10 this matter. He
was not advocating nor defending the
bill. applause by the opponents Of
the charter)
Gov. Tyler-Do you know why the
officers are named for four years?
Col. Barley suppose the people do
not wish to be burdened with an cleo
ton before that time.
The bill" said Colonel Cation, It's
like loaded gun that appears to be
unloaded. O.: course, do not charge
Col. Barley and Capt. Mushbach with
knowingly doing anything wrong, but
am going to show you that this is a
dangerous bill. Col. Barley has been
hoodwinked Why, the sheriff and
other officers of Alexandria county can
not serve warrants in Rosslyn. The
county and circuit courts are not allow
ed to pass upon liquor licenses. The
mayor is to be legislator, judge and ex-
ecutonern
Here the sensational disclosures OF
the evening were made. Col. Cation
said Mr.. A. A. Lipsco NIB was high
toned honorable man. He was named
as councilman, but Mr.. Lipscomb's
name was put in the bill without his
knowledge or consent, and he would
not serve. A letter 10 this effect was
handed the Governor.
"Who is Mayor Birch 2" asked Col
onel Cation. "He has not as much back
bone as there is whalebone in lady's
corset"
He then took up the various town
officials and councilmen named in the
bill, and either by his own statement
or by answers to questions brought out
charges affecting the reputation of all
of them, using this to support his argu
ment that they were not suitable peo
pie to be put in office.
Colonel Cation said be was a large
property owner at Rosslyn. He could
not give his consent to this bill ,uotwith-
standing the fact that he knew his
property would increase in value if this
town was turned into an American
Monte Carlo. He would rather be
pauper than receive money from such
q source.
Mr.. Harlow said he agreed with Colo
nel Cation that with the charter pro.
posed property would go up, but he
did not want to make money by such
means as that. He reminded the Gov