Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1900-01-16
COUNTY BOARD OF DEVELOP
MENT

MENT.
The Alexandria County Board Of
Deve opment held meeting 10 Wash.
ingtou yesterday to consider the bond.
ing bill, recently passed by the Legiss.
ture.
Other subjects were considered by
the meeting, which was called to order
at 4:15 o'clock by President A. NJ
Lothr0p, of Washington, but ell matters
were subordinated to the discussion Of
the bonding proposition. which debate
was continued until an sdjournmept
was forced shortly before 7 O'Clock. A
majority and minority report had been
presented. A. b. Graham submitteJ
the former and w. w. Douglass the
latter. These gentlemen ana Others
made speeches in support of their re-
spective convictions ID. n. Rust spoke
10 advocacy OF the minority report.
The question was still undecided, and
by close vote delay in the final de-
cisi0n of the matter until Monday after
noon of next week was agreed TO by
the board.
At times discussion waxed warm. ard
dramatic scene ended the meetlpp
when Augustus Davis, chairman of tie
special committee appointed at a pre,i-
GUS meeting to report the features Of
the new bill, said amid great confusion.
following q motion to adj ourn by q &.
Boteler. "Mr. Chairmao, | demand
the projection OF the chair. have A
right to address this body free from in.
terruption, and propose to do it,"
He was allowed to proceed with his
speech.
Alter the meeting had been called to
order, Mr.. Davis moved a suspension
of the rules in order that new members
might be elected forthwith. Vigorous
objection was made to the motion by J.
h. HObson. who addressed the meeting,
saying that such procedure was ur-
constitutional; that it was contrary to
all rules and established customs for
the government of the organization,
and that, perhaps, there were those
among the list proposed whom it would
be desirable to exclude from member
ship of the board. Mr.. Hobson's state
ment that the very life of the society
itself depended upon the great care ex-
ercised 10 the choice of its members
brought forth retort from Mr.. Davis,
that the names proposed for member
ship were representative men, who
lived in Alexandria county before Mr..
Hobson ever heard Of the county"
Replying to what he termed an in.
situation, Mr.. Davis declared that
there was no intention to pack the
meeting of the organization.
Mr.. NJ. B. Harlow, of this city, in.
terposed, seconding the motion to pre-
coed with the election of new mem
bers, which was then carried almost
unanimously. The following were then
declared members OF the society upon
receipt by the treasurer of the neces
sary fee: r w. Darby, w. P. Lock.
wood, Curtis B. Graham, J. B. Mere
dith, r. II. Walker. A. w. Cathcart.
T. d. DeLsishmut, DIR. J. k. Hagan and
DR.. d. N. Rust.
John B. Henderson, for the commit
tee on the Memorial Bridge, told the
meeting that he had visited the War
Department. had seen Secretary Root
and Gen. Wilson, chief of engineers.
and had learned that both gentlemen
favored the bridge project. Further,
Mr.. Henderson said that it was deci(-
eddy best that the Board of Develop
ment let the matter rest for the present.
He stated that the officials of the War
were anxious to construct
the bridge, but as national not local
that they desired local
pressure to allow the matter to drop in
order that Congress might recognize the
great national Importance of the meas
ure now before it, and not regard the
bill recently intrOdu ed as scheme for
the advancement of local interests. In
closing Mr.. Henderson stated that the
plans for the construction of the bridge
were being prepared at the War De
partment.
NJ. r. Church, member OF the CON.
mittee, rose TO point of order, and
asked that the committee on Memorisi
Bridge be empowered by the board to
Investigate and report upon a certain
'tstement made in the press 10 the e.
ect that Congress desired the State Of
Virginia to retrocede that portion of tbe
State, now Alexandria county, former.
y included within the District of Co
umbia. to the general government.
A prolonged discussion ensueG, r..
ulting In the adoption of resolution
Erecting the executive committee Of
he board to report at special meeting
u the board next week upon this fee
ure of the case.
Nothing new was reported by the
ommittee on Mount Vernon Avenue
or was there anything of interest
rought forward by the committee on
alexandria county legislation.
Some routine business having ben
isposed OF, the board began consider
ION OF the boudlng bill.