The Washington times., 1902-06-30
ALEXANDRIA ITEMS
OF GENERAL INTEREST
Work of Repaving King
Street to Be Pushed.
New Constitution Changes Method
of Street Improve
ments.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. June 90. - The
work of paving King Street from Royal
to Fayette Street with yitrifed brick. d
distance of eight blocks, will be COM
menced tomorrow morning. and viii
he vigorously pushed. King Street Is
already paved with vitrified brick from
the river front to Fairfax Street. a
distance of three blocks, and when the
other eight are completed that thor
oughfare will compare favorably with
any in the larger cities. Alexandria
is now forging to the front in the way
of street improvements, and 1t is hailed
with delight by the majority of citizens.
Many predict that within a period OF
FIVE years, at the present rate of I'm
provements. the larger number of the
principal streets will be paved with
modern brick. and the old cobblestones.
W .ch have been such drawback to
the town, will be a past recollection.
The paving Is being done under the
thirty third section of the city charter.
which makes it legal to assess the abut-
ting property owners two-thirds of the
cost of the wcrk, and the city pays one
third. Under the new State const,tu-
tion, however. this section is wiped out.
The constitution, however, will not bc
proclaimed until July 10.
The contract for the paving of King
Street was given out some time since,
and the members of the city council
ba ba
sumption that 1t will be perfectly legal
to assess the cost against the abutting
property owners, as contracts made pre-
vious to the proclamation OF the consti-
tuition will not, 1t is believed, be made
invalid.
After this, however, the city council
cannot charge the abutting property
owners for street Improvements The
only way that they can get around this
provision is to impose d special Iui-
provement tax, and this, it is thought.
would meet with the hearty co-opera-
tton of those favcring improvements, as
1t really would not cost the property
owners more than under the old system.
after all, 1t is thought that the street
improvements will not be in any way
handicapped by the provisions Of the
constitution, and it is thought that coun-
ell will At an early date consider ,he
advisability OF special improvement
tax.
Rev. C. H. Crawford of Richmond. Va
superintendent of the Virginia Anti-Sa
loon League, who was recently assaulted
by Judge Campbell, at Amherst Court
house, Va, this afternoon at O'Clock
preached an interesting sermon at the
Trinity Methodist Episcopal Church, en-
titled "Mobilizing the Army of the
Lord" There was large crowd pres
ent. and among them were many min
listers from the other churches. This
morning he occupied the pulpit in the
Methodist Episcopal Church, South, and
tonight occupied the pulpit in the Meth
odist Protestant Church.
DR.. Crawford's object IN visiting this
city was for the purpose of considering
the advisability OF organizing an anti
saloon league here. He expected to or
ganize the league after his lecture in
the Trinity Methodist Episcopal Church
this afternoon. He. however, decided to
defer action in the matter for some later
date. In his work he is receiving the
hearty cooperation of the ministers Of
the various churches.
After outlining his plan the matter OF
forming an organization here was re-
ferred to a committee consisting of
Messrs. John II. Bartlett, p. p. ". Gar
nett, Lambert Sullivan, Charles Pier
pont, ]. T. Boyd, and C. R. Herbert.
They will hold a meeting next Tuesday
night, at which time they will render
their report on the matter.
It is probable that a permanent or
ganization OF the league will be effected
here During his talk DR.. Crawford
made no mention whatever of his re-
cent encounter with Judge Campbell.
Arrangements for the establishment
of rural free delivery in Alexandria and
Fairfax counties have been about per-
fected by the local postoffce depart
ment All the boxes have been put up.
and it will go into operation next Tues
day morning, July ].
The carriers will make one delivery
and collection a day. They will serve
those on the routes the same as local
postoffice. as they will register letters,
take money orders and sell stamps. In
fact, the people will be supplied at their
doors with the same benefits as they
would at a postofiice. and without the
slightest inconvenience.
There are to be two routes, known as
routes No. ! and No. 2. Route No. l
will extend from this city to point be-
low Hunters Station, in Fairfax county,