Evening star., 1905-09-15
WOULD MOVE OFFICE
Collector Summers FaVOrs
Transfer to Abingdon.
ALEXANDRIA PROTESTS
DESIRES NO CHANGE IN THE
LOCATION.
Lynchburg Puts in a Claim in Case
Change is to Be Made-Hearing
at the Treasury.
ALEXANDRIA PROTESTS

There was q long hearing today before
Secretary Shaw and Commissioner Yerkes
on the question Of removing the office of
the collector OF internal revenue OF the
western judicial district of Virginia from
Alexandria to Abingdon or Lynchburg. 1t
was freely charged that the only reason
Collector Summers asked for the removal
was that 1t would accommodate his con-
venience and take him to his home, where
he would be close to the politics OF the
ninth district which he managed for a
long time for Representative Slemp. Rep
resentative Rixey, in addressing Secretary
Shaw, declared that Mr.. Summers, who
was present, had given no valid reason Tor
the removal of the office and had not even
attempted to assert that the office would
be better located for the government and
the people Of the district at Abingdon than
where 1t Is.
Claims of Lynchburg.
The Dynchburg people, through Repre-
sentative Glass. declared that they did not
desire to ask for the removal of the office
In case the department should decide upon
removal. Lynchburg asked for the Office be-
cause 1t had facilities of railroad, tele-
graph. postal and express that far sur
passed any other place In the district, be-
sides being in the heart Of the tobacco dis
trict Of the state. which furnished the bulk
OF the collections OF the office. Representa-
tive Glass said that the collectors Office
had been located for thirty years at Lynch
burg where 1t rightfully belongs, until
eight years ago. when It was removed to
Alexandria for the convenience of Park
Agnew Now 1t was sought to take the
ONCE to little town within fifteen miles
of the Tennessee line. merely because the
town was the home and political headquar-
ters of Collector Summers. He thought the
interests OF the government and Of the peo-
pie who pay the revenues to the govern
ment ought to be consulted first, and he
hoped this would be done.
Question Of Accommod tions.
There was something OF a wrangle as to
Office accommodations In the three places.
but Collector Summers said that he would
have plenty Of room-in the federal building
at Abingdon II the Office should be located
there. He likewise claimed every conve-
nience In the way of railroad and mail at
Abingdon for the people of the district he
was nearer the center of the district In a
business way and geographically than either
Alexandria or Lynchburg. The collections
were nearer to Abingdon than Alexandria
AS to Mr. Summers statement that he
would have sufficient room for his office at
Abingdon. Representative Rixey said he
had been Informed by the supervising ar
chitect of the treasury that an addition
would have to be made to the Abingdon
building IL the office were taken there
Decision OF the question was withheld by
the Secretary and Commissioner Yerkes
and they are waiting to get record of the
dockets OF the courts to see whether Alb
tngdon has more business in the courts
there than other places In the district In
which the collector OF internal revenue
must take part.
The Abingdon delegation was headed by
Judge b. M. Page and consisted OF w. E.
Minger, J. w. Bell, DIR. E. T. Berdy. May
or J. H. Hines, ]. J. Stuart and L. II. Car
son.
The Alexandria delegation consisted OF
Representative Rixey. NJ B. Harlow. presi-
dent of the Business Mems League: Hubert
Snowden, Gardner L. Boothe. Julian I.
Burke, C. C. Leadbeater. John T. Johnson.
D. E. Downham. John A. Marshall, C. c.
Carlin. John w. May.
With Representative Glass. from Lynch
burg. were James r. Gillian and William
King, jr-