Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1912-09-17
ANNEXATION CASE
OPENED TO-DAY
! Second Attempt of Alexan-
dria City to Expand Her
Limits.
AN ARRAY OF TALENT.
Mr.. John M. Johnson Makes Forceful
Argument, Reviewing the Case in
Mastery Manner.
AN ARRAY OF TALENT.
Mr.. John M. Johnson Makes Forceful

Before Judge Bennett T. Gordon, of
Nelson county, who was designated by
Governor Mann to decide the question,
the attorneys of Alexandria City
opened their case at Alexandria Court
House, this morning to secure addi-
ticnal territory for Alexandria City.
They were opposed by the representa-
tives of Alexandria and Fairfax coun-
ties who brought to bear every pos
sible argument and obstacle to pre-
vent the city in its determination to
add to it's limits.
Today made the second attempt on
thepart of Alexandria to secure addi-
tional territory. The first hearing took
place on May 9Th when Judge Gordon
dismissed the original proceedings on
the grounds that the authorities of
Alexandria and Fairfax counties had
not been given proper notice of the
institution of the suit. After the er-
ror had been corrected by new notice,
the case was again brought before
Judge Gordon on demurrers filed by
the counties to the petition of the city.
The arguments were heard on the de-
murrers on July II, and a few days
ago the demurrers were dismissed by
Judge Gordan and the case came up
this morning on its merits.
There was a notable gathering OF
attorneys at the court house today.
Alexandria City was represented by
Samuel P. Fisher, Corporation Attor-
ney John M. Johnson and Samuel G.
Brent, Commonwealth's Attorney. AL
exandria county was represented by
Former Governor Andrew Jackson
Montague and his brother, R. Lynch
Montague, of Richmond, who were en-
gagged to assist Crandall Mackey, Com
monwealth's Attorney, while Fairfax
county sent John S. Barbour and Thos.
Keith, of the law firm of Moore, Bar
bour, Keith G. McCandlish to assist
C. Vernon. Ford, Commemorative At
torney. Among other attorneys pres
ent were R. C, LMoncure, W. C.Goth,
". H. Gaines, H. B. Cation and Howard
w. Smith. There was large number
of spectators present, among these
being Thomas A. Fisher, Mayor OF
Alexandria.
The case was commenced at 1880
ond John M. Johnson made an open
ing statement in which he outlined
>tbe case which Alexandria expected
to present to the court. He commenc-
edwith an historical sketch of the
founding of the city, showing how it
had gradually grown and how the
State Legislature, from time to time
had passed various acts embracing
within the jurisdiction of the author
tiles of the city, the several settle
ments which had grown up in the VI
cinity. At one period of Alexandrla's
history the Legislature granted the
city a charter which embraced even
more territory than is now desired
but at the request of the City CouncH'
the limits were contracted to Its pres
ent size.
Mr.. Johnson stated that the pres
ent area of Alexandria is 71S acres anu
that the territory proposed to be taken
from Alexandria county is 1868 acres,
and from.Fairfax county $50 acres Oh
land and 1870 acres of water.
Mr.. Johnson then proceeded to give
his reasons for the annexation OF ao-
ditional territory. He said that ne
would show that the density OF popu-
lation is greater in Alexandria tnan
in any city of similar class in Vlr-
rinia, Maryland or Kentucky. In Al
exandria there are $4,000 people 70
the square mile, while in no other city
in Virginia are there more than 10,Ooo
people to the square mile. Taking the
cities of Petersburg, Newport News,
Lynchburg, and Staunton, for eX-
ample, the average is less than $500
people to the square mile.
The "black spots" of Alexandria
City. which had bene dwelt upon by
the defense in their answer to the pc
tit!on, were next discussed by th'
speaker. He told of the great i'm
provements that the city had mad
within the past ten years and how fu