Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1913-10-23
WANTS A BIG SLICE
Of OLD ANNE ARUNDEL
Mayor Preston Of Baltimore Reaches
Out to AbsOrbe This County.
CONDUCTING STATE CAMPAIGN
Circular Letter Sent FsvOring Such
Legislation Next Session.

Legislation Next Session.
Every editor and business man in
the several sections of Anne Arundel
county has received a circular letter
FROM Mayor James H. Preston, Of
Baltimore. in which he states ideas
of his campaign to absorb sections of
this county.
This personal campaign, being con-
Quoted by Mr.. Preston, is of more
than usual Importance TO Anne Arun-
delians. Ia his scheme he conte m
plates the annexation to Baltimore
city OF a populous and prosperous
SO ction of the Fifth district. The
change, if ever made, would cut off
hundreds of thousands of dollars from
the taxable basis of the county and
reduce the population of Anne Arud-
del by several thousand.
Not only is is it proposed to take
into Baltimore the Brooklyn, Curtis
Bay, Masonsville and Fairfield. Sec
tions of the Fifth district, but large
aud similarly desiIdb sections of
Baltimore county are also to Se swal-
lowed by the city under the provi-
sions of bill which has been pre-
pared and will be introduced iu the
Legislature in January Tt is to Sc
cure support for this proposition and
votes for the proposed anne ndment to
the Constitution of the State that
would largely increase the represen-
tation and power of the city in the
Senate and House of Delegates, that
Mayor Preston is now canvassing
many of the counties of the State.
The plan would take from this
county's government the control Of
the section annexed, including all ap-
pointments such as policemen, nre-
men, road supervisors and others
which are now named by the County
Commissioners. While the bill pro-
vides a sort of autonomous seIf-gov.
ernme Mt for the sections annexed by
the city and allows this throu. yh the
appointment of a local commission
this Board s powers are limited. The
jurisdiction of the Health Depart
ment of the city is extended over all
the property sannexed, as is the su-
pervision of the School Board of the
city over the schools in tthe annexed
section.
The taxes upon each borough shall
be levied by its own local board, and
8 per ent. of the levy shall be paid
over to the register of the city as
the proper contribution of the bor-
ough to the general expenses of the
city. Each borough is to be repre-
sented in the Baltimore City Coun-
ell, and while such representative in
the Council is presumably paid out of
the city treasury the borough itself
is compelled to contribute S per cent.
of its whole tax levy into the mu-
nicipal treasury. Other features Of
the bill foil wv:
1t provides for the appointment
of supervisors of elections by the
Governor and of special policemen
by the supervisors, and prohibits
sheriffs of Baltimore and Anne Arun-
del counties from appointing any
deputies at the polling places.
The streets and alleys in the sec
tions annexed shall be held as pub
lie streets of the city of Baltimore,
and all proceedings for .the paving
of new streets begun prior to the
annexation shall be continued and
completed az il the Act had not been
passed.
The Commissioners are given full
power in constructing and maintain
ing roads, streets and alleges in their
respective boroughs, but it is pro-
vided that the location of the new
roads, streets and alleys is required
to be approved by the Typographical
Survey Commission of Baltimore
city.
The COMMISSIONS rs are to be paid
$1,000 a year, to be taken from the
public funds of their own boroughs.
The borough Commissioners are au-
thorized to contract with the Mayor
and City Council of Baltimore for
the extension of the water and sew
erage systems of the city into their
respective boroughs.
The borough Commissioner are
directed to pay to the County Com
missioners of Baltimore and Aune
Arundel counties a fair valuation of
the fire engine houses, fire engines
and apparatus. station houses, school
houses and lamps within the limits of
the respective boroughs, the valua-
tion to be ascertained by arbitration.
However, the payment to the County
Commissioners for the hitherto coun-
ty owned property would have to be
made out Of the funds of the borough
as collected on its own tax levy and
the city of Baltimore would not do
the purchasing.