Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-05-13
ALEXANDRIA AFFAIRS
Chamber of Commerce to Sift
Deficit of II Counties.
POLICE SEEKING LOST BOY
Mystery in Whereabouts of Alex
ander Lewis, Colored, Missing
Since February.
Special Correspondence of The Star.

Spesioi correspondents 81 Ne star.
ALEXANDRIA,, Va, MAY Is. 1913
Preliminary steps We're taken last night
by the chamber of commerce toward get
ting data on the big deficit of seventy
one countless in the state of Virginia,
which number of counties. it is stated,
cost the state of Virginia approximately
$500. 600 more annually than they pay
into the state treasury. 1t was explained
that the entire burden of taxation
throughout the state devolves upon to-
tai Of Twenty-Five counties and nineteen
cities. and that the seventy-one counties
are virtually dead timber.
j. w. May is chairman of the commit
tee appointed to conduct the investiga
ton.
The first steps toward obtaining the de-
sired information will be to obtain the
cooperation of the various other COM
mercial organizations in the cities and
counties which pay the taxes All OF the
information obtainable will be gathered
together after which efforts will be made
looking to solution of the problem
through the medium of more equitable
system of taxation.
To Confer on Road Building.
A. d. Brockett and C. S. Taylor Burke,
merce at a recent meeting in Richmond
Of the Richmond Washington Highway
Corporation and the Southern Educa-
tional Corporation, submitted their re-
ports last evening. They recommended
that a meeting be called in the near flu
ture and that those interested in road
building, including county supervisors
and highway commissioners. be invited
to be present That portion OF the high
way between here and Occoquan is prac-
tically assured. although consider
ably more funds are needed to insure its
comp letion It is estimated that between
$4,000 and $4,000 nas been collected
thus far for this portion of the work.
Carroll Pierce, president of the chamber
of commerce. today announced the ap-
pointment of the following committee to
serve on the highway corporation; A. u.
Brockett, chairman; H. D. Kirk, j. Louis
Loose, Harry Hammond and j. \. WI
liams.
The committee appointed to investigate
the deficit i'm taxes in seventy-one coun-
ties as named is composed of j. w. May,
chairman; W. A. Smoot. jr.: {. ). I.
! Burke, G. l.. Boothe and George D.
Hopkins.
mittee to investigate the telephone serv-
ice: w. w. Ballenger X. l.. Payne and
George H. Burroughs
oOy = 4/lSdPPCoA oAASO = sAASASS'
The mysterious disappearance Of Alex
ander Lewis, colored, five years Old, son
of Rose Lewis, living in McDermotts
court VINO has been missing since the
early part of last February, is just now
the subject of most rigid investigation
on the part Of the entire police depart
ment of the city
The woman.s second husband, Charles
evils now serving term OF sixty days
in iail. was arraigned in the police court
today at the instance OF the notnei ol
the child on a charge of kidnapping the
hoy. According to the mother Lewis sew
ersl months ago took the child to the
home OF q colored woman named wright,
where he kept the boy for period OF
a few weeks, and afterward took the
child from there. Since that time. she
asserts. she has been unable to find any
trace OF her son.
Lewis emphatically denied that he
knows where his wlfes child is. Justice
Cation remanded him 10 jail.
Alexandria Lodge of Elks at a meet
ing last night arranged for the cele-
hration Of Memorial day May so and
also for a suitable celebration LIBERATION tn ne
Flag day, the latter event being OBJ
served with special exercises.
Exalted Ruler James w. Bales ap-
pointed the following committee to ar
James B. Martin. T. NJ. Dunbar. r. M.
Petit. Herman F'riedlander and Rev.
Edgar Carpenter. The graves OF the
deceased members will be decorated on
that day. The committee for the Flag
day observance will be named later.
James w. Bales. exalted ruler OF the
lodge will leave Friday for Danviile.
Va, to attend the opening Of the new
Elks' Home at that place.
Firm to Resume Operations.
The Emerson Steam Pump Company.
which has been in the hands OF
ceiyers for some time past. will
shortly resume operations 1t was an
nounced today.
A settlement II is stated. has been
reached between the company. which Is
in the bankruptcy courts, and its cred
itors According TO reports the unsecured
creditors will get 30 per cent Of the
amount OF their claims in fun settlement.
There Is approximately $4,000 unsecured.
II is stated.
The crusade against unmuzzled dogs
has again been resumed by the police.