Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1913-01-24

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counties have either, is news to mos
of. us. propose. to have a voice ant
q word in this matter which concern:
the police and fire service which ha:
always been freely and promptly fur
nished. I wish to say my action:
will be guided by no reyengeful re-
prisal, but only as an admonition tc
those who have pompously declined
OUT efforts to make them a part Of
us. that they themselves should as,
sume the burdens, dangers expense
and responsibility of protecting them
selves from lawlessness and danger
of confagrations.
When they inaugurate ways and
means to at least minimize possible
dangers and troubles on these lines
and it will necessarily enlist their
energies and cost them money-then
the demands of humanity and neigh
borly feeling would invite, if not re-
quire our assistance and appliances
Had Judge Gordon conceded US a
fair portion of the territory we de-
sired to annex, discussion, or if you
please the consideration of this ques-
tion of police assistance and fire de-
partment service would be unnecess-
ary. The issue having been settled
largely through the opposition of the
residents of the adjacent counties we
may well pause and calmly and dis
creetly consider our duty to our
selves, our obligations to our neigh
bors. This suggests an intelligent
and discriminating consideration of
precedent and custom and laws. The
police power of arrest one mile be-
Yond cur corporate limits is permis-
sion not a power that we arr bound
10 observe, because not obligatory,
and it is none the less true that the
time has come when the counties
should have their own officers, rath-
CT than call on US day an dnight
for police help. Water service has
beeu installed in both counties, with
fire plugs or hydrants at convenient
places, yet no move has been made
by those most interested to procure
any fire fighting apparatus or org
anize any fire companies. The send
ing of our fire engines beyond the
line has been upon or
lers of different persons at differ
ent times, sometimes the Mayor-the
Chief of the Fire Department,and the
ire wardens, and perhaps by others.
1t may be a question even if the
Mayor has. the authority to give such
orders, however, at times he must
act, and then at once. That he can
prohibit or prevent the taking of the
fire apparatus of the fire de-
partment of the city l have
20 doubt. An act of the General As
sembly of Virginia in relation to the
government of cities and towns ap-
proved May $50, 1903 has provi-
s ion as follows:
"The Council of any city or town
"may, in their discretion, authorize
':or require, the fire department there
"of to render aid in cases of fire oc-
curing beyond their limits, land
may prescribe the conditions on
(which such aid may be rendered"
No ordinance has passed the City
Council fully covering the conditions
and under which this aid should be
rendered. I do not think that our peo-
rle at the present time are over en-
thusiastic in assisting our friends of
me counties as outlined in the Act
quoted.
If they are, they possess spirit Of
charity and good will which was lack
ing on the part of many who were
: volunteer witnesses for the counties.
confess to a feeling of disappoint-
ment, which at first was one of resent
rent toward the anti-annexation-
;st, yet reflection and desire to do
injustice to no one has lessened that
feeling. This however, will not de-
ter me from insisting that if the res
idents of our borders desire our help,
that they must no longer delay plan
to help themselves. When they do
this then we will naturally desire to
become auxiliaries to anything that
will be 20 their benefit.
President Marbury then invited Jno.
n. johnson and Corporation Attor-
ney Samuel P. Fisher to address the
members and Mr.. Johnson discussed
at lensth the proceedings before Judge
Gordon and reviewed in detail the
evidence which The city had presented