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

JOINT SESSION IS HELD
Recommendations of Attorneys That
Appeal be Taken Passes Without
Serious Opposition. Cost $1,000.

BY a unanimous vote of the Boart
of Aldermen and vote of IL TO 2 u
the Common Council the city fathers
of Alexandria, at meetings held last
night agreed to appeal the annexation
case, which was recently decided
against the City of Alexandra, to the
Supreme Court Of Appeals.
The action of both bodies followed
joint session when acting as q com.
mittee on the whole, the members Of
Council recommended the appeal.
The joint session vas caHed to
order by President F. F, Marbury who
stated the object Of the meeting. He
asked the clerk to read the following
message from Mayor Thomas A.
Fisher:
TO the Honorable City Council Of Al
exandria, Va.
Gentlemen:
ain sweeping decision rendered
this morning at the Court House N
Alexandria County, Judge Bennett
T. Gordon decided the suit of Alex-
andria City for additional territory,
and dismissed the petition, and in
consequence Alexandria will be un-
able to extend its boundaries"
The foregoing is the first para
graph in the first column on the first
page of the Alexandra Gazette, of
Saturday, January 18th. 1913, and
In these words was announced piece
of news that brought considerable
disappointment to. large majority
of our fellow citizens.
This miscarriage Of the wishes Of
the City Council, as proposed in the
ordinance for the annexation of ser
tain laris on our soy1hern, western,
and northern boundaries, is accentu-
ated by reason Of the fact that the
honorable court failed to find even so
much as an acre of ground which NE
think equity should have accorded US.
consider it my duty as Mayor, to
call your attention officially to our
present failure at annexation, In or
der that you may consider the ques-
ton Of an appeal, should you think it
the part of wisdom to proceed further
in the case.
/ desire to make this message the
medium Of submitting my own views
on some matters closely related with
the annexation proceedings as they
have practical as well as senti-
mental aspect.
During the presentation Of evidence
md the arguments Of counsel, was
present each day, and one could not
fail to be impressed with the tinge
of an unfriendly feeling upon the part
of some who testified for the coun-
ties, and the pompous manner of 9TH
ers; emphasizing that they did not
need and desired no fostering care
upon our part, and wished to be let
alone to manage their own affairs
in their own way-this air Of ;nae-
pendenee wss perhaps natural. and
would be commendable il 30 favors
had ever been asked Of us. Judge
Gordon IN referring to the objections
upon the part Of the residents Of the
outlying territory, said for 0ne res-
son, they, tho residents, would derive
from it no benefits they do 40. nov
enjoy in the way OF lights, water,
police, schools, road-vays, and, etc.,
etc ais is not q truth that the gss
is furnished by the city from its ovr
gas works? Is not the electric plant
located in our city and conducts ous1'
ness unedr afrauchiss granted b5
the City Council Hsra not appn'
cations been made By res
idents Of both counties to'
admission Of their chldren to oul
public schools? Every citizen AZ AZ
exandria is ven informed ss 70 hos
and from whom these benefits come
with which the honorable court say:
the residents findthemseivrs sstis
fed. a
These ceaveaienees are thing;
nhieh none Of us desire to deprive gu
county neizhbors, and 6hly mean
spirit ~ould sevy.