Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1916-02-19
r. Walton Moore Suggests To Fair
fax Supervisors Need Of a
! = Better Courthouse

r. Walton Moore has sent to Chair-
man Ballenger Of the Fairfax County
board of supervisors the following
letter urging The adoption Of a COM
prehensive plan to provide better ac-
commodations fer all county officials
at Fairfax:
Fairfax, Va, Feb. s, 1916.
Frank L. Ballenger, Esq, Chairman
of the Board of Supervisors Of
Fairfax County, Va:
Dear Mr.. Ballenger: 1t has been
/! suggested that additional space in
| th:i Clerks Office might be obtained
! bv cutting door between the east
! ern vault and the little room at the
south end of the hallway, so as to
! make the latter availabla for keep
ing books and papers. AS a citizen
deeply interested in whatever affects
! the county interests, venture to
urge that, in advance, Of resortlng
to any such limited and temporary
method of relieving the admitted
congestion, the conditions which
have reference to al! the official work
of the county now and during the
future should be broadly considered
with a view to the adoption of some
much more comprehensive and prac-
teal plan. If this is done it is at
least possible the conclusion may be
reached that it would be- wiser, and
in the long run more economical, to
build new court house, with the
Clerks office under the same roof;
convert the present court house into
Il county library; preserve the build
ing now occupied as the Clerks office
for the offices of the Treasurer, Su-
perintcndent of Schools, and r:'r-
haps other officials, and as meet
ing place for the Board of Supervis-
ors and all other county and district
boards. and install a system Of sew
erage, heating and lighting for the
common service of all the buildings
ON the court green,
1t is generally conceded that the
old court house has become in every
way inadequate. 1t is also generally
conceded, l think, that the county
should have circulating library.
operated in connection with the
schools. and for the benefit of the
crtira public including teachers and
pupils which would place Fairfax
abreast in that regard Of numberless
other communities of no greater pop
ulation and Importance. There can
be little doubt that the building bsing
provided substantial private aid could
be enlisted toward equipping and sue
cessfully conducting such library.
1t goes without saying that no such
Encouragement Of the present Clerk
office as that which has been suggest
ed, would prevent it from soon be-
coming altogether insufficient, and it
VIII hardly he denied that in the in
tcrest of health and comfort,
modern system Of sewerage, etc, is
necessary.
The expense Of some complete and
harmonious plan of meeting the needs
not only of the present, but of the
future, which would be small in COM
rarison with tire advantages accru-
ing to the people of our time and to
those coming after US. should obvi-
ously he distributed over long per-
iod so as to attach very trihing
! burden to any single year or single
'leca6-; It seems to me that this mat
-cr is of great consequence and de-
+ "erves the careful and deliberate
consideration which hope tfse' Board
. may be able to find time to give it.
With much respect. | am.
Yours very truly.
R. WALTON MOORE,
L.