The Washington times., 1921-11-21
IMPROVEMENT
!. WORK IS BOON
TOCLARENDON
Spruce Street Citizens start
Sewerage Project Which 10
Expected to Bring Rapid
Development.

| CLARENDON. Va. Nov. ia
little band of Spruce street cittsena
will be responsible for the starting OF
a project here this week which II ex
pected to be the beginning OF q
Metropolitan Clarendon"
The project in question is the con.
struction Of . community sewrage
system. Since the beginning OF the
war. when the housing shortage b.
came 30 acute In Washington and its
environs on that side Of the river,
realty and home promoters along with
many prominent business mon who
have built residences here. have do
clared the only thing to have retarded
q most phenominal growth In this
section Of Arlington county has been
the lack of sewerage and water
| systems.
6ewrage II Grave Concern.
Most houses are provided with an
excellent water supply from individual
artesian wells fitted with electric
pumping apparatus. but the disposal
Of sewrage has been q matter Of grave
concern to all home owners.
For many months the Ctti1ens
Association Of Clarendon has pleaded
with the county supervisors OF Airing
ton county for money for various i'm.
provements. but with very little re-
suit. Although Clarendon property
and home owners pay the bulk OF the
taxes in the entire county, their pleas
for road, sewerage and water improve
ments have been ignored. although
other sections have been taken care
Of.
At the semi-monhtly meeting Of the
association last week the matter Of
sewerage and. water systems was
again heatedly discussed with tho re-
suit that q committee was appointed
to once more interview the super.
visorB regarding what is now declared
to be the paramount Improvement
needed II this community is to take
its proper place in the rapid ex-
pansion now occurring In northern
| Virginia.
The last time tho supervisors were
verbally prodded by the Citizens As
ISOLATION here to at least formulate
some plan for relief, County Engineer
Howell was ordered to prepare esti-
mates and plans for q sewerage sys-
| tenn. This plan was completed and
| turned in to the supervisors. but laid
| dormant. The system as planned by
Engineer Howell. embraces Districts
Six and Ten Of Arlington county
which takes In nearly all Of Claren-
don.
Many prominent msn here declare
that II Clarendon IL allowed its pe-
tition to incorporate by the supreme
court of Virginia, work can be start
ed within six months. regardless OF
| the attitude of the county super
visors. Although the petition was
refused in circuit court q few months
ago, many citizens are confident OF
favorable action when It comes up
before the highest State tribunal.
The petition IL scheduled to be heard
in January.
II the petition II refused finally.
citizens will have no recourse but
to accept some sort Of plan formu-
lated by the supervisors, or else
build their own. The cost would un-
doubtedly be so great that a special
election would have to be called to
allow taxpayers to register their ap-
proval or disapproval of such q large
| bond issue-probably ono Of at least
500, ,000-if county action was taken
Citizens, to Build Own System
Fretful over the delay of long
promised improvements from the
county supervisors in the past. and
| which have not yet materialized, forty
residents of Spruce street employed
j. Gardner Orrison, q local civil en-.
| gtneer, to draw plans for a community
| sewage disposal system. Mr.. Orrison's 3
| plans were submitted to County En-
| gineer, who approved them. AZ re-
| suit the work will be begun immedi-
| ately.
The system is 30 planned that re-
gardless of what future system may
| be constructed. that Of the Spruce
street community can be coupled on
| simply.
Other groups of citizens, spurred on
by those of the Spruce street district.
are also contemplating similar con-
struction unless relief can be seen in
the immediate future, and II In prob
able that whether or not the super
visors are forced to action by the con-
tinued heated demands of property
owners, that a network Of private sys-
TENS will soon be constructed that will
care for the needs Of the community
| for some time to come.
|