Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1921-12-28

tv and said he thought this was Il
favorable time to act. Mr.. Ballcnger
! said Fairfax county already had vot-
ed for bond issue for 100000 to
build the road.
George Harrison, member of the
board of supervisors of Fairfax spoke
ON the acceptance OF the contract and
he told of how hard he had worked to
have the bond issue Of $500, 600 adopt
ed by Fairfax county in the interest
OF the building of this road.
| Thopas r. Keith made an address
| in which he outlined the position OF
the commission in reference to this
construction, telling the meeting of
the powers OF the county in the prem
ises regarding the return Of the
| funds allocatcd for such work. Mr..
Keith in his or.ning remarks suggest
! ed that someone cut the strings at
tachcd to the proposition and adVo-
/ Gated getting to work. The matter,
he said. had been discussed for the
ipast twenty years, adding that FAIR
/ fax now had arrived at a pretty de-
finite conclusion regarding the mat
ter, and he added that the bond IS
sue for this road had been passed by
a substantial majority. The plan, he
said, provided that the county OF
Fairfax issue bonds for $50O,000 on
the understanding that it would be
returned within period Of four
wears. Commissioner Coleman said ne
did not wish to do anything more than
was authorized by the state.
Continuing, Mr.. Keith said the leg
islaturc must have intended to have
riyen the people some definite assur-
ance or something reasonably definite,
adding that if the statute did not so
provide it is worthless.
Mr.. Keith said he thought the com.
mission ought to strain point, II
necessary, and give reasonable as
surancc that the money would be re-
paid in five years. and if this were
done he thought the people OF Fam,
fax would be satisfied. Mr.. Keith told
the commission that there is no road
in Virginia more important than this
one, it being vital to Fairfax county
and the key to the situation; and ne
concluded by expressing hope that
the commission could find a way to
carry out the plan proposed.
Wilson Farr, Of Fairfax, told of the
plans for the election for he bond Is
sue and of correspondence he had
with Commissioner Coleman. Mr.. Farr
said the officials of Fairfax admitted
there was an honest misunderstand-
ing regarding the refund of the
money. This he declared had now been
removed and the statute he declared
gives the commission the right to fix
terms for the rcfunding of the money.
Mr.. Farr said that if plan could be
worked out providing for the re-
payment of the money to Fairfax
county in period of five years he felt
confident that they could get the road
/ improved right away
John S. Barbour concurred in the
statements made as to the necessity
for the rebuilding Of this road, and
discussed the legal questions involv-
| ing the bond issue as provided for
by the freeholders of Fairfax. The
board, he said, was voted on the
strength of very definite plan which
| Ilc utCldlbu "dS upon tiIe
authorities OF Fairfax county. If they
! dcviatcd in any manner from the ori-
ginal plan, he declared, they could be
enjoincd by any propertyholder Of
Fairfax from issuing the bonds. Con-
tinuing, Mr.. Barbour said: "We,
therefore, have oot to act in good faith
! and it is within the power of the
commission TO carry out the pleasure
, Of the board" The question, he said,
/ is whether or not the commission has
the legal power. and he quoted sec
, ton of the statute setting forth that
| it had this power Mr.. Barbour said
! that the fact thct the commission is
authorized to enter into contract
; for money gives it wide power. The
only limitation, he declared, is that
it shall not pay interest. Concluding,
Mr.. Barbour said: You are au-
thorized to agree with boards for the
return Of funds without interest.
When you act on the assumption that
the people are back of you you have
discharged your duty. and there can
be no doubt about your power to use
the money, to be returned in the fu-
Continued on page three)