Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-12-21
OFFICIALS GR|LLED
ON ANNEXATION
Alexandria Mayor and Coun-
Gilman Heard on Need
of New Area.
By staff Correspondent Of The Star

BY staff Correspondent OF The star.
COURTHOUSE, Arlington County,
va, December 21.-Mayor William II.
Smoot of Alexandria and Councilman
]. E. w. Timberman. president of the
Alexandria Chamber of Commerce,
who testified today in the annexation
trial that congestion in the city made
the acquisition of more territory ad
v.Sable. were subjected to rigid cross
examination by counsel for Arlington
and Fairfax Counties. which resulted
in admissions by Timberman that
"some" commercial and residential
sites still are available.
Timberman was the councilman who
introduced. the resolution which has
resulted in the current annexation
proceedings. He is leading drug
gist and civic worker
After testifying that Alexandria Is
congested in the business area. that
there are practically no sites avail
able for factories, that home sites are
very limited and there is no oppor'
tunity for expansion, Timberman
testified on cross-examinatiOn by Gran
dali Mackey that there were several
large vacant tracts of ground within
the city limits that could be used for
commercial purposes ''if the private
owners were willing to SELL"
No Requests For Sites.
Timberman. i'm answer to other
questions by counsel for the defen-
dant counties said he knew of no re-
cent requests for wharf manufac-
turing sites in Alexandra and ad-
mitted there were q number OF for
mer manufacturing concerns who
have gone out of business.
"Then there IN no necessity for
seeking new factory sites If there is
no demand for Them" asked Mr..
Mackey.
The witness answered in the neg
alive, although his counsel vigor-
ously objected. on the ground that
it was an expression of opinion.
Mayor Smoot testified that the City
Council had been suggesting annexa-
ton plans "for two or three years.
Finally it was decided. he explained,
to seek extension of the city to The
old limit to the north that existed 125
years ago when the city was known
as Hunting Creek Warehouse" He
said the council fixed the natural
lines of the territory sought to be an
nexed so they would conform to high
ways and streams and avoid splitting
farms and houses.
Opinion Not Recorded.
Questioned by Carter Hall of counsel
for the city as to 1.-THE expedienoy Of
annexation" Smoot started to reply.
but on objection by opposing counsel
that his answer would be merely an
opinion the cuort ruled that his reply
should not be made of record.
Acrimonious dispute between oppos-
ing counsel featured the opening of
the court session this morning as
result of the counsel for Alexandra
taking from the courtroom yesterday
afternoon certain maps designed by
the defendants. After lengthy dis.
cussion, joined in by members of the
court, it was finally ruled that the
county attorneys should be given
access to the maps before proceeding
with crossexamination concerning
them.
In response to request yesterday,
from the defense, City Attorney AL
bert Bryan produced figures regarding
police and fire calls answered by
Alexandria authorities in the disputed
territory during the past four years.
The figures showed that from 1924 to
1927 Alexandria police arrested 102
persons In Arlington County and 10 in
Fairfax County and that the Alex
andria Fire Department during that
period responded to SO alarms in
Arlington County and 10 in Fairfax
County.
Clash Over Budget.
A spirited but but unsuccessful at
tempt by defendant counsel to obtain
access to Alexandria's budget through
it's inclusion in the record enlivened
the proceedings late yesterday after
noon.
After City Manager Morton had
used the budget document throughout
the day In connection with MS testi-
rnony as to the city's financial state
and as to the efficiency of the fire.
police, garbage disposal, street i'm.
provement and other departments, al
torneys for the counties sought Wig
orously to have the budget male
part of the record In the case.
commemorative Attorney Cloth of
Arlington County contsnded the bur-
ret was necessary for the proper cross
examination of Mr.. Morton and Gran.
dali Mackey, associate counsel for the
county, Joined in the plea. 1t was de-
clared Alexandria was trying to cor.
zeal certain portions of the budget.
Albert Bryan, city attorney for
Alexan tiria and Carter Hall. also lep-
resenting the city. urged against tho
-equest, characterizing 1t as Unusual.
The court upheld Alexandria's re-
fusal to make the document a part of
the record on the ground that a COM