Evening star., 1928-11-21
ANNEXATION SUIT
SCALED UNFAIR
Arlington Counsel Says Alex
andria Seeks to Increase
Its Revenues.
Dispatch to The Star.

OOuIIty Will bkIC DODC OL OCCURRING
four square miles OF territory in Jeffer-
son and Arlington magisterial districts,
were resumed this morning in the
Arlington County courthouse before q
special tribunal Of three judges ap-
pointed by Gov. Harry Flood Byrd. The
judges are Frederick Coleman of
Fredericksburg. E. w. HudgingS of
Chase City and Don P. HalSey of
Lynchburg.
Albert v. Bryan of the counsel for
Alexandria read the notice originally
served on the board of supervisors of
Arlington County advising that body of
Alexandria's intention to institute suit.
A copy of the ordinance which the
City Council of Alexandria approved
october 18, 1927, was also read.
John s. Barbour of the counsel Cor
Arlington pointed out that there is no
valued or just reason why Alexandria
needs the territory it seeks. He said the
annexation suit is unfair and unjust
and that annexation by Alexandria
would greatly reduce the area of JEFF
ferson magisterial district, that there
is no necessity or expediency for annex
alton, that the suit is born of a selfish
and graSping desire to artihcially in
crease population and wealth of Alex
andria."
SNUhAAC Vi oNOHtu SCtu-
He further stated that the city al
ready has reached the deadline of its
growth and IS in no position to carry
out the improvement it promises if its :
annexation desires are realized. and
that the territory sought is not neces-
Sary for the health of the ciLy or does
the city show any Justification for an
nexation Of more land.
MIR. Barbour pointed out that the
territory was not necessary for Alex
andria's development as the present
| boundaries of that municipality are
ample. He said that the territory in
| question is not in need of any greater
| police protection than that afforded
| by Arlington County. 1t was shown
! that the population of Alexandria has
! increased little since it's annexation of
| approximately $50 acres of Arlington
and Fairfax Counties by similar pro-
ceedings in 1915.
He indicated that sidewalks and
| roads in the city adjacent to that pro-
| posed to be annexed are not modern,
and in many places are impossible
and that conditions in the county are
! generally better than those in the city
| and that Alexandria is unable to put
in sanitary system in the territory
it desires without increasing taxationI
Benefits Held Lacking.
Mr.. Barbour said that the sewers,
| sidewalks and streets which Alexandria
| promised to install when it annexed
| territory in the two counties in 1915
have not been installed. He asserted
that many inhabitants of Arlington
County object to any change Of gov
ernment.
Mr.. Barbour told the court that the
residents of Arlington County have
many advantages which the city does
not offer including free text books for
school children, school dentist, we'll
organized health clinics in various mag
iSterial districts, a health center for the
care of infants and full time health
officer with three attendants.
He stated that the Board Of Super
visors of Arlington County is vested
with the same power of any city
council.
MIR. Barbour told the court that if
Alexandria acquired the territory it de-
Sires TO obtain it would mean that the
residents in that section would be
forced to give up the water supply pro-
said that the modern fire equipment of
the county is more efficient than that
of Alexandria.
| Mr.. Barbour denied that the resi-
| dents IN the territory proposed to be
| annexed enjoyed to a large degree the
| facilities of the. city without having to
bear any of the city's burdens. He said
no steps had been taken to improve
Hoofs Run since 1921 until the present
annexation suit was instituted.
In his opening remarks Attorney
Bryan said Alexandrias principal claim
for annexation was "a necessity" and
| "expediency," and that the health of
| the community Is the main demand.
| He introduced a map on which he
pointed out the territory in Alexandria
prior to annexation in 1915 and showed
| the present boundaries of the city, which
he said contained 2.65 square miles.
He showed on the map the land Alex
andria desired in Arlington County,
| Mr.. Bryan said there is no scavenger
| service in the territory in question and
| that the community is not properly
| severed, the sewage being disposed Of
by cesspools and private sewers.
He showed that the subdivisions Of
] Cottage Park, Jefferson Park and others
on the north and northwest empty their
sewage in a raw state into HoofS Run,
which flows through Alexandria.
Alexandria is a draining station for
| the territory on its north and northwest
boundaries, he said, and existing condi-
: tionS can be corrected only by placing
that section under one control. He said
Alexandria has almost completed mod
ern sanitary sewer from Hunting Greek
to its north boundary. and that the
sewer will be brought to the northern
limits of the city by Spring.
Lack Of Room Cited.
He cited the lack of room for play
grounds and municipal park areas with
in the city limits. He said there is no
room for industrial developments and
that several applications for industrial
sites have recently been rejected because
of the lack of room to accommodate the
firms which wished to locate there. He
! asserted that the residential develop
ment in the territory sought by annexa-
ton was largely brought about by
Alexandria business men building their
homes in that section because of the
lack of suitable sites in the city itself.
He said large number of the residents
have their business social and religious
connection in Alexandria.
Mr.. Bryan pointed out that the sub
divisions in Arlington County north of
the city have been constructed in a
haphazard manner, each built 1ndiVid-
ually with no relation to the other sub
division, and that the correct way to
remedy that condition would be to place
the territory under one control.
Mr.. Bryan said the population In the
territory sought by annexation is SAT-
persons, and that they require better
fire and police protection than the
county affords.
Fairfax County was not represented
at the hearing this morning. an agree
ment having been reached with Alex
andria last week in which Fairfax gave
Alexandria 500 of the 900 acres which
the city desired in it's suit. The town
council of Potomac, the territory
sought by Alexandria. at its meeting