Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-08-02
CITIZENS TO FIGHT
F|REHOUSE SITE
Clarendon Residents and
Church Join in Opposition
to Location of Structure.
BY LESTER N. INSKEEP,
Staff Correspondent of The Star.

CLARENDON, Va, August 1.-The
apparently well laid plans of the Gar
endon Volunteer Fire Department to
erect new building on lot on Lawton
avenue between Taylor and Washing
ton avenues, disregarding the offer of
the board of county supervisors to share
in the project and take title to the
building, has stirred up such opposition
that it is second only to that used to
lumbia to erect fire engine house on
fashionable Sixteenth street.
Despite the fact that c. L. Kinnier,
county directing engineer, has approved
the plans and location, because he has
issued permit for the new structure,
a group of citizens has combined to de-
feat the project, and tbc/ officials of the
Clarendon Methodist Church are among
the strongest opponents of the location
of the fire engine house at that par
ticular site.
Petition Prepared.
With the Zoning Commission meeting
tonight, a petition has been prepared OPP
posing the structure and already As
persons have affixed their signatures
thereto.
According to Mrs. Ruth w. Trone,
who lives at l9 Taylor avenue and who
is one Of the leaders against the new
firehouse, there has been but one per-
son in the immediate vicinity of the
site who has refused to sign the petition
Of protest, and this one mans own wife
and daughter have signed it.
Four reasons are set forth In the pc
tition to show cause why the building
should not be located at this point.
The first is that 1t is a strictly resi-
Dental section and the second that the
building will be located on a narrow
street and narrow lot, both being of
such nature as to necessarily en-
danger the lives of the many children
spends to an alarm at the usual rate of
speed.
The third reason is that the building
would be located within $50 feet of the
largely attended Clarendon Methodist
Church and that during services at the
church there is always a line of cars
on either side of Lawton avenue, max
ing it most dangerous route for fire
apparatus; also the siren would inter-
rupt the services.
AS cited in the petition. with special
emphasis upon the fact that 1t does not
refer to the flremen themselves, the
fourth reason is a statement to the ef-
feet that 1t will provide loaf1ng place
for many persons who make a practice
OF hanging around public buildings at
all hours of the day and night, and that
residents and their children would be
annoyed by bosisterous and unpleasant
language.
Among others who have Joined Mrs.
Trone> in the fight are Rev. George H
Fielding, pastor of the church, and j.
C. Boss, owner of theater here and
of property near the proposed fire
house.
Minister Organizing Protest.
The minister spent a greater part of
yesterday in assisting to organize the
concentrated opposition Of property
owners and civic organizations, it was
said. Boss, it is understood, has stated
to several persons that he will seek an
Injunction the minute an effort is made
to start the building.
In explaining his reason for granting
the building permit Kinnler said that
while no coming ordinance has yet been
adopted for the county, the coming not
having been completed, most coming
classifications do not apply to fire
houses or police stations, and that he
acted under the assumption that the
same practice would be followed in the
coming of Arlington County. which is
now under way He indicated, however
that the matter will probably be put
before the zoning Commission at its
meeting tonight. with a request that
the commission take definite stand In
the matter.
Today's situation is but one Of a
number of difficulties that have been
faced by the Fire Department since
it found itself homeless some months
ago by the sale of the Clarendon Com
munity House. in which it had been
quartered for many years.