Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-03-07
TOWN FUND WASTE
CHARGED IN SPEECH
Potomac Official Accuses
Council of Failure to
Make Improvements.
Special Dispatch to The Star.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
POTOMAC, Va, March 7.-Charging
Potomac officials with the unnecessary
waste of money, Councilman w. E. Kid
we'll in a fiery statement at the town
council meeting held in the town hall
last night threatened to fight to have
the towns charter dissolved unless
some action is taken by the council.
Criticizing the large amount of bills
presented the council for payment as
exorbitant, Kidwell charged that the
peoples money is being wasted and
that no permanent improvements are
being made and that the taxpayers are
deriving no benefit from the taxes they
now pay into the town Golfers.
Now Favor Annexation.
IT have never seen Potomac in the
shape 1t now is in" he exclaimed. We
are living in a mudhole and something
has got TO be done about it. Potomac
is making no progress. It is time for
the citizens to get up in arms and de-
mand action. The people have elected
me to take care of their interests and
! am going to do it,
1T have fought hard to prevent an
nexation," Kidwell continued, "but if
had it to go over with I would say
Alexandria get me- If Alexandria loses
the annexation suit now in progress
intend to fight to dispose of the towns
charter"
In his statement Kidwell charged the
Potomac Police Department with laXity.
He also pointed out what he termed to
be excessive consumption of gasoline by
the fire department
Taking exception to Kidwelrs address.
Councilman H A. Hampton, chairman
OF the councils finance committee
charged Kidwell with being rash and
excessive in his statements" and said
that Kidwell's assertions are not based
on facts.
Mayor Walter B. Fulton said that
within the past so days $4,000 of the
towns Indebtedness has been retired
the first reduction in the towns debt
during the period he has resided here,
he said.
Fulton said that regarding Kidwell'S
comments on the police department, he
favored regular hours for all town en-
ployes and that a night policeman
should be employed to provide proper
relief for Town Police Sergt. A. F. Dris-
coll, who has been on duty "a hours
each day without relief since the regu-
lar night officer was taken i'll.
=
here with fire in his eyes to worry me- 50
Police Sergt. Driscoll said when given
permission to answer the charges of
laxity made against his department by
Kidwell
II have been on duty continuously
since the special officer was taken Ill.
and, besides, have been in charge of the
collection of taxes and the issuing Of
town automobile licenses, as well as
street and sewer work.
McHugh Takes Issue.
T. w. McHugh, president of the Po-
tomac Citizens Association, said he
would be willing to pay taxes for SO
years to maintain the charter, and then
addressing Councilman Kidwell asked,
you ask what benefit Potomac is deriv.
ing from its town taxes, will you explain
what benefit We are getting from the
taxes we pay to Arlington County?"
Kidwell replied that the county re-
Gently purchased a modern fire engine
for the Potomac Fire Department
McHugh retaliated by asserting that
local f1remen respond to more alarms
in that area Of the county adjacent to-
Potomac than within the town.
The answer expected from the Mount
Ida Citizens Corporation regarding the
counc1fS recent offer to give the corpor-
alton a portion of the towns right-of-
way to Four-Mile Run for the construc-
ton of a sanitary sewer was not received
and Mayor Fulton was instructed to
proceed with a suit pending in the Ar
lington County Circuit Court to obtain
relief from the alleged health menace
unless some definite word regarding the
offer is obtained today.
A special meeting of the councils
board of sanitation was fixed for Friday
night in the council chamber.