Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-12-16
FIRE PROTECTION
TAX SCALE URGED
Graduated Rate Is Announc-
ed at Meeting of Fair
fax Volunteers.
Special Dispatch to The Star.


FAIRFAX, Va, December 16.-Be-
tween 80 and IS representatives of the
five volunteer f1re-f1ghting companies
of Fairfax County gathered Saturday
night at the home of l.. l.. Freeman of
Vienna to discuss problems of mutual
interest. AS a result of the conference
1t was determined to ask the board OF
supervisors to place in the budget for
the coming year a graduated tax for
fire protection, cents on the $l0O val
uation for Lee, Centerville and Mount
Vernon districts, and 5 cents on the
500 in Providence, Dranesville and
Falls Church districts.
This will yield a slightly larger
revenue than the uniform Scent tax
proposed last year. Expenditure of this
fund would be left to the discretion of
the board of supervisors, the general
opinion being that it should be under
the supervision of the county engineer.
The sentiment of the companies as
expressed Saturday night, however, was
that the money should be used to pur-
chase additional hose and supple
mentary supplies, not for basic equip
ment. Inasmuch as the county will re-
tain title to anything purchased with
tax money, it was deemed best that
none of it be used for the different
bumpers and engines on which the
companies have already paid the bulk
of the cost and to which they wish TO
retain full title.
Committee Named.
A committee was appointed TO
present this request to the supervisors,
including two from each department,
with j. H. Beattie, chief of the Nc
Lean department who presided at Sat-
urday nights meeting, as spokesman for
the delegation. j. w. Preston was
named as the second representative of
Mclean, George B. Robey and James
E. Nickel from Fairfax. r. E. Kendrick
and E. NJ. Ward from Falls Church
George Harrison and T. Edgar Reed
from Herndon and j. l.. Jeffries and
r. L. Wright from Vienna.
1t was brought out during the dis
cussion that $4,000 worth of new
equipment has been delivered to the
county within the past 80 days, at
Herndon, Vienna and Mclean. With
the new engines for Fairfax and Falls
Church the total of new equipment
purchased by volunteer efforts within
the past two years alone totals at least
$4,000, not counting the cost Of the
new engine houses at Herndon and
Vienna, which would probably bring
the total expenditure for new fire.
fighting equipment in the county to al
most $4,000.
Change in Statute Urged.
An effort will be made at the coming
State Legislature to have the present
statute authorizing support of volunteer
fire companies by the supervisors
changed to correspond with the custom
followed in Maryland, where the super
viSors allot a sum of money to each
department on the basis of each piece
of equipment owned, rather than as at
present in Arlington County. where
the supervisors claim title to equip
ment.
An effort will also be made, accord
ing to informal discussion Saturday
night, to have the statute passed at
the last Legislature providing $1,000
compensation for firemen killed in line
Of duty increased to $500 This
statute only becomes effective when
adopted by the local board Of super
ViSorS.
L. L. Freeman, as chairman Of the
Chamber of Commences fire prevention
committee, asks each department tc