Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-05-05
ANNEX|NG BRINGS
POLITICAL TANGLE
Nine Officials in Arlington to
Lose Status by De-
ciSi0n.
BY LESTER N. INSKEEP.

BY staf Correspondent of The Star.
ARLINGTON COUNTY COURT
HOUSE, Va, May faced with the
question of either selling their homes
and moving into another section of the
county or retiring at the next general
election from public life, a number of
the officials of Arlington County are
already making efforts to dispose Of
their homes, which are located in the
territory awarded yesterday by a spe-
cial court to the city of Alexandria.
Three elected and six appointed Of
hcials are now residents of the affected
area. The elected officials are William
H. Duncan, clerk of the court; Edward
Duncan. chairman of the board OF
county supervisors, and Constable Her
bert T. Baker.
Can Serve Terms.
Under the law these officials may con-
tinue their duties during their present
terms of Office, but will not be eligible
for reelection if they continue their
peal Is dismissed.
OF the three officials, Edward Dun
can is the veteran Office holder. He has
been a member of the board of SUI
pervisors for the past % years. He has
always lived on the site of his present
residence on Washington avenue and Is
now faced with either retiring at the
some other section.
William Duncon has been clerk of
the court since 1920 and is now serving
his second 'eight-year term, which will
not expire until 1886. Prior to his
election to his present position he was
commissioner of revenue for several
years. Baker is serving four-year
term, which expires in 1892.
The appointed officials whose posi-
hni
10 other sections of the country before
the annexation order becomes effective,
are Ralph z. Remington, deputy clerk
of the court: Bryan Gordan, associate
trial justice: j. H. Kremer, overseer Of
the poor: Deputy Sheriff Archie Rich
ards and County Policemen Raymond
Cobean and Hugh c. Jones. most Of
whom are now seeking new homes.
Two of the members of~the newly ap-
nointed coming commission are residents
of the territory to be annexed. They
are Mai. w. r. Richards and j. E.
Spaulding. While the annexation order
cannot become effective until acted
upon by the Virginia Court of Appeals,
1t is held likely that these two mem
bers will no longer be acceptable to the
board of county supervisors in plan
ring the future growth of the county.
Their immediate replacement Is ex-
pected.
Four Square Mile Area.
The territory awarded to Alexandria
comprises approximately four square
niles and is one-and-one-half times the
present size of that city. It cuts Jeffer-
son district in half and depriveS the
county of approximately one-sixth OF
its total area.
In addition to the roads, sidewalks
and sewers for which Alexandria must
pay are the George Mason High School
and the elementary school in Potomac.
The high school is practically new
building and cannot be duplicated, ON
Gals say, for less than $4,000. The
present value of the, elementary school
will bring the total school building
value to around 5000. 900. The Jefferson
District Health Center, which Is rela-
lively new building, will add another
$4,000 to the cost.
While it lies within the discretion of
the court to decide the entire valuation
of the public property in the territory
to be assessed. county oficials esti-
mate its replacement value at between
$500 900 and 100000. The territory
has an assessed valuation of approx
mately $4,000 900 and yields $4,000
annually in taxes to the county. In
addition to the cash to be paid to
the county, Alexandria will be forced
to assume approximately $1,000 In
bonds issued for school construction.
The charter of the town OF Potomac
viii automatically terminate If the ap-
peal is upheld.