Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-08-01
ALEXANDRIA GAINS
UNDER ANNEXATION
Taking in Arlington County
District Brings Profitable
Territory to City.
Special Dispatch to The Star.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
ALEXANDRIA, Va, August l.
Victory in the annexation suit against
Arlington County will bring to Alex
andria increases of $5,000000 in real
estate assessments. $500 in population
area when the annexation order be-
comes effect'7e on January /.
The land tile. Waged over period
of nearly two years, came to sud-
den end on wednesday. when the board
of supervisors of Arlington County de-
cided to withdraw its appeal from the
decision handed down by the special
tribunal which heard the case. award
ing Alexandria all of the territory it
sought in the proceedings. instituted
to provide for the future growth of the
city.
Real estate assessments will mount
to $15,000,G00 when the city assumes
control of the new territory on January
l, while the area of the city will be
increased to approximately square
miles. The population, now estimated
at 10000. will become approximately
$4,000
Potomac Yards, one of the largest
railroad centers in the world. repre-
sents a large portion of the S5000 900
in real estate assessments to be taken
over by the city The yard alone will
pay approximately $4,000 taxes into
the city Golfers each year
Mayor William Albert Smoot said to-
day that bond issue of approximately
one-half million dollars probably would
be authorized by the city council to pro-
vide the funds which must be paid the
county for public improvements in the
annexed territory, and to bring the fire.
police and other municipal departments
of the new territory up on an even
plane with the modern departments of
Alexandria.
In addition to the $500 900 to be paid
the county the city must also assume all
of the $4,000 indebtedness of the
town of Potomac.
Potomac to Cease to Exist.
Potomac, located a short distance
north of the present corporate limits of
the city, will automatically pass from
existence when the annexation order
becomes effective, and all its municipal
departments will be taken over by the
city.
Its town council will automatically
dissolve, but it is expected that the new
territory will play an important part
in the election of three councilmen next
June to fill the vacancies which will be
created by the expiration of the four
year terms of Councilmen Edmund F.
TIGER, Robert S. Jones and ]. E. w.
T1mberman on September l, 1890
Potomac will benefit by a lower tax
rate which will become effective when
the town comes into the city. The
present tax rate of $3.50 on the 500 as
Sessment, including both the town and
county taxes, will be reduced to the
$2.65 rate now in effect here.
The law provides that the tax rate
may be maintained. but not increased
for five years, but the council had de-
clded on the decrease so that the rate
will be uniform throughout the city
and Its new holdings. The, law gov
ern1ng annexation further provides that
all of the taxes within an annexed ter
ritory must be spent within that area
for period of five years.
New School Control.
The two schools located in Potomac
will be placed under the supervision of
Supt. r. G. Bowton of the Alexandria
public schools system. 1t is thought
that the present police headquarters of
the town will be used as a precinct for
the policemen working in the new ter
ritory. However, all cases will be tried
in the Alexandria courts.
The Potomac Fire Department will
be turned into an engine and truck
company under Fire Chief James M
Duncan, jr. A new engine probably will
pc purchased 10 Supplant the new
pumper purchased by the county and
which will be removed on January l,
while a new hose wagon may be placed
at Potomac. The city service truck
now in use here will be transferred to
Potomac when the new aerial truck
already ordered by the council arrives.
Wallace Lawrence, former city man
ager of Salem, Va, who became city
manager of Alexandria today, will
shortly begin work on his plans for the
administration of the new territory,
which will move the western boundary
of the city out to Cameron Mills road
and the northwestern boundary far up
into Arlington County to Cowans Sta
ton. The eastern and southern bound
aries of the city the Potomac River
and Hunting Greek, respectively, will
remain unchanged.