Evening star., 1933-01-29
ARLINGTON VICTOR
IN AIRPORT FIGHT
Wins Agreement to Abandon
Plan for Purchase of
Hoover Field.
BY staff Correspondent Of The Star

ARLINGTON COURT HOUSE, Va.
January 28.-Through agreement with
Representative Thomas S. Mcmillan,
patron of the bill for acquisition of the
Washington Hoover Airport as a NUM-
cipal airport for the District Of Colum-
bia, the provisions Objectionable to Ar
lington County are to be eliminated, 1t
was stated today by Chairman Harry A.
Fellows of the County Board.
In accordance with request that the
desires of the County Board be clearly
stated SO they may be placed before
the committee considering the bill, the
County Board, at special meeting to-
day. adopted a resolution expressing op-
position to the bill in its present form,
but approving it If amended to elimi-
nate the purchase provision and to in
sure the construction By the Federal
Government Of road to replace the
present Military road running between
the two airports.
Writes to Mcmillan.
In addition to the resolution Chair
man Fellows has written a letter to
Representative Mcmillan setting out in
detail the objections of the board to
any purchase of the airport by the Fed
eral Government. This letter. Fellows
states, was written at the request of
Representative Mcmillan after a con-
ference at which he agreed that Arling-
ton County's requests are well founded
and should be carried out.
The principal objection on the part
of the county is the provision for an
option to purchase, the letter points
cut. Purchase of these properties
would mean an immediate annual loss
to Arlington of S9,69264 in taxes. Eel
lows states, with a gradual increase as
the value of the property increases.
He further points to the fact that the
county has lost to the Federal Govern
ment in the last three years annual
taxes of S496l.25 on the land taken
over for the Mount Vernon Memorial
Highway and S2,976.75 for rs acres of
the Norton tract taken by the Federal
Government in condemnation proceed
ings.
Claiming that the State Of Virginia
and the people OF the county would
never consent to the return of Airing
ton County to the District of Columbia.
Fellows claims in the letter that the
gradual acquisition of various properties
by the Federal Government is accom-
pnshlng this very purpose piece meal.
I would not willingly interpose any
objection to the acquisition by the Fed
eral Government of any part of Arling-
ton County which is necessary for the
Government to have. I do not believe,
however, that it is necessary in the
proper operation of the airport prop
erty that the Government should ac-
quire fee simple title to it," the letter
states.
"Deprivation of Rights"
Referring to the proposed closing of
the road running between the two prop
critics. Fellows points to the fact that
this road has been in use for many
years and that to close it without pro-
Vldlng another road to take it's place
would be to deprive the people of Ar
lington County ''of certain prescriptive
rights which long continued usage of
the present Military road has conferred
upon them"
The county has no objection to the
proposed lease of the property by the
Federal Government and with the bill
amended to care for this situation and
the construction of a substitute road
will offer no further opposition, the let
ter asserts.