Evening star., 1934-03-11
ARLINGTON BILLS
PASS ASSEMBLY
Medley Terms Condemna'
tion Measure Most Impor-
tant of Lot.
BULLETIN.

journed Its 1884 session at 230
am today after the Senate con-
Cured in the conference report on
the biennial appropriation bill, ap-
proved earlier by the House
The measure as finally adopted
was virtually in the form originally
passed by the House, eliminating
salary increases.
BY Staff Correspondent OF The Star
RICHMOND. Va, March 10.-The
close of the 1884 session of the Vir-
ginia General Assembly found a num-
ber of bills of the utmost importance
to Arlington County finally approved
by both Houses and on their way to
the Governor for his signature.
In the opinion of Delegate William
D. Medley, by whom all of these bills
were introduced, the most important
is the one which gives the county
the right of eminent domain for
sewerage rights of way paralleling the
powers of the State Highway Com
mission. The only other agency ever
to be given the power to take pos
session of land pending final settle
ment of con- emnation proceedings
was the Bureau of Public Roads of
the Department of Agriculture, and
this right was removed by the LegiS-
lature after the completion of the
Mount Vernon Memorial Highway.
This same bill greatly increases the
powers of the Arlington County board
with respect to front-footage assess
ments. 1t permits the board to con-
slider the installation of the county,
wide sewerage system as one project,
and, it is said, will save the county
much time and money.
Bill Prevents Duplication.
The Assembly also passed bill per-
mitting Arlington County and the
town of Falls Church to enter into
an agreement to prevent the dupli-
cation of facilities and taxation in
the installation of sewerage systems
by the two Jurisdictions.
Through repeal of one section OF
the Byrd road law Medley secured the
removal of clause which would have
permitted the county to re-enter the
secondary system of highways by
agreement between the governing
body and the State Highway Com
mission. The county is still privileged
to return to the system by a vote
of the people. however.
A bill was passed permitting the
governing bodies Of Arlington and
Fairfax Counties and the city o!
Alexandria to increase the pay OF
election officials to compensate them
for the added work caused by the
density of population in the three
districts. Medley at first introduced
this bill for the sole benefit of Airing
ton County, but later amended it at
the request of Delegates John C.
Mackall and j. Fred Birrell to in
clude the adjoining localities.
Applicable to Arlington County
only, bill was passed extending the
time there for submission and ap-
proval of the annual budget so that
it may be approved earlier in the
fiscal year.
The Arlington County Court act was
amended to provide that criminal
warrants shall be issued only by the
judge of the court and not by the
clerk. Judge Walter T. Mccarthy OF
the Circuit Court had previously held
that the issuance of criminal warrants
by the clerk was improper. Medley
also succeeded in having Arlington
County excluded from the general
trial justice act passed at this ses-
sion. The new system. he believed, is
more applicable to counties of rural
nature.
Voting Hour Move Defeated.
The uniform voting hour bill of the
Arlington Delegate passed the House,
but was killed in the Senate.
Inclusion in the budget for the COM
Ing year Of an appropriation of $500
to make up the cut made this year in
the $4,000 appropriation for the
George Washington Memorial Park
way was another Northern Virginia
accomplishment, since this will result
in the receipt of $4,000 more from
the Federal Government for the park
way project.
Senator John W. Rust of Fairfax
County piloted the Medley bills
through the Senate. One of the most
important bills introduced by Senator
Rust and passed by both houses is q
measure which will permit Washing
ton and other nonresident sportsmer
to secure three-day hunting licenses
for S.. Previously, non resident
licenses cost $3.50.
Delegate J. Fred Birrell of Alexan-
dria secured an amendment to an act
now applying to certain cities which
will permit the school board Of Alex
andria to purchase text books and
rent them to the students at a reason
able rate.
Through the efforts of Senator Rust
the Senate killed House bill which
would have abolished the Virginia Rea
Estate Commission. The House fight
on the bill had been led by Delegate
Medley.
The entire Northern Virginia dele.
cation threw its support to the pro-
fessional boxing bill and is given
credit by the patron for its final sue
cess.
The liquor control bill, the Cover.
nor's tax increase program, the au.
tomobile license tax reduction bill
the redistricting bill and the boxing
bill are pointed out by leaders in the
General Assembly as the most impor-
tant pieces of general legislation
passed at the session which adjourned
sine die tonight. Many predictions
that special session will be neces-
sary during the coming year were
made by members as they prepared
to return home.
The alcoholic beverages control bill
was the most radical and next to tht
appropriations bill was claimed to bt
the most important bill enacted. L
passed the House with only one dis
senting vote, but many who voted fo
1t contend it is not only revolution
ary act, but one which will produce
so many unknown problems that addi
tional legislation is inevitable.