Evening star., 1950-04-23
Board Orders
Police Inquiry
In Arlington
ICC Asked, to Reopen
Hearings on Arnold
Bus Fare Increase

ton County Police Department
was ordered yesterday by unani.
nous vote Of the County Board
The inquiry will be conducted BY
a special commission.
Mrs. Florence Cannon, a mem
Der Of the board, proposed the
investigation, asserting that "gen.
eral and specific charges concern.
ing the Arlington police system
have been made by responsible
and reputable individuals ano
organizations"
In other business, the board
agreed to study proposal for a
Northern Virginia park near
Annandale, asked the ICC to re-
open hearings on the Arnold bus
line fare increase. and appointed
a new f1ve-member public utility
commission.
No Dishonesty Charged.
Chairman Daniel A. Dugan was
authorized and requested" to
bring to the next meeting a draft
of resolution setting UP proce-
dure and scope Of the police in
vestigation. He, also is to recon-
mend the names Of persons to be
appointed to the investigating
commission.
Mr.. Dugan said that complaints
regrding the department con-
tanned no "intimations of dis
honesty" :
County Manager A. T. Lund-
berg and Maj. Harry L. woodward,
chief of police, said they welcome
the investigation.
1--WE have one of the best police
departments in the country" the
manager said. The proposed COM
mission, he added, will have an op-
portunity ito do real public serv-
ice in making an impartial review
Of the department."
The manager and police chief
agreed that "the department has
nothing to hide"
DELuk1HS -STltlClZeus
The investigation was first pub
licly called by the weekly Arling-
ton Sun. The newspaper attacked
delay in undermining the depart
ment's methods and criticized
drinking in public by police" as
disclosed in testimony last month
at the trial of former policeman
Francis E. Dodson, sentenced to
IL years on charge of house.
breaking with intent to rob and
rape.
The park proposal was made by
Mason Hirst, Annandale real es-
tate man, who offered the Its
acre Bristow tract for $3.50, 900.
The property is within five miles
of Arlington, Alexandria and Falls
Church, and comes within two
miles of Little River Turnpike and
Shirley highway.
Legislation passed by the last
session of the General Assembly
authorizes creation of Northern
Virginia park authority. The
measure was designed to assist in
acquisition of Lake Bancroft, the
former Alexandria Water Co. res
ervoir near Bailey's Cross Roads,
but the act also permits the park
authority to participate in acquir-
ing and administering other park
sites.
H.
Tract Adjoins Lake. 5
The Bristow tract is crossed by
Accotink Creek and adjoins a 12O-
acre artificial lake owned by the
Federal Government and used as
q water supply for Fort Belvoir.
The boards request for reopen
Ing Of hearings on the bus fare
increase is based partly on new
evidence which would demon
strae convincingly that the fare
increases" granted earlier this
month "are not justified"
Appointed to the county's PUG
were o. B. Allen, industrial engin-
eer, of 1882 South Edison street,
Hobart L. Cory, utilities engineer,
1911 North Randolph street, Ed
ward w. Kelly, attorney, 1888
North Eleventh street, Bennie L.
Fletcher, jr., attorney, SIG South
Courthouse road, and William K.
Holl, accountant, 885 North Lex
ington street.
Allen Acting Chairman
All were nominated by Mrs,
Cannon. Mr.. Allen was named
acting chairman.
The county has been without a
public utilities commission since
last October when five members
resigned, charging that the board
had failed to supply policy state
ment covering the commission
authority.
Since then. the complexion OF
the board has been changed. with
Robert w. Cox, an independent,
succeeding Basil M. DeLashmutt
a Democrat. The change gave the
balance of power to the Inde-
pendent group.
In the past, the commission has
had seven members. The new
PUG will include only five ap-
pointed yesterday, none of whom
was on the old commission.
The board asked it's fiscal af-
fairs committee to study a pro-
posed bond issue to provide i'm
proved drainage, swimming pools
and an enlarged sewage treatment
plant.
Mr.. Lundberg reported that the
State Water Control Board has
asserted that the county could
and should" go ahead with plans
for referendum on a bond issue
to expand sewage treatment IA
cilities.
The board recessed until next
Saturday, when 1t will meet tc
set the tax rate for the fiscal yeai
beginning July l.
- p. FF ..