Evening star., 1955-11-09
FdirfaxRejecis
$50 Million
Wafer Bonds
School, HospitoI
Issues Approved
By Wide Margins

Fairfax county's plans to
establish public water system
were down but not completely
out today after voters over-
Iwhelmingly rejected a $50 mil
lion revenue bond issue to
finance the program.
The unofficisl vote against the
water bonds was l1.4l7 70 1000.
Two other bond issues. $40
million for q 5-year school build
ling program and S3 million for q
county hospital. carried by heavy
lmajorities. Unlike the contro-
|versiai water bond issue, the
school and hospital bond issues
encountered no organized oppo-
|sition before the election. Both
had been expected to carry, but
the margin was far greater than
the most optimistic predictions.
The vote for the school bonds
was l3,504 to 5,l6l.
The hospital bonds carried by
Ia vote Of l4.6O3 to 4.07i.
Talk Of keeping the water
program alive came from four
Inewly-elected members to the
Board OF County Supervisors and
Carl Soresi. president Of the
Citizens Fact Finding Commit
tee. who was a leading foe OF
the bond issue.
The incoming supervisors who
said they thought the county
should not forget about water
included two Republicans who
opposed the bond program.
William Moss and A. Claiborne
Leigh.
Oyenshine for Study
Brig. Gen. Richard p. Oven
shine, victorious Republican caKl-
Ididate in Mount Vernon District.
was the only @. o. r. candidate
who did not oppose the water
bond issue during the pre-elec-
ition campaign. He said he did
mot feel defeat OF the bond is
sue should end the connty's ef-
forts TO establish q public water
system, and declared that the
county should proceed with a de-
tailed engineering study Of the
proposal.
Joseph H. FTeehill. new Demo-
cratic member Of the board from
Falls Church District, said the
county needed q water system 50
badly that the matter must be
tackled again. He said the in
coming board should take up the
problem after it takes once
January /.
But the people who. worked
hardest for passage Of she water
bonds were less optimistic about
keeping the water program alive.
Mrs wilkins Doubffnl
Mrs. Anne wilkins. reelected
ito the board from Mason Dis
Itrict. said she considered the
matter dead for the time being.
Russell Whitener, chairman, OF
the Citizens Committee for an
Integrated Water System. said
he. assumed any plans for estab-
fishing public water system
would come TO . standstill.
Only six Of tho county,s so
precincts gave majority to the
water bonds.
Failure of the water bond is
sue compIicates the county,s DO.
Isition on buying AnnandaIe
Water Co. Before the referen-
dunn, the Supervisors agreed 10
buy Annandaie for S1.2 million
with the idea Of using it to start
y public water system. The sale
was held UP by 4 suit brought
BY fiye county residents and
joined Ia BY the Alexandria and
virginia Water Companies.
One basis for the suit was
that the county had no right to
commit an expenditure Of Sl.2
million for Annandaie before
the water bond issue referen.
dunn. Trial Of the suit was post
|joned by agreement Of ali par.
ties involved until after the ref
|erendum.
The incumbent Supervisors
now must decide ii they want to
go ahead with the purchase OF
IAnnandale. II they are COM.
PEELED I'd 60 ahead with 1t be-
cause Of the purchase contract,
or IL they should forget the
whole deal necause OF the water
bond issues defeat.