Evening star., 1955-11-09
$50 Million Water Bonds
Are Defeated in Fairfax
schooI, Hospital
issues Win by
Wide Margin

Fairfax County's plans to
establish a public water system
were down but not completely
lout today after voters over-
whelmingly rejected a $40 mill
lion revenue bond issue to
finance the program.
The unofficial vote against the
water bonds was ll.417 to 1000.
Two other bond issues, S22
million for 5-year school build
ling program and SO million for .
county hospital. carried by heavy
Imajorities. Unlike the contro-
versial 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 13,504 to 5,161.
The hospital bonds carried by
a vote of l4.603 to 4,071.
Talk of keeping the water
program alive came from four
wly-elected members to the
Board of County Supervisors and
Carl Soresi. president of the
Citizens Fact Finding Commit
itee, who was a leading foe Of
1.-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.
Ovenshine for Study
Brig. Gen. Richard p. Oven
shine, victorious Republican can
ldidate in Mount Vernon District.
was the only G. o. p. 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 county's ef-
forts to establish a public water
system, and declared that the
county should proceed with. a de-
tailed engineering study Of the
proposal.
Joseph H. Freehill. new Demo-
cratic member Of the board from
Falls Church District, said the
county needed a water system So
badly that the matter must be
tackled again. He said the in-
coming board should take up the
problem after it takes ofIice
January /.
| But the people who worked
hardest for passage Of the water
bonds were less optimistic about
keeping the water program alive.
Mrs. wilkins Doubtful
Mrs. Anne wilkins, reelected
ito the board from Mason Dis
Itrict. said she considered the
matter dead for the time being.
She pointed out it would be at
least a year before another water
bond issue referendum could be
held, and said she thought it
unlikely the supervisors would
be willing to spend more money
on engineering plans after such
ta crushing defeat Of the water
bond issue.
Russell Whitener, chairman 81
the Citizens Committee for an
Integrated Water System, said
he assumed any plans for estab-
fishing a public water system
would come to a Standstill.
The water bond issue referen.
dun was proposed by the incum.
bent Board of County Super
lvisors. It was theslargest bond
issue ever offered in the county
at one time. When added to the
lother two bond issues on the bal.
lot. it made a total Of SIS mill
lion that voters were asked Ia
approve.
The supervisors proposed to
establish a public water system
supplied from the Potomac
River with the $50 million over
Ia l5-year period. It was planned
to absorb some IA existing pri-
lyate water companies INTO the
new county system.
Water Company Opposition
Principal opposition came from
the Alexandra and Virginia
Water Companies, largest Of the
private water companies serving
the county, and from Republican,
candidates who criticized the
program as poorly planned 4,
The G. o. P. candidates who were
most critical Of the water pro.
gram, however. were not elected
and Mrs. wilkins. who was 4
leading advocate OF the water
bonds. was re-elected by the most
substantial majority OF all sue
Icessful candidates.
Only six of the county's so
precincts gave a majority to the
water bonds.
Failure of the water bond is
sue complicates the county's DO.
sition on buying Annandaie
Water Co. Before the referen-
dun, the Supervisors agreed 10
buy Annandale for $l.2 million
with the idea of using it to start
"a public water system. The sale
was held up by a suit brought
by five county residents and
Joined in by the Alexandria and
Virginia Water Companies.
One basis for the suit was
that the county had no right to
commit an expenditure Of $1.2
million for Annandale before
the water bond issue referen-
dunn. Trial Of the suit was post-
poned by agreement OF all par
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