Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-06-08
The Borderland Resorts.

1t is evident that the people of Takoma
Park must continue their battle for deem
cy in that neighborhood, for the managers
of the pool room which was recently opened
on the outskirts of the town and was later
closed now announce their intention to re-
open at once. with a cafe and full equip
ment of wires to the tracks. This means
that the establishment will be a serious null
sance menace to the peace of the 1mme-
date community and an open gambling re-
sort where the young men of Washington
will be separated from their earnings and
be inoculated with that most insidious Of
moral diseases, the desire to get something
for nothing.
The Takoma Park officials are now armed
with an ordinance recently adopted requir-
ing all wire owners in that jurisdiction TO
secure a license for their erection and MAIN
tenance. Whether this will prove effective
means of shutting off the communica-
lions of the pool room remains to DC Seen
If by the enforcement of this regulation
the establishment is cut off from the main
lines it's reason for being will cease. 1t is
earnestly to be hoped that this will be the
case. but if the enforcement of the o"di-
nance is successfully resisted. there will yet
remain the right of the town to control the
grant of liquor Licenses. The establish
ment. it is argued, is Illegal in this respect
Meanwhile the police of the District can
and it is assumed will render effective help
by arresting all disorderly persons who
patronize the car line running to Wildwood
One of the most serious causes of COM
plant against the establishment from the
point of view of the Takoma people Is that
rough characters frequenting the pool room
and bar act in a fagrantly offensive man
ner toward other passengers. A few arrests
and sharp punishments on this score will
set the pace and serve as an effective nou-
fication to the pool room crowd that even
if the managers of the resort eTade the
laws and maintain themselves at Wildwood
the patrons must conduct themselves prop
erly while the way to and rom the
place
The District people, however, are more
acutely concerned even than are those of
Takoma on the score of the moral menace
of the resort. for it is from here that the
great majority of it's patrons are drawn,
and its poisonous influence chiefly affects
this community. The District feels toward
this borderland gambling resort as it did
toward those which a few years ago clus-
tered around the south end of the Long
bridge. and those which are even yet in ex-
istence in Alexandria county, Virginia. II
they had the power the people of Washing
ton would close every one of these places,
but unfortunately their jurisdiction is linn
tied while the county Is apparently power
less to complete the work of publication,
and thus the establishments which remain
constitute a moral nuisance at the door of
the capital A pool room is in active opera
ton at st. Asaphs Junction. and 1t is re-
ported that the jealousy of the managers of
that resort was the chief cause of the clos
ing of the Wildwood place a few days ago
The failure of the Alexandria county off,
Gals to put stop to this evil in their julis-
dictiOn should stimulate the Takoma Park
people to their utmost efforts to establish
higher standard of public morals on their
side of the District