Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-06-10
COUNCIL TAKES ACTION
TAKOMA'S MAYOR PROCEED
AGAINST WILDWOOD.
Effort to Prevent Selling Of Pools
Ordinance Adopted Regulating
the Stringing of Wires.

discuss the gambling situation at Wild
wood. over the District line, in Prince
Georges county. Md. Mayor Kinnear presid-
ed over the meeting, with Mr.. Leslie Nor
rison as secretary. in the absence of Town
Clerk Mr.. Ben. G. Davis All the members
of the council were present with one ex-
ception.
After explaining the reason for calling
the meeting. Mayor Kinnear placed all OF
the information which he had before the
council relative to the alleged gambling re-
sort within the corporate limits of the
town. He expressed his earnest desire to
comply with the wishes of the residents OF
the town for the abolition of the resort.
The situation was thoroughly discussed
by all present and plans for future opera
lions, looking to the closing of the place
were mapped out and approved. Every
motion made and every resolution adopted
was carefully studied and its result dis
cussed before being acted upon. The or
maintenance of wires within the jurisdic-
ton of the mayor and council OF Takoma
Park Nd. was one of the principal mat
tiers which received attention
Text of the Ordinance.
The ordinance. known as ordinance NO.
9S, is composed Of five sections, as follows:
Section THAT no person. PERSONS COM
pany or corporation shall string, lay. hans'
suspend or in any manner place wires or
any kind on, over or under the public high
ways or streets within the corporate limits
of the town of Takoma Park, Mo-, without
first obtaining permission from the mayor
and council of said town.
Section 2-That no person. persons, cor
poration or company shall, under any con-
sideration. string, lay, hang, suspend or IN
any manner place telegraph or telephone
wires on the same pole with electric hgnt
or electric trolley wires or vice versa.
Section 3-That all telegraph and tele-
phone wires now strung on trolley poles
over any street, avenue or alley within
the corporate limits of the town OF Takoma
Park Nd shall be removed within ten
days from the passage Of this ordinance.
Section EThat any person. persons,
company or corporation desiring 10 suins,
lay hang, suspend or in any manner place
wires on, over, under or across any OF the
highways, avenues or streets within the
limits Of the town of Takoma Park, Nd.
shall apply to the mayor and council OF
said town. and If the said application shall
be approved by them the clerk of said town
shall issue a permit for the placing of wires
as per said approved applications; but II
said application shall be disapproved py
the said mayor and council the wires shall
not be so placed; and If wires are now 80
placed or shall be hereafter so placed with
out the permission of said mayor and coun-
Gil said wires may be cut or removed by
the order of said mayor and council, and
said person, persons, company or corpora
ton shall be subject to a fine as hereinafter
provided.
The Penalty Imposed.
"Section 5-That any person, persons, cor
poration or company violating any of the
provisions of this ordinance shall be subject
to fine or penalty for not less than So
fOr ach off nd n
default of payment of said fine or penalty
shall be imprisoned in the county jail at
Rockville for a period not exceeding thirty
days.
The above ordinance was passed and ap
proved at the regular monthly meeting Of
the council held Monday evening, June l.
During the progress of the meeting 1t
was decided to send written communica-
ton to Judge Merrick of Prince Georges
county. Md, within whose jurisdiction the
pool room exists; to the Commissioners of
the District, calling attention to the alleged
erection of wires within the District with
out obtaining permit, and to Mr.. Frank
H. Taft, manager of the local office of the
Western Union Telegraph Company
notice was sent to the Western Union COM
pany the day following the passage of the
ordinance above referred to, but up to this
afternoon no reply had been received to
the communication. The notice called for
the removal of the two wires which are
connected with the telegraph instruments
in the betting room of Wildwood.
Letter to Judge Merrick.
In his letter to Judge Merrick Mayor Kim
near said:
IT have to invite your attention to mat
ter In which the people Of Takoma Park
are vitality interested. A few weeks ago
there was opened at Wildwood, a summer
resort lying within the corporate limits Of
this town and within Prince Georges coun-
ty. a gambling resort under the firm name
of Andrews & Turner, alleged to hail from
Baltimore After an existence of several
weeks the place was closed, and our people
were congratulatIng themselves that they
were well rid of it. Yesterday. however,
the resort was reopened, and 1t has been
announced that gambling on horse races, In
all its forms and phases, will be resumed.
that the place Is in the hands Of
a receiver Mr.. Rogers, who, In all his acts
IN relation thereto, must be guided by the
directions of the court, 1 write you in the
unanimous protest OF our people against
any sanction by you Of any action tending
to the continuance Of such an institution
within our midst. I have the honor to ad-
wise you that I have in hand number of
affidavits made by some of our most
reputable citizens certifying to the fact
that they have visited this resort and
know from personal knowledge that gam
bling on horse races Is there practiced
In violation OF the statutes of the state of
Maryland. If SO desired these aff1davits
will be placed at your disposal. I have the
honor to request, on behalf of our people,
that you take such action may lie in
your power toward compelling strict OBJ
servance of the law Of the state in the con-
duct of this resort over which, as the court,
you have the directing power. Our people
are much In earnest In this matter; they
have every confidence in your desire to
help Them and they second this appeal in
the surety that all the local machinery of
your court will be used in their behalf"
Inquiry Regarding Permit.
In his letter to the District Commits
sioners Mayor Kinnear said he under
stood that the Western Union Telegraph
Company has strung wires on the trolley
poles of the Baltimore and Washington
Transit Company from the Baltimore and
Ohio railroad to the District line in that
portion of the town OF Takoma Park lying
within the District of Columbia. He asks
to be informed If permit was issued them
for this purpose, and, if not, whether the
District of Columbia will not insist upon q
removal of said wires. An early response
will be appreciated.
Regarding the wires Of the Western
Union Company, Mayor Kinnear in his let
ter to Mr.. Taft, calls attention to the fact
that on the 3D. instant there was sent to
him by the clerk of the town of Takoma
Park. Md, copy of an ordinance passed
and approved by the mayor and council
on the 1st instant relative to the stringing,
S,T he to