Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-04-02
GRAND JURY RAPS
COUNTY OFFICIALS
Inquiry Into Business Methods
in Montgomery Results in
Severe Criticism.
Special Correspondence of The Star.

| ROCKVILLE. Nd April =. 1914.
| Ihat the grand jury which adjourned
| here late Yesterday afternoon, after hav-
ing been in session fifteen days, was not
| very favorably impressed with the bust
ness methods of the boards of county
| commissioners and county public school
! commissioners, to investigating which the
| jury devoted much of its time. was evi
denced by the report submitted to the
| court. Not only did the report declare
| that there had been a RECKLESS eXpend-
| iture of money for road and school pur-
| poses. but 1t charged both the county
| commissioners and school commissioners
with violating the law
| We Charge said the report ''the
| county commissioners with violating the
| law III advancing money to the school
! board. We charge the county commits
| sioners with violating the law in chaIfg
| ing the act of resurfacing the road from
MuncaSters Cross Roads to Laytonsville
and substituting therefor three-quarters
of a mile of experimental work that cost
| $4,000 and which proved unsatisfactory.
We charge the road superintendent with
violating the law in not having his re-
port made by February /, and we found
! that he was, at Annapolis instead OF
working on his report that was two
months overdue.
lated the law in creating an indebted
| ness of 1850, and We believe there has
been extravaganza. We condemn the
school board for this indebtedness not
only because it is In violation of law, but
| because of the precedent it establishes
/ for other county officials and we recon-
| mend that a strong penalty be added to
the school law for any violation thereof
Road Law Proves Expensive.
| 1T is the opinion of this jury" contin-
ues the report. that the present road
law is theoretical, that it has caused con-
fusion and misunderstanding. and that it
| has been very expensive experiment to
| the taxpayers of the county. Some of
the county commissioners have stated
| that the county road superintendent is
supreme over the commissioners We
found that two of the commissioners ig-
| nored the road superintendent and per-
| formed their duties as they thought best,
although censured by him.
| AS suggested by Judge Peter in his
| charge to the grand jury,\ the amuse-
| ment parks at Glen Echo and Chevy
| Chase Lake were Investigated so far as
| their operation Sundays is concerned. In
| regard to the park at Chevy Chase Lake
the report declares it to be "trifiing
affair and that no violations of law
| were learned of.
The Glen Echo Park seems to be a
large affair, says the report I'VE find
that Sunday is the largest day of at
| tendance. We find that this park is con-
| trolled by the Washington Railway and
| Electric Company. We find there has
! been good order kept there and no vio-
| latlons of the law that we know of. We
! have been advised that this place is
| patroniZed largely by the working people
| of Washington city and their families.
| and that it seems to be the only place
| of amusement for their children. We
have been informed that there is no
| dancing there on the Sabbath. We re-
| ceIVed petition from a large number
of the property owners and business peo-
| pie of Glen Echo requesting US not to
| interfere with their Sunday amusement.
! We, therefore. recommend that so long
! as order is maintained and that there
are no violations of the local option law
| that the amusement company's entertain
ment be not nterfered with"
Would Limit Attorneys Fees.
The grand jury found that the attor-
| ney to the board of county commissioners
received Sl,3Jo for his services for the
year ending June 20 1919. I'VE believe
this amount excessive and unwarrant-
ed says the report, although it is
I partly in the shape OF retainers for
special work. We find that the predec-
cessor of the present attorney received
not over 900 Il year. We recommend
! that limit be set for this service to
include all regular and special work"
The report recommends the enactment
of a law permitting each COLLECTION dis
trict to elect its own county commits
sioner. The two districts adjoining
Washington" declares the report ARE
very much more progressive than the
upper districts. they being practically
| suburbs of the District of Columbia
The development of street extensions
gas mains. street car lines and sewerage
work should be encouraged to the fullest
| extent and believe these people
| should be allowed to choose their own
commissioner" The report strongly in
dorses the administration of Count
Commissioner George G. Bradley jt
who represents the fourth collection dis
trict According to the report, he gave
more direct information to the jury thar
any other member of the board
He has adopted a supervisory system
and we believe il is the only method &c
be used on Montgomery county roads, >
| the report says. He was the only com.
missioner who could give us detailed in.
formation as to all thef machinery an6
. tools in the care of his supervisor anG
| their location.
The report states that lJ7 witnesses
! We're examined and twenty-one indict
mcnts found The county almshouse was
found in very satisfactory condition.
r and the manager is praised for his work
5 Iusanitary conditions were found in the
, | Jail and courthouse, and the employment
of an assistant for the janitor Is recon-
, mended.