Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1914-06-12
Sign Board Day." June goth.

'"o' arc "itHln tne rlent-OI-Way OF puDlc
roads in violation of the new Roadside Tree
Law. This is movement to beautify the
roadsides and it is hoped that on Sign
Board Day" there may be general clean
up from one end of the State to the other,
and then through the Forest Wardens and
others having police powers in the State it
is intended to strictly enforce the law,
which makes it misdemeanor to place
these unauthorized signs along the public
roads or upon private property without
first securing written permission from the
owner. In order that this work may be
done by responsible persons and in sys-
tematic way, the Board of Forestry makes
this request of you:
l. That you will accept appointment and
act as voluntary warden in this move
ment for identifying the roadsides.
2. Only those who are recommended by
well-known people will be appointed Vol
unteer Wardens. May we. therefore, have
your list promptly. and assure you that
those whom you recommend will be ap-
pointed. Each will be furnished from this
office with badge and letter of instruc-
/ tons
While we want the cooperation of
large number of people in this movement,
we do not want to call out on that day ire
sponsible people who would not use proper
discretion and might destroy billboards on
private property near the roadway, which
! the advertisers have constructed at some
expense under permit from the owner
1t is sincerely hoped that we may have
your full cooperation and that we may
hear from you at an early date, assuring
us of your sympathy with the movement.
and that you will be good enough to rec
ommend the names of suitable persons for
Volunteer Wardens.
The elimination of sign boards from the
roadsijes is meeting with universal APP
prevail, and we look forward to June goth,
when great things will be accomplished
toward making the highways of the State
more attractive and placing Maryland in
the front rank in this respect.
INSTRUCTIONS For TEARING Down ADVERTISE
MENTs, SIGNS AND POSTERS.
Volunteer Wardens - You are authorized
under the roadside tree law, Section 8.
Chapter 824. Acts 1914, to tear down any
billboard. poster or advertisement upon or
within the rieht-of-way of any public road
within the State, and it is hoped that you
will exercise this authority, acting under
the following instructions to eliminate ad-
vertisements and unauthorized posters from
rOadsides as fully as possible. Please read
carefully the following instructions
l. Be sure of your ground This law au-
thOrizes you to tear down every billboard.
poster, advertisement and unauthorized
notice within the right-of-way of any pub
lie road. Most public roads are 80 feet
wide. This, however, is not a safe guide,
but in most cases there is either fence or
some property line marking the limits of
the roadway. Where any such line exists
it is safe to tear down advertisements, etc.
outside of this line and within the road
way. If there is no such line clearly shown
and billboard or sign constructed at some
expense is in question. ask the property
owner if it is on his land. If it is not on
his land. tear it down. II it is on his land,
find out if he has given permission to erect
it and wants it preserved. II he has not
given permission to erect the sign and con-
sents to it being torn down. this should be
done at once, because the law states that
in addition to eliminating billboards and
advertisements from the public roads. that
il is a misdemeanOr to place them upon
private property without the written per-
mission of the owner thereof.
2. Be thorough in your work. June 20
has been designated as Sign Board Day"
for the purpose Of enlisting the cooperation
of people throughout the State in tearing
down unauthorized signs and posters on
public roads so that there may be general
cleaning up on that day. You should.
therefore. cooperate with others in your
section. taking certain roads or certain
portion Of road. making yourself response
Bile for cleaning it up completely Of all bill
boards and posters not authorized by law.
The law itself provides that is shall be a
misdemeanor for anyone to place billboards
and advertisements along the public roads
and that the State Board of Forestry will
enforce this law. but il is important to
start with clean slate.
3. Legal notices not to be torn down.
This includes such legal notices as are re-
quired by law to be posted in public places.
such as notices of registration. of election.
OF any notice issued under the name and
title of public official DO not destroy
sign boards erected along the public road
for the purpose of showing direction. dis
lance. speed limits. or other notices relat-
ing specifically to travel along the roads.
provided these sign boards carry no adver-
Using matter. If they carry advertising
matter. the advertising portion should be
eliminated if it is not an original part Of
the sign, but IL il is part Of the sign. the
whole thing should be taken down.
d. 1t is understood that you are volun-
| tarily enlisting in this work for the sake of
doing public service without expense to
the State. The badge. which is furnished
you, is a recognition of this service and
you are expected to wear it conspicuously
on Sign Board Day as an emblem Of au-
thority Be careful to keep within the law,
but do your work fearessly, effectively.
and report results.
Very truly yours,
F. W. BESLEY.
State Forester.
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