Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1920-01-09
commissioner Hunt Makes Pro.
gresstve And Important
Suggestions.

nave IaVOraDly acted upon.
The United States Government assisted
IN building as test or experimental road:
in this county, under the supervision Of
the U. S. Bureau of Public Roads, and have
maintained for the past few years with
the assistance of the county the following
highways: Rockville pike, from the District
line to Rockville; Potomac pike. from Pc.
tomac to Rockville Bradley Lane, from
Rockville pike to Connecticut avenue, and
Connecticut avenue. from Chevy Chase
Circle to Chevy Chase lake. This action
mas been great burden lifted from the
people and taxpayers of this county. but
the former Director of Public Roads, Logan
Waller Page. who was a resident of this
county. died last summer. and the bureau
under new direction does not believe that it
should continue experimental work in this
county any longer and intends to cut off
all maintenance or help from the Govern
ment at once because it feels that all has
been learned of highways in this county
that would benefit the bureau. You can
readily see what an additional burden this
will throw upon the taxpayers Of this
county, for to maintain these important and
heavily-traveled thorouehfares in the man.
mer which they have been will be great
additional burden upon the county treasury.
have therefore taken up. either directly
or indirectly, with our representatives in
the United States Senate, the House of
Representatives, our Governor and many
of our leading citizens this very important
step, because it is not fractional matter.
1t is not party matter, but is one which
affects the entire county and in view Of
the fact that Government machines largely
use our roads and the fact that more accu-
rate experimental accounts can be kept by
the Bureau Of Public Roads of these high
ways, owing to their proximity to Wash
ineton, than could be accomplished on the
highways of some far-off State, call upon
every citizen of the county. no matter
whether Democrat or Republican, to write
to our representatives in the House and
Senate Of the United States to urge the
continuance of Government help in main
tanning these highways. 1t is needless to
say that am doing all in my power to
accomplish this. because know what it
means to the people of Montgomery county.
The second suggestion was to write to
the Public Service Commission of Mary
land and to the railway and telephone
companies, ordering that dangerous poles
of the said companies which stand in the
line Of the roadway and project in some
cases into the road itself be removed, cit
ing these cases for the reason that in the
last six months five serious accidents have
occurred by automobiles and wagons strik-
ing these poles. wrecking the vehicles ant
injuring the occupants.
The third suggestion is that some more
feasible way of issuing auto-reeistration
tags and operators permits be established
for the reason that purchaser of a ma
chine must wait the pleasure Of the Auto
mobile Commissioner to send man from
Baltimore to examine the applicant. usually
one day each month. in this county. before
he can obtain his permit. and to obtair
his registration tag he must travel eitiiel
to Baltimore or Washington. This condi
ton could be remedied by having all resi-
dents of each county obtain their permits
in the county in which they live. This
will not only help the automobile and truck
owners Of this county to cut out the pres.
ent unnecessary amount of red tape, bul
it will also prevent auto owners who try tC
evade the law by purchasing licenses from
they live in Maryland, simply to beat the
law and use Virginia or Pennsylvania OF
other State tag to escape the Maryland
charge. The most important thing thai
the adoption Of this suggestion will accom-
plish will be ascheck on the personal prop
erty tax of the county. for | am told that
there are hundreds Of auto owners in each
county in the State who failed to pay per-
sonal tax. and this could be checked up as
each application for tag is made at the
Court House.
The fourth suggestion. and really on,
of the most important. is the matter O
requiring individuals, firms or corporation:
to secure from the Office of the commission
ers building permit before building a store
dwelling or other place of business. This
is done in practically every civilized com
munity and it is really surprising thai
some such step has not already been made
in this county. This is absolutely necessary
70 keep an accurate account Of the build
ing operations of the county and assess
ments. Every year there are thousand:
and thousands Of dollars worth Of new
dwellings missed in the annual assess
ment, necessitating the clerk to the Board
of Commissioners to send a representative
to check up on these missed assessments
and this places burden upon those who
pay their taxes already by not having had
these new improvements included in the
levy. This would enable the County Treas
urer at the end Of each year to hand the
local assessors Of each district complete
list Of new buildings and improvements in
the territory that the local assessor covers
and in some cases the description Of the
building and the estimated cost supon the
application would enable the Treasurer to
assess the property without recourse to the
local assessor and thus save the taxpayers
that much expense. This suggestion is
made with the understanding that 1t is to
apply only to houses (dwellines), stores and
places Of business, no matter what theiI
cost Of construction. II it is a new opera
ton, but does not apply to any farm out
houses, barns. stables. sheds or any Other