Evening star., 1923-02-04

officer in charge of public buildings
and grounds. asking for suggestions
as to procedure.
Mr. Dawson states il is his belief
that under the act of the Maryland
Legislature of 1858, which gives TO
the government of the United States
the right to acquire land in this state
tor conducting water to the city of
Washington. the state of Maryland
retained exclusive criminal jurisdi
ton over such lands. including the
right to regulate and control traffic
over public highway thereon His
letter is as follows:
Letter to Sheriff..
Your name has been mentioned fire.
quently of late with reference to the
control of the Conduit road. extend
ing from the District of Columbia line
through Montgomery county to the
Great Falls Of the Potomac and have
been advised that it is the desire of the
government officials to arrive at some
plan whereby the much mooted ques-
ton OF civil and criminal jurisdiction
over this roadway may be judicially
determined without friction between
the two contending authorities
conditions along this roadway. in
so Tar as they affect law and order
IN montgomery county, have long
been a sad reflection on the ability
of those of us who are charged with
gambling and other offenses in Mont
gomery county. and we feel that the
exercise of complete criminal iuriS-
diction over the Conduit road is
necessary to the proper maintenance
OF law and order in that community.
ana TO that end we further feel it
advisable at this time to have the
matter determined by our courts,
Would Aid Officers
Control of the automobile traffic
over the Conduit road would serve to
keep the officers Of this county in
touch with the Iawless element tray-
ttlng this road to resorts in the i'm
mediate vicinity thereof and better
enable them to control and regulate
the conduct and order of those estab-
llShments wherein gambling and other
olenSeS are carried on. The places
OF that character heretofore oper-
ated, along this roadway have been
open to those residents of the CITY
OF Washington who indulge in such
pastlmeS and are operated mostly bv
former residents OF the city of Wa sh
inston whose establishments and
businesses in that jurisdiction have
Deen broken up. In other words this
county often finds itself the dumping
ground of undesirablest from Wash
lngton city. as may be we'll said by
any rural community bordering on a
large ana rapidly growing city, and
Il
could be relieved somewhat by a
measure of control over that element
who travel re public highways in
this county.
Relieves CO-Operation Desirable.
Many of You who are not ac-
qualnted with the conditions of which
complain may not realize the neces-
sity for the action contemplated. but
| firmly believe ii is the desire of
those of you who exercise the gov
ernmcntS control over the Conduit
road TO cooperate with us to the ex-
tent that we may have the same
measure of control over vice in this
county that obtains in the govern
ment-controlled municipality of the
District of Columbia. A proper reg
ulat1on of automobile traffic over this
highway is all that may be desired
by the government of the United
states or by the state of MARYLAND
aud the exercise of such control by
the authorities of this state would
not be inconsistent with the aim of
al governmental agencies. that is.
the maintenance of law and order.
In order that 7 might bring to Your
attention what ] believe to be the
benefits to be derived from local CON
troll over this highway, | have gone
more at length than might have been
necessary to bring to your atten-
tion the object of this letter MAY
we not arrive at some plan whereby
the question of control over the Con-
duit road could be determined by
Judicial authority without the mis-
understanding resulting from an as
sumption of jurisdiction on our part?
"It is our belief that under the act
of the Maryland Legislature of 1858.
giving the government of the United
States the right to acquire land in
this state for the purpose of conduct
ing water to the city of Washington,
the state of Maryland retained ex-
elusive criminal jurisdiction over
include the right to regulate and cen
troll traffic over, public highway
thereon. I shall refrain from taking
any action in the matter until l have
your views on the question of pro-