Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1925-09-04

The Evils OF Belt Line Cited By
Officials.

The County Commissioners Of this county
have Joined in the fight against the estab-
Iishment OF the belt line freight railroad to
encicle the District Of Columbia and have
addressed to the Public Service Commits
sion Of Maryland a communication In which
they register emphatic disapproval and
give some very pointed reasons therefor.
The communication is signed by Com
missioner Lacy Shaw. who is acting presi-
dent of the board during the absence in
Europe of the president. DR.. Benjamin c.
Perry. and is as follows:
"As the administrative and executive
board of Montgomery county we feel that
we are called upon to urge your commission
to deny the privileges and rights requested
by the Loughboroueh Belt Line and Ter
minal Company as stated in the petition
pending before your commission In case
No. 1884.
THE promoters Of the belt line scheme
are quoted 10 the press as expecting to
encircle the District of Columbia with a
belt freight railroad and adjacent terminals
and factory sites at distance Of approx
mately one mile from the District line in
Montgomery and Prince Georges counties.
The petition now pending before your COM
mission would allow this or any other
location that the belt line company might
be able to condemn. The location Of such
a belt line would be one Of the greatest
setbacks that could overtake the people.
the property values and the future of
Montgomery county.
"A number Of the towns Of this county
located near Washington have already
petitioned your commission through their
elected town governments to deny charter
rights to the belt line; number Of citi-
zens' associations and individuals have
also petitioned your commission to refuse
this charter; we are also reliably informed
that a similar petition can be expected
from each town government or citizens
association in the area affected.
I'VE desire to call the attention Of your
commission to the fact the edge Of Mont
eomery county adjacent to the District Of
Columbia extending northwest from Ia
koma Park through Silver Spring and
Woodside to Kensington north Of the apex
Of the District and extending from the
apex to the southwest from Kensineton
through Chevy Chase. Bethesda, Wood
mont. Battery Park. Edgemoor. Bradley
Hills. Drummond. Somerset, Glen Echo
and numerous other towns to the Potomac
River. enjoys an average elevation Of 800
feet above the center Of Washington, which
is the highest elevation Of any area ada
cent to the District Of Columbia. This
territory has for the past so years been
developing as a series Of residential towns.
villages and subdivisions containing In
part the most expensive suburban homes
built on any side Of Washington City.
During recent years this development has
greatly increased In volume.
"A greater part Of the first mile Of Mont
gomery county adjacent to the District Of
Columbia already is occupied for residen-
tial purposes. The proposed belt line would
consequently encircle the developed Sec
ton and separate 1t from the communities
a little farther from the District line in
which the new growth Is now taking place
and where the future growth must be.
This valuable and thickly settled resi-
Dental belt Of Montgomery county should
further be regarded. In considering both
its requirements and It's future, as a part
of the National Capital. Washington City.
as your commission knows. exists entirely
as the home Of the Federal Government
and there are no industries or manufacture
ing plants Of any size located in WASH
ington. This condition merely empha-
sizes the lack Of justification In the attempt
Of the promoters Of the belt line to create
an industrial area Immediately outside Of
Washington Cty's most valuable and fast
est growing suburban section.
This belt line would for four and one
half miles on the northwestern side Of the
District be Immediately adjacent to the
general Chevy Chase section. which COM
pares with the Rowland Park-Guilford
Homeland sections Of Baltimore City, and
for four miles on the northwestern side Of
the District the proposed belt line would
be Immediately adjacent to the Tako-
ma Park Silver Spring Woodside sections,
which compare with the Ashburton- Forest
Park sections Of greater Baltimore. Ger
tainly no one would propose building a
freight belt line through these sections Of
Baltimore City. and the project is even
more indefensible in the similar sections
Of Maryland adjacent to the National Capt.
tai. because Washington is not a manu-
featuring or commercial city.
in administering the affairs of Mont
gomery county and planning for It's future,
we always have to remember that we are
adjacent to the District Of Columbia. which
enjoys a vast revenue from city taxation
plus a 40 per cent contribution from the
Federal Government. We have made every
effort to compete with the District Of Co.
lumbia in governmental improvements and
advantages for our people. and we believe
that the Montgomery county suburbs are
regarded as favorably as home locations
and investment areas as the adjacent Dis
trict Of Columbia suburbs. Our street and
park plans are being worked out to CO.
ordinate with those Of the District Of
Columbia; our school and road systems
compare favorably with those Of the Dis
trict Of Columbia; our county tax rate Is
very decidedly lower than that Of the District
Of Columbia and. in fact. is the lowest tax
rate Of any Of the 2S counties Of Maryland.
THE Washington Suburban Sanitary
Commission "a State commission) Is de-
velopins an adequate water and sewerage