Evening star., 1926-06-03
FIRE HAZARD .
CITIZENS TO ACTION
Chevy Chase, Section z
Names Committee to Con-
slider Plans for Protection.

keeniy alert to the necessity OF
establishment of adequate fire protec'
| ton in the Chevy Chase area adJoin-
| ing the District of Columbia, resi-
dents of Chevy Chase, Md. section q
held a mass meeting at the library
last night to consider ways and means
of accomplishing the desired end.
The meeting last night was opened
by George Hoover, chairman ot the
citizens committee of the Sectlon,
and Justice Hoehling of the District
Supreme Court later was made ehalr-
man of the meeting. MIR. Hoover'Qut-
lined the general need of fire protec.
ton for the Chevy Chase areas as
indicated by Fire Chief Watson at
a recent mass meeting in Bethesda.
He strongly urged that something be
done and assailed those who had
criticized section No. for not ad-
herring strongly to the general plan
that was adopted at the Bethesda
meeting by representatives from all
sections Of lower Montgomery County.
A resolution suggesting a form of
proposed department was introduced
at Mr.. Hoover's behest but owing to
Objectionable features was overwhelm-
ingly rejected by the citizens as one
committing them to a certain kind of
department when the whole matter
should more properly be thoroughly
investigated from every angle.
Careful Study Urged.
1t was argued that what the COM
munity wanted was fire protection
and that the best way to obtain ade-
quate protection was to study all
plans thats had been proposed and
mold these to local needs. A sub.
-stitute for the Hoover resolution and
calling for the appointment of a
special committee of residents from
section 2 to study the general prob
of Chevy Chase and Bethesda and to
draft a plan that would adequately
care for the needs of all was then
adopted.
William w. Bride. chairman of the
public safety committee of the Mont.
gomery County Civic Federation. spoke
briefly on the plan that had been
suggested by his committee At the
mass meeting held in Bethesda and
adopted overwhelmingly by the re-
presentatives of all sections.
Sees Better Department.
Mr.. Bride stated emphatically that
no attempt was being made to force
any one to adopt the plan, no taxes
could be levied under the proposed
maintenance law Unless the people
themselves asked the county commits
sioners to levy them. and pointed out
that through cooperative endeavor
Of all communities a larger, more eff
cient department could be established
at lower cost, while cooperative sup
port would place less maintenance
costs on each individual property
n
ing fire protection. He pointed out
specifically. that the Montgomery
County Civic Federation's responsible
lity in the whole question rested
when, in public spirited way, it
called attention of the various sec
tionS affected to the vital need of fire
protection.
The federation committee plan was
merely a suggestion to be modified as
the people saw fit. but prepared in
>order to more quickly achieve de-
sired ends. 1t was entirely mp to in
dividual sections to control their own
actions in every conceivable way. But, ).
he pointed out. the proposals ad-
vanced under the federation plan were
succeeding and no matter whether
Chevy Chase joined the general move
ment or established q department of
its own. the desired end would have
been achieved, namely. the establish
ment of a department or departments.
Walter r. Tuckerman appealed to
Chevy Chase to join with other sec
tions in the general cooperative plan
rather than pursue individual courses,
inasmuch as more protection and bet
ter protection could be achieved. He
emphasized the fact that fire protec.
ton was the sole purpose of any plan.
11JCffNn
authorized to do so, appointed a spe.
cial committee to study the fire pro.
lection problem and to report at a
later meeting in June. The members
of this committee are: William T. s.
Curtis. G. G. Clark, William I. Dem
ing. William s. Corby and William l..
Soeau.