Evening star., 1927-04-03
Metropolitan Area, Adjoining
D. c., Created, and viii Be
Planned With City.
COMMISSION TO GUIDE
FUTURE DEVELOPMENT
Montgomery and Prince Georges
Counties Linked in Effort to Pave
Way for Washington's Advance.
BY WILLIAM j. WHEATLEY,
staff Corresnondent of The Star.

Montgomery and Prince Georges
Counties in a general plan to develop
the worlds most beautiful Natiopai
Capital, became an assured fact to
night when the House of Delegates OF
the Maryland Assembly, on the mo
tion of George l.. Edmunds of Rock
Vile, chairman of the Montgomery
County delegation, concurred in the
Senate amendments to the bill Great
ing the Maryland National Capital
Metropolitan District and creating
the Maryland National Capital Park
and Planning Commission. The
measure then was sent forward to
Gov. Albert c. Ritchie, for signature
which he will affix on Monday before
the final adjournment of the Legis-
lature.
This bill was the leading ore pend.
ing in the Legislature which puts the
sections of Montgomery and Prince
Georges Counties Immediately ad.
jacent to Washington and generally
following the boundary lines of the
present Washington Suburban SAM
tary District on municipal plane,
and checks, in so far as coming. park
purchases and city planning are con
cerned, and ties these areas closer
with all plans looking to greater
National Capital.
The bill was fostered by Gov.
Ritchie's commission of prominent
Montgomery and Prince Georges
County citizens, known as the Mary
land Park and Planning Commission.
and was strongly backed by the
Montgomery County Civic Federation,
although in its final passage it con
tanned some features objectionable to
those working for the development in
the District.
Principal among these was the
provision that one OF the three COM
n1issioners provided for each county
was to be appointed from the county
at large. Although those favoring
the amendment disciaim any idea of
taking the control outside the met
ropolitan area, nevertheless they. said
they desired to have the power TO
do so.
Those who favored the original bill
thought that in all fairness the con-
troll of the commission. should be left
with the residents and taxpayers of
the district within which the i'm.
provement Is to take place and from
whom the taxes would come.
Montgomery Bill Passed.
Another bill directing Montgomery
County destinies toward municipality
passed its last legislative stage to-
night when the House concurred in
Senate amendments to the bill Great
ing the Montgomery County suburban
district Immediately adjacent to Wash
ington. This measure will be ready
for the governors signature on Mon
day. The House also concurred In
certain amendments to another mu-
nicipal measure which gives the Mont
gomery County commissioners author
ity to regulate signboards, places of
public amusement and private insti-
tutions, such as schools and sani-
tariums. The bill as originally intro
duced gave the county commissioners
authority to prohibit any Of these, and
the bill was amended to give them
authority merely to license and regu-
late to meet constitutional objections
which might have nullified the law
had it been enacted in it's original
form.
VIII Regulate Buildings.
In another measure which was sent
to the governor when the House of
Delegates concurred in amendments
the county commissioners are given
authority to regulate building con-
struction in the metropolitan district
and to provide for the appointment
by the county commissioners of a
building inspector.
General Improvement Of the roads
and highways of the county is pro-
vided for In another measure which
received it's last legislative stamp In
the House of Delegates. This bill au.
Inr
Montgomery County to issue bonds
to limit of 100000 for the improve
ment, widening and construction OF
roads within the county with a pro.
vision that not more than $400, 900
may be issued in any one year.
Fee System to End.
The House also concurred in Senate
amendments to the Montgomery
County sheriff bill which ends the
fee system in Montgomery County.
and Is designed to provide a better
police system for the municipal area
The measure specifically states that
in the opinion of the general assem-
bly, better policing of the county
would be provided by the sheriff at.
tending the civil court duties, and
leaving to the Montgomery County
police the criminal work.
1t increases the police force of the
county from eleven to twenty men and
provides for the appointment of three
sergeants. The sheriff is given an in
crease in salary from $4,000 to 1900,
which is in reality reduction as the
fees usually amounted to about SO 900
a year. The law provides that the
fees shall now go into the general
fund Of the county. The measure also
increases the salaries Of the two depu-
ties from 81 500 to s2,100.
VIII Rebuild Courthouse.
The Senate passed without amend
ment and forwarded to the governor
the bill providing for bond issue in
Montgomery County OF $250,000 for
rebuilding the Rockville Courthouse,
specifically providing for room for the
Circuit Court, fireproof vaults for the
storage of county records, rooms for
the recorder of Wills, orphans court,
county commissioner, school commits
sioner, county treasurer and jury and
witness rooms. II leaves TO the dis
cretion OF the commissioners the mat
ter OF tearing down the present court
house and building another or re-
modelling It.
The bond issue 81 $50 900 70 provide
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