Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-02-24
ASSEMBLY TO GET
ROCKVILLE FIGHT
Courthouse Site Problem to
Be Put SquareIy Before
Legislature.
BY WILLIAM J. WHEATLEY,

SIaH correspondent OF Inc star.
ROCKVILLE, Md, February 49,
Differences over the construction of q
larger courthouse on larger site than
is now available existing between State
Senator Eugene Jones of Kensington
and Montgomery County's representa-
tives in the House of Delegates, headed
by E. Brooke Lee of Silver Spring,
speaker Of the House, will be shifted
squarely to the General Assembly now
in session at Annapolis, with the House
holding a controlling lever should the
Farmers Banking az Trust Co. seek to
amend its charter so that 1t can build
larger and finer building.
Senator Jones has firmly indicated
that he would not authorize q bond is
sue, the proceeds of which 1t is planned
to use in the purchase Of the land in
the square west of the present court
building for the purpose of construct
ing a combination courthouse and jail.
The Montgomery Senator is direc-
tor and second largest stakeholder in
the bank, and has made 1t known also
that his stand Is taken so that the bank
cannot be forced OF its present site.
Charter Hats Plans.
ARRANGEMENTS had been made to con-
struct new building to cost more than
100000, and generally plans are going
forward for it, when 1t was suddenly
discovered that the banks charter pro-
hibited it from constructing building
costing more than $4,000.
Now the throttle which the House
viii hold on this is to prevent the pas
sage of any legislation which would
authorize an amendment to the bank
charter. Senator Jones has said to this
correspondent that he holds enough
votes in the upper house to prevent
the passage of the proposed bond issue
for the larger site.
Up to the time Of the discovery Of
the provision in the charter restricting
the cost of building, the county lead
ers indicated that they could do nothing
If Senator Jones' opinions prevailed in
the Senate, and they believed that they
would prevail because of the practice
there of other county representatives
voting with the representative of a
particular county on strictly local meas
ures. The House leaders then had
formulated plan of passing legislation
which would permit the use OF the bond
money already available for the pur-
chase Of the land, and putting on the
construction of the much-needed court
house and Jail until after the next
election, when another Legislature will
meet. BY that time the electorate would
have had an opportunity to show just
whose position they favored in the night.
Conditions Changed.
But the matter has taken on new
light since the building provision was
discovered, and there are some who see
in 1t possibility of compromise be-
tween the factions that have clashed
1t was made clear by county leaders In
the Legislature, and particularly Speaker
Lee, that should the bank officials seek
an amendment to the charter so that
they can also build a finer structure,
there is little chance of getting 1t
through the lower house unless there
is some relenting in the upper chamber
that is, enough to provide the money
needed for the purchase Of the addi-
tional land declared to be needed for
the courthouse and jail.
Should this be refused, it was pointed
out. then the banking institution would
be left in the same position that 1t is In
now 1t could not go ahead with its
| plans for building, and If the legisla-
LlOn Is not put through at Lie CuIIcus
session Of the Legislature, it would have
| to do business at the same stand under
the same conditions as 1t does now, at
least for another two years, or until the
| next session of the Legislature which
convenes in January, 1881.
This change in the situation has
brought the stand in the lower house
of mo additional land for a courthouse,
then no new building for the bank
and that is how the matter stood today
There were indications that there may
! be some conferences on the matter dur
| ing the coming week, which may re-
| suit in a compromise of some kind, but
| lust how far these may be expected 70
60 is uncertain, as the present organi-
cation leaders insist that they must have
the land west Of the courthouse. They
| take this stand on the ground that tho
phenomenal growth of the county pop
ulation demands it. pointing out that
there is no use in building a structure
| on the present site now that eventually
will have to be enlarged later, when
the land values around the town center
have increased enormously.