Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-12-07
RHODE ISLAND AVE.
CELEBRATION HELD
Thousands in Fete Opening
Road and Eliminating
Grade Crossing.
BY GEORGE PORTER.
Stan Correspondent of The Star.

Stan Correspondent of The Star.
MOUNT RAINIER, Nd, December
This is a day of rejoicing in Prince
Georges County.
Years of planning and toll to elimi-
nate the dangerous Hyattsville grade
crossing and provide direct connection
between the Baltimore boulevard and
the District of Columbia at Mount Raj
nier are ended and the residents ceie-
brated in big way this afternoon.
Many in Attendance.
The celebration, itself the result OF
weeks of careful planning, attracted
thousands of persons from Washington
and other Maryland counties whose con-
venience and safety also have been en-
HANGED through the new avenue and
bridge.
Shortly before noon all the towns In
this section were gay with decorations
and busy with last-minute preparations
for the festivities. Citizens put the nm
ishing touches to more than 100 floats,
frightened up their personal automo-
biles with bunting and through their
streamers and smiles announced a
welcome" to the entire world.
Richie Is Guest.
Gov. Albert c. Ritchie of Mary
land, who has taken a personal in
terest in eliminating the grade crossing,
together with other State officials and,
with few exceptions, all cf1cialdom of
Prince Georges County, were the guests.
The new bridge, not quite ready 1or
traffic and the new avenue are gay With
decorations placed with painstaking care
A Sp1nHns
spinner of Riverdale, and lending to
both coloring as of a stage setting. for
they are the background" against
which this afternoons pageantry was
enacted. The National Guard Armory at
Hyattsville, where Gov. Richie was to
review the parade and speak, and many
other buildings and residences also are
bedecked In holiday dress, the national
and State colors predominating.
Sirens "Shriek" Opening.
with the shrieks of sirens from the
Mount Rainier and Brentwood nre
houses the formal opening of the new
tforoughfare was broadcast" to all this
suburban area. The blasts, one minute
in length, conceded with the opening OF
wooden gates signalling the lnaugu-
ration of the avenue. A similar demon
stration was to be staged when the pa
rade reaches HyattSville, with the
Hvattsyille and Riverdale sirens herald
ing the event. The Misses Auda Mae
Croker, Eleanor L. Moxley, Elsie G.
Casey and Esme B. Reeder acting as
sponsors at the gate opening ceremonies,
First over the new roadway was oetali
of Maryland State Police, tolloWeo py
Company F, HyattSville National Guarc,
acting as a guard of honor to Gov.
Ritcfie. who was to be accompanied by
members of the State Roads Commits
sion. the committee Of the HyattSV1lle
Chamber of Commerce, which arranged
the celebration, and the general parade
committee. The large Veterans OF For
eign Wars Band was to follow as the
final unit of the first section OF the pa
rade.
Towns Represented.
Divisions comprising the various
towns and the northeast section OF the
District of Columbia then were to pass
in review. Each of the town divisions
was to be headed by the mayor and
council and include bands, volunteer fire
departments, fraternal organizations
Boy and Girl Scouts, citizens groups,
former service men and business floats.
Between the Brentwood and Mount
Rainier sections was to be group 81
school floats, while following Moun az
Rainier was placed section devoted to
the County Firemen's Association. The
District representatives in line were 10
include band, delegations Of the Rhode
Island Avenue and John Burroughs
Citizens Associations and business
floats. Commercial floats from Wash
ington were the last listed item in the
line of march. The paraders were safe
guarded by the three ambulances OF the
Prince Georges County rescue squad,
which were stationed along the new
avenue.
At the conclusion of the parade, which
was not to disburse until it reached
Riverdale, Gov Richie was to deliver
the principal address at exercises In the
armory. He is expected to make sec
ond address at banquet to be held II
the Masonic Hall, Hyattsville, starting at
z O'Clock, which will bring to close the
greatest day of rejoicing in Prince
Georges County since the signing OF the
armistice.