Evening star., 1929-06-25
FREE LOT SCHEMES
HIT BY CHAMBER
HyattsviIIe Body Urges War
Against Giving Away
of Land.

SEsMS Dispatch 10 The Star.
eWATTSVILLE, Md, June rs
Hearty Endorsement was given the
article in The Star of Saturday last, in
which the National Association of Real
Estate Boards urged war against "free
lot racketeers, who generously give
away pieces of land and extract thous-
anoS of dollars from the unlucky win
ners," at the June meeting of the
Chamber of Commerce of Hyattsville
last night in the Municipal Building
here.
The chamber agreed with the asso-
citation in its stand that this practice
Is unethical and recommended that
persons who are approached ON such
q proposition refer 1t to the Better
Business Bureau in Washington for
an opinion before accepting it.
Spur Line Inquiry Voted.
G. d. Anderson, secretary of the
chamber. was asked to write to the
State Road Commission asking whether
1t had granted permission to the Bal
timore g. Ohio Railroad Co. to con-
struct its proposed new spur line across
the Washington Baltimore boulevard a
short distance south of the present
tracks, just back of the station, and, If
so. why it had given permission for
erection of another grade crossing
elimination of which a quarter of a
million dollars is now being spent.
This action followed announcement by
DR.. Hilleary r. Willis, mayor of Hyatts-
vile, that engineers and attorneys of
the railroad company had presented
plans to the mayor and Common Coun-
Gil, showing the proposed new tracks,
but had not made formal application
to the town to do the work.
nss rNA
. authorities felt the erection of another
grade crossing would necessitate gates
and watchmen and had written the
commission asking whether the rail-
road company had been granted per-
mission to build tracks across the
boulevard at grade.
On behalf of the. public utilities COM
M1ittee, which is pushing the fight be-
fore the Maryland Public Service Com
mission against the rate of the Wash
ington Suburban Gas Co., 1t was re-
ported that briefs in the case were be-
ing prepared, and it was anticipated
that the commission would make a de-
cision not later than August / NJ. T..
May, for the committee, and Secretary
Anderson reported on this matter.
Report on Civic Collections.
A report was made by the special
ing to cooperate with the mayor and
council In evolving a system of trash
and garbage collection. Councilman j.
Moses Edlavitch announced that ar
rangements had been made by the town
authorities for trash collections, but the
question Of garbage collection was one
which necessitated further study be-
fore action could be taken.
It was announced by Secretary An
derson that he had placed in the hands
of Maryland's delegation in Congress,
as wen as the members of the House
and Senate District of Columbia air.
port committees copies Of the resolu-
ton adopted at the last meeting, urging
the Chillum site as q municipal air.
port for Washington.
Judge j. H. Shepherd announced that
the county commissioners would hold
hearings next Tuesday on applications
of persons who wished to conduct road
houses in the county. He recommend
ed that members of the chamber as in
dividuals appear before the commits
licenses to reputable persons and oppose
the granting of licenses to persons
known to be not reputable. The rec
ommendation was adopted.
DR.. r. M. Mcmillan announced that
the third division, knights Templar of
Maryland, would hold its annual field
day in Hyattsville in October on q date
to be announced. A parade. drills and
other features will mark the event,
gathering here The chamber offered
any support within its power TO make
the day q success.
Last nights meeting was the last
regular session Of the chamber until
September 3d.