Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-01-06
VIEWS SUBMITTED
FOR COURTHOUSE
Third Conference at Rock
vile May Settle Bond
Issue Question.
Special Dispatch to The Star.

ROCKVILLE, Md. January 5.-More
facts on the proposed new courthouse
and iail as to costs, taxes, enlarged
cite and requirements of rapidly de-
welcoming community are expected to be
laid before the courthouse committee
county officials and legislators at a
third conference next Friday ana an
agreement may be reached. YESTERDAY
conference was featured by the SUD-
mission of statements by members OF
the House of Delegates and DR.. Eugene
Jones, State Senator. The delegates
said:
TO the Building Committee on the
New Montgomery County Courthouse
and the Board of County Commits
sioners for Montgomery County:
gentlemen: We. the undersigned
members of the House of Delegates
from Montgomery County, herewith
cionifv our willingness to support an
increase in the bond issue for the con-
struction of an adequate fireproof court
house at Rockville, in the amount OF as
much of Sl50,000 as may be recon-
mended by the courthouse nuholng
committee and the architects as nee
cssary for this important purpose.
In the 1927 session OF the Marylano
LEGISLATURE. we supported a S25O,OOo
of a new courthouse at Rockville ana
a $50 600 bond issue for the construc-
tion of a new Jail Both of these BOND
Issues we're actually merely legislative
authorizations to the Board OF County
Commissioners Of Montgomery county
IN Issue such bonds if these projects
couId be completed without raising the
county tax rate on that account.
"The general reassessment OF 1923.
which added an additional Sl8,O0O,OOo
tn the taxable basis OF montgomery
County 80 per cent OF when increase
IS due to the higher valuations placed
on unimproved property IN tne supuL-
han sections of Montgomery County,,
rot only made it possible for the Board
of County Commissioners to issue the
$3.50 600 courthouse construction BONDS
and the $4,000 jail construction bonds
without increasing the county tax rate,
but also made it possible to issue the
$3.50 600 bond issue for the construction
of evmnaSiumS at the Rockville,
Bethesda Chevy Chase and Takonla-
Silver Spring High Schools, and to
build in 1928 (and temporarily t1nance)
additional school construction in the
amount of 100000 (Which additional
school rooms are now available for the
present school YEAR, and to very largely
complete the schedule of road construc-
ton decided upon by the Board of
County Commissioners on May /. 1927,
al without increasing the county tax
rate.
Previous Bond Issue.
1--WE are advised by the clerk to the
Board of County Commissioners that
at the 1929 session of the Maryland
LEGISLATURE Montgomery County can
G FEn mn in additional TTy
bonds without increasing the county
tax rate.
We regard the existing bonded in
debtedneSS of Montgomery County as,
moderate and this condition is support
ed by comparison with other municipal
tiles and counties and by the important
fact that Montgomery County bonds
carrying Az Rk cent interest rate
have been regul2fy purchased at above
par by bankirg houses in New YORK,
Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washing
ton. Ss@
"Of the $1,750.00 additional bond is
sue that the 1929 Legislature can issue
without raising the county tax rate,
considerable portion has already been
obligated (by the statement of Senator
Jones and the undersigned members of
the House of Delegates) to the Board
of County Commissioners for the pur-
pose of paying for the 1928 school con-
struction and the 1923 road construc-
ton, both of which have been tempo
rarilv financed by the Board of County
Commissioners
In addition, We are committed in writ
Ing to provide funds for the balance of
the road construction program adopted
by the Board of County Commission
erS on May /, 1927.
The above commitment, however will
leave the present Legislature able to
issue substantial portion of 100000
In new bonds for the purpose of addi-
tional public improvement in Montgom-
cry County without raising the present
tax rate
The following courthouse building
committee has for the past two and
one-half years been engaged IN The
study of needs and plans of new court
mouse and main governmental admin
1strative building for Montgomery Coun-
ty, particularly as affecting the office
space needed by the various agencies Of
the government of Montgomery County
The courthouse building committee
consists of Judge Robert B. Peter, DR..
BENJAMIN c. Perry, president of The
Board Of County Commissioners: Clagett
C.. Hilton of the Board of County Com
mlssloners; Preston B. Ray. clerk of
me Circuit Court; Berry E. Clark, clerk
10 the Board of County Commissioners.
and Robert G. Hilton and Ohio H w,
Talbot, both Of Rockville.
Inc courthouse building committee on
December IL, 1928, advised Montgom-
cry CountyS representatives in the
maryland Legislature that a minimum
or S438.000 would be required to build
a courthouse of sufficient size to fur
nlSh the office space needed by the
various departments of the county gov
eminent as at present constituted and
TO provide reasonable Office space for
probable expansion in the next 10 years
This plan has been approved by the
courthouse building committee, and in
cludes the construction of a jail in
the upper story of the new courthouse.
Join in Recommendations.
'"The architect, Rossel e. Mitchell of
Chevy Chase, and the consulting archi-
tect, Delos H. Smith of Washington,
join in the recommendations of the
courthouse building committee The
courthouse appropriation Of $250,000
and the jail appropriation of $4,000
make 100000 now available for this
construction.
We have complete confidence in the
ability of the building committee to
decide upon the amount of space need
ed, both now and in the immediate
future, for the public Offices of the
county and herewith agree to support
the bond issue they recommend to pro-
vide the space they regard as necessary.
However, we most strongly feel that
the new courthouse to be built at
construction cost of over 100000,
should be located on a site Of adequate
size to allow Montgomery Countys new
courthouse and main governmental
building to have the advantage Of
proper spacing and parking as an
architectural set-off and balance.
We regard the present courthouse
site or square as entirely inadequate
for a new courthouse building of the