Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-04-02
$4,000 ADDITIONAL
G|VENFOR SCHOOLS
Many Bills Passed in Closing
Session of Maryland As
sembIy.
BY WILLIAM J. WHEATLEY,
stan CORRESPONDENT Of The Star.

ANNAPOLIS, Mu., MdICu z.-MOHe.
gornery County's legislation program
particularly that part OF 1t Affecting
the metropolitan district, lowered in
uncertainty during the closing hours OF
the session of the Maryland General AS
senbly last night, and not until a few
moments before the gavel fell at los
this morning was the fate of several OF
the bills determined. The afternoon
and night were replete with confer
ences between the county leaders in
the House and the anti-Democratic Or
ganization leaders, together with Sem
ator Eugene Jones Of Kensington.
Just before midnight, Senator
Jones held a number of the Montgom-
cry bills on his desk and insisted on
the passage of the measure changing
the charter of the Farmers Banking &,
Trust Co. of Rockville, which has been
in the desk of Chairman George l..
Edmonds of the Montgomery County
delegation for several days.
Rules Are Suspended.
This bill was passed shortly after mid
night, under suspension of the rules,
following a favorabls report of DR.. Ed
monds With othet things, it removes
the restriction in the present bank
charter which limits the bank to $4,000
for construction purposes. 1t was
passed, according to DR.. EdmondS, I'M
der a gentlemen's agreement between
Senator Jones, Albert Bouic, attorney
of Rockville and leader IN the Mont
somery Democratic insurgent forces,
and Robert G. Hilton, president of the
bank, on the one hand, and Lacey Shaw.
county commissioner; DR.. Edmonds and
e. Brooke Lee Of Silver Spring, speaker
Of the House, on the other, that the
bank would not build on its present site
until after thu meeting Of the next Leg
islature in 1881. or until such time as
the county commissioners definitely de-
eide against the plan to take in the
square west of the courthouse on
which the bank is located. Both
Speaker Lee and Senator Jones said
that the latter would not sign any paper
containing any such agreement.
Following an earlier conference, Sena-
tor Jones reiented somewhat on the
school program, on plea not to throw
that matter into politics, and added
5000 to the school bond bill. making
a total of $685., 900, as against $475, 900
as the bill was originally passed by the
House. He. however, eliminated the
program which the original bill carried
and leaves the matter OF placing the
schools and the amount to be expended
on each to the board of education.
Road Crossing Bill Fails.
The bills raising the levy from 6
to 10 cents for the support of the
Silver Spring Fire Department and
the Kensington road crossing bond
issue were killed after midnight in
the House, when they were reported
back from the Senate with amend
ments.
The measure amending the suburban
district act. to give wider authority
to the commissioners ruling this area,
died in the Senate, by failure of the
Senator to report it. He killed by
unfavorable report, which the Senate
adopted, the bills providing an engineer
for the county, and the measure pro-
viding for the appointment of a corps
of park policemen to patrol any parks
which might be established in the
metropolitan district.
just prior to midnight the Senate
approved the House bill providing for
an electrical inspector and for an
electric wiring code in the county, and
the Edmonds bill providing q coming
law for the town Of Rockville.
The road refunding bill, providing a
bond issue of $697 900 for payment for
roads already constructed, with minor
amendment in the Senate, was con-
CURED in by the House, which also
concurred In the bill providing bond
issue of 100000 to finish the 1927
road building program. The amend
mentS to this measure cut $4,000 off
each of the roads itemized in the pro-
gram, wiped out the provision for the
construction of an underpass. of the
Baltimore g. Ohio Railroad tracks west
of Silver Spring, on the proposed new
road from WoodSide direct to Sixteenth
street. Instead of $4,000 which the
bill originally carried for this, as finally
passed it carries $4,000 for the widen
ing of Commerce street, In Rockville,
the so-called bottle neck on the through
The provision for the underpaSS, to
carry the Silver Spring Bethesda High
way, now under construction, under the
railroad tracks. at cost Of $4,000
was left intact.
Road Measure Approved.
The House also concurred in the
Senate amendment to the 1929 road
construction program in Montgomery
County, reducing the amount of the
bond issue from $4,000, as passed by
the House, to $475, 1000, and eliminating
the specific program outlined in the
bill. The county commissioners now
are faced with the work of revamping
the whole program.
The Senate approved without amend
ment the bill giving the Park and
Planning Commission authority over
the Great Falls district, for any power
or road projects, and also the bill CIV
ing the county commissioners authority
TO borrow money for street improve
ment programs.
When, in the late afternoon of yes-
terday, the status of the Montgomery
program became doubtful, DR.. Edmonds
addressed a letter to Senator Jones in
wiling his attention to the certain bills
IN the program which had not been re-
ported to the Senate by the select COM
mittee Of which he was the head and
asking for conference. He mentioned
specifically the street improvement fund
bill, the county engineer bill, the bill
amending the electrical code bill, pro-
viding an additional building inspector;
the bill amending the Metropolitan dis
trict act and the one authorizing the
park policemen.
I'VE desire most earnestly" said DR..
Edmonds' letter, ito urge your favor
able consideration Of these bills as we
believe they vitality affect and con-
structively help the suburban sections
OF Montgomery County, which, Of
course, helps the county as q whole.
I'VE would be glad to meet you at
any hour you may name today for a
conference on such Of these bills that
you are unwilling to report favorably. "
DR.. Ednonds said that he made q
plea to the Senator particularly on the
school bond issue, asking him to restore
to the bill the figures originally passed
by the House. He urged him, DR.. Ed
nionds continued, not to throw the
school issue into politics, as 1t was q
matter which should be kept clear Of
politics, and the efforts Of the Senator
to reduce the bonded indebtedness OF
the county by eliminating funds from
the school bill would put the matter
directly in the political ring during the