Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1929-04-05
Local Measures Coz sidered.
William J. Wheatley in the Washington
Star.

Annapolis. Md, March 2.-Montso
County's legislation program, particular,
that part of it affecting the metropolitan
district, lowered in uncertainty during the
closing hours of the session of the Mary.
land General Assembly last night and NOT
until a few moments before the gavel fell
at los this morning was the fate Of sew
eral of the bills determined. The afternoon
and night were replete with conferences
between the county leaders in the House
and the anti Democratic organization lead
ers. together with Senator Eugene Jones,
of Kensinston.
Just before midnight. Senator Jones held
a number of Montgomery bills on his desk
and insisted on the passage of the meas
ure changing the charter Of the Farmers
Banking & Trust Company Of Rockville,
which has been in the desk of Chairman
George L. Edmonds Of the Montgomery
County delegation for several days.
This bill was passed shortly after mid
night, under a suspension Of the rules.
following favorable report of DR.. Ed
monds. With other things 1t removes the
restriction in the present bank charter
which limits the bank to SIS. 900 for con-
struction purposes. II was passed. accord
ing to DR.. Edmonds, under gentlemen's
agreement between Senator Jones, Albert
BOuic, attorney of the bank, and Robert G.
Hilton, president of the bank. on the one
hand. and Lacy Shaw, county commits
sioner; DR.. Edmonds and E. Brooke Lee.
on the other, that the bank would not build
on It's present site until after the meeting
of the next Legislature in 1881, or until
such time as the county commissioners
definitely decide against the plan to take
in the square west OF the court house 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. Senator
Jones relented somewhat on the school
program. on plea not to throw that mat
ter into politics, and added 100000 to
the school bond bill, making a total Of
$685.. 900. as against $475,000 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.
The bills raising the levy from 8 10 10
cents for the support of the Silver Spring
Fire Department and the Kensington road
crossing bond issue we're killed after mid
night in the House, when they were re-
ported back frsm 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
providing fer the appointment of corps
Of park policemen TO patrol any parks
which might be established in the metro
politan district.
Just prior to Midnight the Senate ap-
proved the House bill providing for an
electrical inspector and for an electric wiring
code in the county, and the Edmonds bill
providing zonins law for the town Of
Rockville.
The road refunding bill. providing a
bond issue of $897,0U0 for payment for
roads already constructed. with a minor
amendment in the Senate. was concurred
in by the House, which also cOncurred In
the bill providing bond issue Of $780,
900 to finish the 1927 road building pro-
gram. The amendments to this measure
cut SIS 900 of each Of the roads itemized
in the program. wiped out the provision
for the construction Of an undeTpass OF the
Baltimore & Ohio Railroad tracks west Of
Silver Spring, on the proposed new road
from Woodside direct to Sixteenth street
Instead Of $50, 1000 which the bill originally
carried for this. as finally passed 1t carriei
5000 for the widening Of Commerct
street. in Rockville. the sO-called bottle
neck on the through Eastwide Highway
by sdding 10 feet. The provision for thu
underpass. to carry the Silver Spring Be
thesda Highway, now under construction
under the railroad tracks. at a cost oil
$4,000 was left intact.
The House also eOncurred in the Senate
amendment to the 1929 road construction
program in Montgomery county, reducing
the amount Of the bond issue from $751;
900. as passed by the House. to S475. 900
and eliminating the specific program out
lined In the bill.
The Senate approved without amend
ment the bill giving the Park and Plan
ming Commission authority over the Great
Falls district, for any power or road projects
and also the bill giving the county COM
missiOners authority to borrow money foF
street improvement programs.