Evening star., 1947-08-20
New Licensing
.CodeDrrawn on
.Amusements
Montgomery Board
Acts After Johns Hits
RuruI Area Joints

A new set OF regulations for Il.
censing places of amusement in
Montgomery County is being drawn
up by F. Barnard Welsh, attorney
to the Board of County Commits
sioners.
Mr.. Welsh was instructed to pre-
pare revised code at the commis-
sioners' regular meeting yesterday.
Brooke Johns, president Of the
board, said there is IAN appalling
situation in this lovely county"
particularly with respect to what
he referred to as Joints" in the rural
areas.
He said places that most flag
rantly offend in this respect were
pool halls which have appeared In
the midst of areas boasting large
estates and farms.
Hard to Control.
Mr.. Johns declared such estab-
lishments have been hard to con-
troll because they are outside of
the metropolitan zoning area of
the county. He added that the zon-
Ing lines could not be extended
except by an act Of the State Leg
islature.
1t was suggested that high
license fee, possibly as much as
81 900, be required of pool halls.
The licensing regulations to be
drawn up by Mr.. Welsh and sub
mitted to the commissioners next
Tuesday will cover ball parks, the
aters, and other places of amuse-
ment as well as pool halls.
Another ordinance already pre-
pared by Mr.. Welsh and concerning
the licensing of slaughter houses
was presented.
| The proposed ordinance had been
requested following complaints by
residents of Gaithersburg about con-
struction of slaughter house in
that community.
A $500 annual license fee would
be required and their location would
be prohibited within 500 yards of
any school, hospital, dwelling or
street.
Hearing Set September %.
A public hearing on this ordinance
has been set for September %.
Alex Hancock, county controller,
reported six county bond issues will
be retired in full during the current
fiscal year, totaling about $723, 800.
"This is the largest number Of
bond issues ever retired by the
county in one year." Mr.. Hancock
said, land probably will be the
largest number of issues retired in
one year for some time to come"
Mr.. Hancock said that the retire.
ment should indicate that "the pres
ent Board of County Commissioners
has made a good start toward i'm
proving the financial position, Of this
fceunty." SSas ,Hh
Mrs. Alma Opal of Takoma Park
asked for abolition of the post of
county police commissioner. h,'h
IT Sporadic Friction. 'ti'
There has been sporadic friction
among board members during the
year on this same subject. Wesley l.
Sauter, a member of the Board Of
Commissioners and also police COM
missioner, has fought attempts by
other members to do away with the
post.
No immediate action was taken on
the request of Mrs Opal, who had
asked for public hearing.
The Silver Spring Volunteer Fire
Department renewed a request that
the Potomac Electric Power Co. be
asked to have overhead wiring in
Silver Spring placed underground,
particularly in the vicinity of Georgia
and Wayne avenues.
The fire department has COM
planned in the past that this type Of
wiring constitutes a fire hazard.
Albert E. Conradis, county public
utility agent, has been instructed to
study the District fire codes with
the view of preparing similar reg
l1lationS for the county