Evening star., 1947-08-06
County Heads Order
Silver Spring Street
Widening Survey

Widening of Fenton street and
Ellsworth drive at the site of the
Hecht Co. store, Silver Spring, is
in prospect.
The Montgomery County Com
missioners yesterday ordered County
Engineer Douglas Riggs to make a
survey of the cost of widening Fen
ton street from 36 to 48 feet between
Colesville road and Pershing drive,
and Ellsworth drive from SO to Al
feet between Georgia avenue and
Fentof street.
Mr.. Riggs also was told to deter
mine the feasibility of building a
Il foot pavement along the unpaved
portion of Ellsworth drive from Fen
ton street to Cedar street.
The action was taken in response
to a request by Milton Shlesinger,
who will manage the store when 1t
is opened about November l.
Fears Traffic Congestion.
Mr.. Shlesinger warned that unless
the two streets are widened by the
time the store opens, "a traffic con-
gestion will result that will create
a dangerous hazard to all traffic In
the downtown area of Silver
Spring"
At this point, F. Barnard Welsh,
attorney for the board, interjected: !:
'It looks like the Hecht Co. is 60
ing to take over the county commits
sioners."
Mr.. Shlesinger replied, II don't
think SO. Why do you say that?"
Mr.. Welsh did not answer.
Declaring the Hecht Co. desires
the boards cooperation, MIR. Shles-
niger asserted:
"You will have to widen these
streets eventually. We are asking
for what is good for the entire Silver
Spring business district because
what benefits Silver Spring will ben
eft the Hecht Co."
Brooke Johns, board chairman,
agreed, saying "It has to be done and
the sooner it is done, the better"
Parking Lot Offered.
Earlier, Mr.. Shlesinger presented
the board with a deed to a 6,400
square-foot tract of land at Ellis
worth drive and Fenton street with
the provision it be used for public
parking. If the land, part Of an
IS, 900 square foot tract, is not used
for that purpose, Mr.. Shlesinger
said, the Hecht Co. wants it back" !"
This resulted in sharp exchange
between Mr.. Shlesinger and Mr..
Welsh with the attorney charging
What the county is doing is paying
s100,000 for parking lot for the
Hecht Co."
This was denied by Mr.. Shlesinger,
who emphasized that the proposed
parking lot will serve not only Hecht
Co. customers but the entire busi-
ness district of Silver Spring.
Mr.. Shlesinger then took back the
deed, promising to insert in it a pro-
vision that the company would pay
for any Improvements to the land if
it reverts to the Hecht Co. He said
the deed also would quote the Hecht
Co. as not objecting if parking
meters are placed on the property
Bridge Proposal Studied.
The commissioners took under
advisement a proposal by Charles
W. Prettyman, attorney for the
Baltimore g. Ohio Railroad, that the
county pay share of the cost of
building a new bridge over the rail-
road tracks at RockcreSt.
Declaring the present bridge is
"substandard," Mr.. Prettyman said
the railroad is willing to contribute
one-third of the cost of a new
bridge. He estimated the total cost
at between $4,000 and $4,000. The
City Of Rockville, in which Rock
crest is located, and the county
would pay the remaining two-thirds,
Mr.. Prettyman proposed.
The board ordered that parking
be limited to Is minutes between
3 am. and pm. on the east side
OF Trinity place between Georgia
avenue and Dixon street, Silver
Spring.
A hearing on a petition by Blake
Merson of the Montgomery County
Refuse Co. for permit to operate a
dump near Rockville was scheduled
for II am. August 26 in the Rock
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