Evening star., 1949-07-20
County 10 Start
Wisconsin Ave.
Widening Soon
Long-PIonned Project
May Begin by Aug. !;
Big Savings Seen

- ~
Widening of Wisconsin avenue
from East West Highway to Glen
brook parkway in Bethesda, a
project planned for several years
possibly will begin by August /
it was disclosed yesterday.
And the job is expected to cost
Montgomery County only $780,
900 to ,000-a saving of from
$250,000 to 100000 over the ex-
penditure that would have been
involved had the work been
started last February as planned,
according to County Council
President Frederic P. Lee.
Information concerning the con-
struction which will eliminate a
traffic bottleneck on Bethesda s
main thoroughfare was made pub
lie at the regular weekly meeting
Of the council in Rockville.
The council also announced
seven promotions in the police de-
partment; acted on three rezoning
applications. including one which
reversed a decision of the former
Board of County Commissioners
and made public a summary of
Montgomery finances which re-
vealed the county had a balance
Of $2,858.921 when the fiscal year
ended June 80.
DarnoVc n4~a<nI
Mr.. Lee, after hearing a report
from Blanton Barnett, county
engineer, said that as a result of
negotiations, A of the 81 parcels
of land necessary to the widening
had been donated to the county
by the owners. He said that the
county, after appraisals, had Of
fered total of 5000 for the re-
naming 13 pieces but that the
offer had been refused.
The State Roads Commission,
which has agreed to pay half the
cost of rights of way, is expected
% institute condemnation pro-
Seedlings by next week in the 13
cases, Mr.. Lee said. AS soon as
the suits are filed, he said, work
may begin.
The county must pay about
$4,000 to property owners for
special damages, such as moving
gasoline tanks, shrubbery and
other articles, Mr.. Lee said. In
addition, curbs, cutters. sidewalks
and drainage will cost an estimat-
ed $4,000.
The cost would have been about
$450,000 If the project had been
started in February-the month
after the council took ofice-and
the negotiations had not been
held, Mr.. Lee asserted.
McAuliffe to Head Night Shift.
One of the police department
promotions means that Ispector
James S. McAuliffe, who has been
in operating as we'll as admins
trative charge of the detective
bureau, will be able to devote full
time to his other duties of inspec-
tion and training. Inspector Nc
Auliffe said he will work evenings
in charge OF the department, with
Police Chief Charles M. Orme
taking the day shift. All the pro-
motions will be effective August l..
Promoted to the lieutenant's
post is Detective Sergt. Gassaway
Linthicum, who will receive $4,000
q year. Other detective bureau
promotions are Corpls. Jesse B.
Day, Edward r. Barber and STAN
ley Harding to sergeants at $1,000
annually.
The three other promotions in
volve Corpls. Eugene B. Brown,
Mason w. Gray and Charles O.
Seek to sergeants at $500 year.
The decision reversing the for
mer county governing body oc-
Cured in the case of an applica-
ton for apartment zoning of a
tract on Jones Mill road near
Jones Bridge road in Chevy Chase
The former commissioners on De-
cember 81. 1948, granted the ap-
plication of James Walsh Rich
ards and Nancy S. Richards, but
before any construction was start
ed, a resident in the area, Frank
Reggia. asked the County Coun-
Gil to reopen the case. On March
IS, the council declared the De-
cember 81 action to be with
out force and effect" pending a
further hearing. This was held
on April 27 and yesterdays rul-
ing was the result.
Walsh Avenue Rezoning Denied.
In a second zonIng action, the
council denied an application of
Sligo Estates, Inc, for commercial
zoning of a 50-foot lot on Walsh
avenue in Block A, Section 9 OF
Chevy Chase.
Favorable action was taken in
the third case in which Mary
Page Hopkins applied for recon-
ing from residential to commercial
of a lot on Philadelphia avenue
between Gist avenue and Blair
Court, Silver Spring.
The financial summary indi-
Gates cash receipts and disburse-
ments during the last fiscal year
and is a preliminary statement
subject to audit, the council said.
It shows that a total of $12,515, SOL
was spent during the 12-month
period. The $2,858,921 balance
compares with $2,144,254 on the
same date in 1948.
Hall Hired as Personnel Aide.
A request of the Montgomery
County Bar Association that the
council veto a bill passed at its