Evening star., 1951-07-18
Sale Of Bonds
Authorized for
Road Projects
$1.2 Million Issue
To Be Offered by
Prince Georges

The Prince Georges County
commissioners have, authorized
sale of a $1.2 million bond issue
for road projects. including the
new dual highway between
Branchville and Beltsville.
Almost half of the bond issue,
however. will go for five projects
now virtually complete and two
projects already contracted for.
Those seven projects. totaling
$536.153, were initiated by the old
Democratic board before the Re-
publicans took over the county
government last November.
Adrian Fisher, counsel to the
commissioners, said the old DEM
ocratic board had paid for the
seven projects by borrowing $125.-
900 from banks and taking some
$400, 900 from general funds. Road
projects in the urban area of the
county usually are financed by
special district funds, controlled
by the commissioners and the
Maryland Legislature.
Democratic Claims Hit.
Commissioner H. Wilson Spick-
nall strenuously attacked the
Democrats for leading the public
to believe the county's financial
affairs were ship-shape when they
left Office last December. He said
the Democrats boasted Of q surplus
of almost 81 million, when actu-
ally the county was more than
$500,000 In debt.
Along that line, the commits
sioners, on Mr.. Spicknall's motion
called on Controller Carl Mace to
furnish them with a complete
balance sheet of the county's f.
nances within 10 days.
The Branchville- -Beltsville road
will take an estimated $450, 900 OF
the bond issue. The three-mile
road will follow an abandoned
trolley line, which the county
previously had purchased from the
Capital Transit Co. for $16,500.
Extra 100000.
The commissioners, at their
meeting in Upper Marlboro yes
terday, decided to sell the full
$1.2 million in road bonds author
lied in 1949 and 1851 acts Of the
legislature, even though the Belts
VILE -Branchville highway and the
seven holdover projects should
require only about 81 million.
They will decide later how to
use the extra 100000. they said,
pointing out that the county does
not lack for needed road projects.
The State Roads Commission.
in letter, offered a possible solu-
ton to some Of the county's road
building problems. The State
agency informed the commission
ers that Prince Georges is eligible
for $67,168 in Federal funds for
secondary roads this year, con-
tingent upon a county contribu-
ton Of $87,318.
The commissioners deferred &C.
tion on participation in the Fed.
eral secondary road program until
they have worked out some further
details Of the county's current
road program.
Seek Policy on Crossing.
In other actions, the commits.
sioners:
l. Decided to meet August
with the general manager ane
legal staff of the Baltimore & Ohit
Railroad in an attempt to get :
grade crossing reopened at Ber.
wyn road in Berwyn. The com
missioners have threatened cour
action if the crossing. closed il
1910. is not reopened. The meet.
ing. arranged by Commissions
Edward j. Waters. will be held a
IL am. in the county servic,
building at Hyattsville.
2. Authorized the Department
of Public Works to penalize Con
tractor Sydney r. johnson 81 ,30'
for failing to complete improve,
mentS To Arundel road between
Mount Rainier and Brentwood b.
the contract date OF February 26
1851. The job was not finished
until May IA, the resolution stated
The contract provided for .
penalty of $50 for each workinl
day beyond the completion date
but the commissioners decided t,
Ipenalize Mr.. johnson only for tn
engineering expenses incurred be
cause of the delay.