Evening star., 1952-04-26
PrinceGeorges
Board Rejects
Chi||um Plea
Turns Down Stopeop
Arrangement for
Tukomu Park Fire Aid

The Prince Georges County
Commissioners have rejected a
plea by Delegate William r.
Hughes to make some "stop-gap
arrangement" with Takoma Park
to provide fire and emergency
service to the mushrooming Chill
lum area.
Under existing law Prince
Georges cannot appropriate funds
to fire departments and rescue
squads located outside it's boun-
daries, the county commissioners
held yesterday.
Mr.. Hughes. who lives in Chill
lum, said he will work for remedial
legislation at the Maryland Gen.
eral Assembly's 1858 session but
insisted that something be done
at once to prevent another acci-
dent such as that of last Saturday
which cost the life of 6-year-old
Linda Maloney.
Rescue Squad Action Delayed.
The child, youngest of three in
the family of Mr.. and Mrs. Ste
phen E. Maloney, TIC Chillum
road. fell into an unguarded
drainage pool at the foot of Knoll
brook drive while trying to retrieve
a rubber ball.
Three men pulled her out of 5
feet of scummy water within a
few minutes and unsuccessfully |
applied artificial respiration while
neighbors called the Takoma Park
Rescue Squad less than a mile
away.
It could not respond, however,
because of a city Council order
which banned sending equipment
into the adjacent Prince Georges
area except on a second call after
county companies have reached
the scene.
Town Pays for Services.
The order followed an adverse
vote in a referendum last October
on a special 10-cent fire tax in
the Chillum section. Proceeds
were to go to Takoma Park and
five other nearby towns. Officials
of Takoma Park said the order
was approved because of the OBJ
jectionS of citizens whose tax
money for 80 years had been pay
ing for emergency services outside
corporate limits.
Takoma Parks fire department,
located in Montgomery County
just across the boundary line, does
not receive any of the $1,400I
Prince Georges gives each such
unit from a 2-cent general fire
tax. The newly formed Chillum-
Adelphi Volunteer Fire Depart
ment is not yet in operation and
thus is not eligible for the allot-
ment.
Residents Blamed.
Mr.. Hughes said he felt some
way should be found to aid the
Takoma Park units until the
Chillum- -Adelphi organization is
functioning.
"Our position is dictated by
law" asserted Commissioner Dan
iel A. Abbott, that of Takoma
Park by opinion"
This is a stalemate between
two political bodies" Mr.. Hughes
retorted. 1T is causing criticism
of the county government. People
feel you are not providing pro-
lection"
We'll throw that baby back in
their laps" said Commissioner H.
Wilson Spicknall, "the people
themselves are responsible. They
had an opportunity to take part
and voted it down."
Fire Unit Needs Land.
Commissioners Spicknall and
Abbott expressed resentment that
the question was dumped in their
laps. You, a legislator, said Mr..
Spicknall, "are bringing this to the
county commissioners. Why didn't
you go into this and correct it
at the last session? We can't
appropriate for Montgomery
County,"
Mr.. Hughes replied that he had
tried to do so, but was blocked
by lousy, cheap politics"
James w. Martin, president of
the Chillum- -Adelphi volunteer fire
unit, said his group could go in
business tomorrow, if we had a
piece Of land" The company has
a fire truck, which is housed at
College Park.