davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1953-12-03
Social Security
Has New Office

For the last month it seems as
if nobody has been able to find the
Social Security Representative in
Rockville.
David Platky, Field Representa-
tive Of the Washington, D. C. Field
Office of the Social Security Ad-
ministration r e cen v replaced
James Moore, known throughout
the county as "The Social Security
Man." For several years Moore had
been meeting residents of Mont
gomery County in the Post Office
Building. But space became avail
able in the Courthouse and he be-
gan meeting there.
When Mr.. Platky arrived in
Rockville, he found the occupants
in the process Of moving over to
the new County Office Building.
For the past several weeks, Platky
has been meeting in the gloomy
offices, now vacant, beneath the
County Clerks Office. Since he was
the only person on that floor, re-
sidents refused to believe that he
was still meeting there.
AT last Mr.. Platky was notified
that the Hearing Room was to be
remodeled and that other quarters
were available for his use. From
now on ne may be found each Wed.
nesday at 10 am. in Room 226 Of
tne new County Office Building.
Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1953-12-03
No Tax Deal Here
Says Deeley Nice

Montgomery County residents
have been personally assured by
the chairman of the State Tax
Commission that other counties
were going to have to toe the mark
on equalizing assessments.
Deeley X. Nice, chairman of the
commission, last Friday told small
group of county residents the Is
counties assessing too low would
be brought in line with Montgom-
cry and Prince Georges County.
But county officials have indie
ated they want more than a verbal
assurance on the situation. They
want the matter cleared up as
rapidly as possible.
The county council, which was
indignant over the results of the
gtate-wide assessment survey, was
to meet Wednesday night with as
sessing officials and the appeals
tax court.
only One LOunty higher
Only one county was found to
be assessing at higher rate than
Montgomery and Is counties were
considerably lower in their ratio
Of assessments to actual sales
values Of property.
That was despite the fact that
little more than year ago the
council was told by tax commits
sion spokesman Montgomery was
not out Of lire with the rest Of
the state.
Although 80 per cent Of the state
properties were assessed fairly
equal the other 20 per cent COM
prised is of the 20 counties.
Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1953-12-03

Water
Forward
Contract Awarded
To Low Bidder
By City Council,
To Cost $4,000

A contract for construction of a
million gallon storage tank to sup
plement existing Rockville facili-
ties and eliminate water shortages
which have plagued the city dur
ing the past summer was awarded
by the Mayor and Council of Rock
vile on November % to the low
bidder, The Chicago Bridge and
Iron Company, Mayor Daniel R.
Weddle announced.
At the same time Mayor Weddle
said the firm of Whitman, Re-
quardt & Associates of Baltimore,
consulting engineers for the city,
has been instructed to draft recon-
mendations for both a short and
long-ranged sewage disposal pro-
gram to meet present and future
needs of the rapidly growing area.
In addition to plans for the new
water storage tank, the city has
entered into negotiations with the
Washington Suburban Sanitary
Commission to tap onto the sani-
tary agency's water mains and
make an additional 100000 gal
Ions available during peak periods
and times of drought.
Both the water and sewage stud
les have been going on for many
months under the direction of the
Mayor and Council and City Man
ager John Mcdonald and City En-
gineer John MARYLAND and in CO.
operation with Whitman, Requardt
Continued on Page g.
Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1953-12-03
Coop to Meet
At Frederick

A regional meeting of Southern
States Cooperative Local Farm
Home Advisory committees will be
held at the Francis Scott Key Ho-
tel in Frederick, on Thursday, De-
cember 10, to outline and plan
work for the committees during the
next year.
Approximately SO women are ex-
pected to attend the meeting. Mrs.
Sarah P. Ellis, Richmond, Virginia,
Director of Women's Programs for
Southern States, will be in charge
of the meeting. @
Farm Home Advisory Commit
tees from the following communi-
ties will attend: County Supply
Inc, Poolesville; S. S. Frederick
Cooperative, Frederick; S. S. Mt.
Airy Cooperative, Mt. Airy; and S.
S. Gaithersburg Cooperative, Cal
thersburg.
Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1953-12-03

The new sanctuary of the Rock
vile Christian Church was dedi-
Gated at services on November %.
At the morning service the pas
tor, DR.. Ernest R. Bryan, led in
the dedication of the altar. The
altar appointments were given in
memory of Annie Laura Karn who
was known and loved by many
people in the community.
DR.. Daniel A. Polling was the
principal speaker at the evening
dedication service of the sanctuary
which was almost completely de-
stroyed by fire last February. DIR.
Polling is editor of the Christian
Herald, President of the Worlds
Christian Endeavor Union and
chairman of the executive council
of the All-American Conference to
Combat Communism.
An overflow crowd, composed of
the regular congregation and
friends of the church from the
county and Washington, heard
Washington and Rockville guest
ministers speak.
Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1953-12-03
Name National
All Winners

Nine Maryland Alters received
this week the high honor of being
named national winners at the
Sind annual National All Club
Congress, now in session in Chi
cago.
They are Erich Willen, of ri. 4,
Westminster, Carroll County; Cor
rine Hoff, New Windsor, Carroll
County; Barbara Jane Lore, Solo
mons, Calvert County; Doris Hem
dirk, Ri. l, Freeland, Baltimore
County; Kathleen Somers, Mayo,
Anne Arundel County; and Car
roll Leatherman, Rt. 2, Myers
vile; Donald yesterday, Rt. 2,
Myersville; Ann Runkles, 1T. 2,
Frederick; and Marybelle Rems-
burg, Rt. 1, Frederick, all of Fred
erick County.
Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1953-12-03
Santa Claus to Visit
Caithersburg Friday

Santa Claus will visit Gathers
burg tomorrow night to inaugurate
the Christmas Lane and will dis
tribute gifts to children of the
area at two locations.
Gaithersburg business men and
women are planning the biggest
event of the Christmas programs
in the history of the town. William
Lynch, president of the Business
mems Association, Inc, which is
sponsoring the affair, says that all
local businesses have contributed
literally to making the event a
success.
Santa Claus will arrive by sleigh
at Z pm. tomorrow and will stop
at the Baltimore & Ohio parking
lot to pass out gifts to the chill
dren from the merchants of Gath
ersburg and Washington Grove.
After an hours stop, he will take
off in his sleigh for the Gather
Theatre parking lot where he will
repeat his performance. Merchants
expect to have the Gaithersburg
High School Band on hand to pro-
vide the Christmas music for San
ta's visit.
The Gather Theatre will give its
usual Christmas shows to the ele-
mentary school children of Gath
ersburg area on December Is and
16. Time of the shows will be an
nounced later in the Sentinel. Price
of admission will be fruits, canned
goods or candy which will be in
cluded in the Christmas baskets
to be distributed to the needy by
the Businessmen's Association.
Most Gaithersburg places of
business are remaining open until
8 pm. each night until Christmas.
Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1953-12-03
Gov. McKeIdin
Chevy Chase
OAR Speaker

Governor Theodore X. McKeldin
was the speaker at the November
meeting Of the Chevy Chase Chap
ter, Daughters Of the American
Revolution. His talk ranged from
the landing Of the "Maynower"
with the Pilgrims at Plymouth 10
the arrival Of the ships "The Ark"
and "The Dove" with the first
settlers Of Maryland. The meeting
was held Nov. "a at the home Of
Mrs. Robert f.. Kline, 3 Primrose
Street, with Mrs. Albert f.. Con-
raids, Mrs. jesse w. Nicholson and
Mrs. Ivan II. briggs as assistant
hostesscs.
Mrs. Thomas II. Patterson, re-
gent Of the chapter, presided. In
the business meeting which follow
ed the luncheon, the following do
nations were reported paid during
November: 500 to the Crippled
Children's Society Of Montgomery
Continued on Page 81
Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1953-12-03
No DOOr-tO-DOOr
License in Sight

A controversial proposal to
license and regulate door-to-door
solicitors working in the County
was, in effect, killed by the County
Council Tuesday as the Council
tabled the proposal by 4-3 vote.
Council. imam Louis A. Gravelle,
who originally asked the Council
to adopt such an ordinance last
summer, surprised most Council
members by moving it be tabled.
81 have received many letters
and kilograms during the last week
opposing the law" Gravelle said in
moving the proposal be killed.
There was no other discussion as
councilmen J. Louis Monarch, Har-
old F. H m m d and Grover
Walker supported his motion. The
dissenting votes were cast by
George F. Nesbitt, Lathrop E.
Smith and Mrs. Stella Werner.
AS the motion was brought be-
fore the Council for the fourth
time, it had been amended to elm
mate requirement that applicants
be fingerprinted and to exempt
farm equipment and newspaper
solicitors Magazine statesmen speci-
fically were included in the latest
draft.
In other actions Tuesday, the
Council passed a law requiring
builders to file a surveyors certi-
ficate guaranteeing that a house
is properly located on it's lot be-
fore construction passes the first
floor. A vote on a proposal that de-
velopers post a bond to insure con-
struction of streets in the down
county area was delayed for a
week. A similar requirement is
now in effect in the Upper County
under terms Of ithe subdivision re-
gulations for tw rural area.
A hearing on a proposal to ex-
pand the area in which hunters
may not discharge firearms was set
for January ii at 800 pm. in
Rockville. The new "no hunting"
area would follow the boundries
of the Washington Metropolitan
District.
The Council expects TO adopt
next Tuesday a new, and more
restrictive, master coming ordin-
ance for the County. The new
ordinance increases from 5 to Ia
the number Of coming classifca-
tons and gives the Council strict
controls over land uses.
Council President Harold F.
Hammond Tuesday gave Public
CONTINUED on page 60
Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1953-12-03
E. HI. Hit Named
NIB Chairman

E. H. Hit of Hits Electrical
Service, 211 East Montgomery
Ave-, Rockville, has been appointed
District Chairman of the National
Federation of Independent Bust
ness, according to advice from G.
Irving Bailey, district manager for
the National Organization
The Federation, a non-profit
group, claims the largest mem
bership of any business organiza-
ton in the United States. 1t offers
to Independent business and pro-
fessional men a voting membership
regardless of civic or trade affilia-
tions. Each business member is
polled monthly on bills and issues
affecting Independent enterprise in
the nation.
Chairman Hit tabulates all the
district votes and sends his report
with the signed ballots to the desk
Of Congressman Dewitt Hyde of
Mary and's sixth district. Because
opinion sampling takes place be-
fore congress votes on an issue
representatives are informed in ad-
vance of the attitude of the various
segments of their business con-
stituants.
Chairman Hit has been in bust
ness in Rockville for more than
seven years, is a Navy veteran and
active in the Rockville Board of
Trade. He is a long time member
Of Rotary International and cur
rently is member of the Rock
vile Rotary Club,
Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1953-12-03
County Officials Open Drive to
End Lax Security; Overcrowding
At Jail i'm Rockville Courthouse
Chestnut Lodge
Disease Uncertain

The County Health Department
is going to try to have Is cases
of the mysterious polio-like"
Chestnut Lodge disease erased
from its polio records for this year.
DR.. V. L. Ellicott, County Health
officer, told the County Council
Tuesday that the doctors who orr
ginally reported the first cases as
polio will be asked to change their
diagnoses to unknown" if scien-
fists at the National Institutes of
Health who are studying the out
break agree that it is most likely
not polio"
Disease Uncertain
"But I'm afraid it's still uncer-
tain just what the disease was"
DR.. Ellicott told the Council. The
health officer added that the feder-
al scientists are reluctant" to say
what it is, or is not, and sit might
take them five years to find out"
The mysterious" disease hospi-
talized 80 staff members at the ex-
elusive institution and causing
many of them what was described
as muscle stiffness" Only the
first IS cases were reported to the
Health Department as polio, and
the others as unknown" it was
learned at a special press confer
ence in September.
"The indications are that the
disease isn't polio," DR.. Ellicott
said, because the scientists have
not been able to grow it in animals
where the other polio viruses will
grow"
Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1953-12-03
Rockville City Planning
Discussed at Civic Meet

ter owner to have the theater open
to the general public.
Members expressed concern at
the lack Of information concerning
additional water supply. A resolu-
ton was passed asking the Mayor
and Council to give a full public
report on the prospective hook-up
with the Washington Suburban
Sanitary Commission water mains,
on additional water storage facili-
ties, and to give tentative dates
when the hook-up would be COM
pleted.
Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1953-12-03

County Manager Edward T..
Beall told the County Council Tues
day that steps would be taken to
relieve overcrowding; that prison
consultants would examine cell
locks next week, and that a COM
munications-alarm system would be
installed between the Jail and
county police headquarters in the
new office building block away.
a The grand jury called upon Beall
to make an inspection of the secur-
ity provisions in the Jail "and pro-
coed Immediately with measures
which would prevent a jailbreak. I"
The panel said locks on the cell
doors appeared to be old and in
need of extensive repairs" when it
made its inspection.
New Jail Urged
Construction of a new county Jail
or extension of existing facilities
was urged by the grand jury in
view of the overcrowding.
Beall, after making his first visit
to the Jail early Tuesday morning,
told the council that most of the
trouble "stems from an increasing
prisoner load" He said the County
will attempt to work out an agree
ment with Stt&ce officials so that
prisoners with long terms will not
be housed in the local jail. He
added that an agreement whereby
the Jail cares for Howard County
prisoners while the latter govern
ment rebuilds its Jail will end this
month.
Beall minimized criticisms level
ed by the grand jury and charges
made by former Jail guard.
Nothing in our Jail merits or
justifies the things said about the
JAIL" Beall said. He added that
prisoners get far better treatment
there than anywhere around the
area"
The grand jury charged that the
jail, although clean, lacked facili-
ties for physical exercise or pro-
ductive work for prisoners; was
without chapel or recreation ia
cilities, and lacked facilities to iso-
late prisoners with contagious d.
seases or who are unruly.
Lacks Juvenile Quarters
Juvenile offenders are often
housed with old offenders or hard
ened criminals, the grand jury re-
port said.
At times the overcrowding is so
bad, the report added, that prison
ers have to sleep on mattresses
thrown on the floor.
Beall told the Council that spe-
cial room is usually reserved for
juvenile prisoners, but that over
crowded conditions often make it
necessary to put selected" older
prisoners into the room. He did not
mention the lack of separate quar-
tiers for young and old female Of
tenders, or the lack of segregation
in the women's quarters.
Council member Stella Werner
asked Beall to make a special study
of the "county's laxity" in failing
to provide separate detention space
for young prisoners.
Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1953-12-03
County4-H.:
FLA Clubs
Fare Well
At Fair
Potomac Youth
Showed Reserve
Champion Club
ShOrthOrn Steer

Montgomery County All and
FLA Club members were well rep
resented at the Eastern National
Livestock Show held last week on
the Maryland State Fair grounds,
Timonium. A total of AZ members
exhibited 38 baby beeves, So mar
ket hogs and 81 fat lambs. Louis
ellis, Potomac, exhibited the Re-
serve Champion Club Shorthorn
Steer.
Club members who had fed
steers for one or two years re-
ceived special recognition in the
Buck Schluderburg Glasses and
those members winning blue
awards were Roger Williams,
Poolesville, with his mediumweight
Angus; George Bryant III, Comus,
with his lightweight Hereford;
Louise Kricker of Sandy Spring
with her mediumweight Hereford
and Louis ellis of Potomac with
his heavyweight Shorthorn. Those
winning End prize: Nina Vann of
Olney with her lightweight Angus;
James Wightman of Gaithersburg
with his heavyweight Angus;
Frank Kricker of Sandy Spring
with his lightweight Hereford;
Margaret Low of Gaithersburg
with her heavyweight Hereford;
and Louis ellis of Potomac with
his Heavyweight Shorthorn.
Angus Champion
The Grand Champion Steer of
the show was an Angus exhibited
by C. f. Yoder of Muscatine, Iowa,
weighing 920 lbs. and sold for SIS
pound, while another Angus
which was also the Club Champion
and Reserve Champion Of the show
was exhibited by Jack Macarthur
of Port Deposit and sold for So
a pound. The Reserve Champion
All and FLA Steer was a Here
Continued on Page g.
Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1953-12-03
All Rockville Building is Halted
BY State Health Board Monday

The STOP signal flashed Rockvlle's booming growth
by the State Board of Health Monday has CITY fathers
ing overtime.
In sharply worded statement released early this week
the health board ordered complete halt on new sewer
nections in the city,
Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1953-12-03
Position Excellent

Now it has this base--he says it
jumped nearly four times in the
iast three years-and is an excel
lent financing position.
Mr.. Gingery pointed out the city
had sold its last bonds at a better
interest rate than the county got
on its big issues.
The developer added Rockville
couldn't afford to stop it's develop
ment. Once the new route 240 is
completed, he said, it will be one
of the finest communities in the
Washington area with quick and
ready access to the Nations Capt.
Oal.
The state health board gave the
Rockville council until June TO
come up with plans and contracts
for permanent means Of correct
ing it's shortcomings.
DR., Robert II. Riley. chairman Of
the state board, pointed out in
his letter the board would give con
sideration to anything reasonable
the city offers to alleviating the
sewage situation.
Some builders feel the state
board got too rough too quickly.
They point out that if the situation
is bad as the board says, it has
not happened overnight and in re-
cent months the sprawling new
county office building, site Of the
county health Offices, and two
schools have been permitted TO
hook on TO the overloaded system.
Knocks Developers
The he, tn board assailed deve-
lopers who proceed with elaborate
plans of construction without
knowing whether adequate sewer
extensions are available.
Mr.. GinRery, one of the develop
ers of Twinbrook and its temporary
sewage disposal plant now aban-
doncd, said there is no doubt the
system in Rockville Is overloaded,
but he expressed confidence in the
ability Of the city to meet the prob
lem.
The order of the state board
effect the main part Of town, Mr..
Mcdonald said, and at least half
the city's area. Several large de-
yelopments may be stopped short
If no temporary measures are de-
vised that are acceptable TO the
state board.
Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1953-12-03

erative patient being returned to
his room Immediately after sur
gerry.
Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1953-12-03

The board said the pesently over
loaded sewer system in the wester-
ly section of the city was a men
ance to health. At the same time,
the health board said new sewer
connections would be sanctioned
after January 81.
But Rockville officials are work.
ing On temporary measures to re-
lieve the situation and permit
the continued expansion of the
city with the accompanying in
creased tax base. The Council met
Tuesday and was to consider the
matter again last night.
The immediate effect of the state
order was to bring a dead stop
work on a 1,400 unit development
on the Dawson farm off Rockville
pike.
Gave Go Ahead
The city fathers a few weeks
ago had given the go ahead to Dom
aid E. Gingery, builder, and w.
Evans Buchanan, real estate man
to proceed with the construction
of the first 200 homes.
AT present councilmen were
working up plans for channelling
some of the sewers away from
Watts branch to the Rock Creek
trunk lire which connects with the
Washington Suburban Sanitary
Commissions lines.
AS John G. Mcdonald, city man
ager puts it:
"The order Simply stirs up more
trouble. We have been working on
a method of temporary relief for
the last six months and we are
continuing our work"
If no temporary measures de-
signed by the city prove acceptable
to the state beard it would mean a
mt least IN 18 month moratorium
on home building in Rockville.
That is how long it will take to
provide new permanent facilities,
MIR. Mcdonald said. He added the
cost for expanding the present dis
posal plant or building new one
would be from 100000 to $780,
900. Running a trunk line eight
miles down Cabin John valley to
connect with sanitary commits
sion line would cost about $780,
900. he said.
Mr.. Gingery, one Of the earliest
developers Of the huge projects
along Viers Mill Road, said the city
had not been lax in providing
sewer facilities. He said the coun-
ell had waited until it had suit
"b'e tax base to expand the facili-
ties.
Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1953-12-03
Grand Jury Report Scores Lack
OF Adequate Penal Facilities;
Beall Promises Immediate Action

County officials taking steps to relieve overcrowd
ing and to tighten security provisions at the Rockville Jail
after grand jury report scored the institution made
quate and in need of repairs Monday.
Evening star., 1953-09-20
St. Johns Eleven Wins Easily
lover Georgetown Prep, $50

st. Johns scored once in the
third quarter when Tom Dyson
went over after gains by De-
Lalla, Renehan and Dyson.
The Little HoyaS held st.
Johns scoreless in the last quar-
ter, but couldn't muster any Of
fense of their own. Outclassed
by their bigger. faster opponents,
they registered only two first
downs.
Greg Didden and Pete Butler
showed we'll for Georgetown
Prep in the few times they had
the ball, but St. Johns had con-
troll throughout the contest and
was knocking on the door for
another score when the game
ended with St. Johns on Prep's
7-yard line.
A tumble on the first Scrim-
mage play gave the Johnnies the
ball on Prep'S 20. Three plays
later, Quarterback Bob Rusevlyan
swept end for 10 yards and a
touchdown.
Three more touchdowns fol-
lowed IN the first half as Jim
Kane, Phil Mudd and Karl Smith
scored on running plays.
Coach Joe Gallagher used re-
serves throughout most of the
second half, with Tom Dyson
scoring in the third quarter.
GEORGETOWN Prep 0 O O. q
st. Johns --13 IA 6 0-33
ST Johns scoring: Touchdowns--
RuseYlyan, Kane, Mudd K Smith,
Dyson. Extra points-Rusevlyan 3
(placem entSJ