Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1953-03-10
Mcke|din Signs
Prince Georges
County Bills
One Permits Boost
In Financial Aid
To Fire Departments
By Gene Goodwin
Stor StoH Correspondent

ANNAPOLIS. Mar. 10.-Five
Prince Georges County bills, in
Guiding one to increase county
aid to fire departments by over
100 per cent, were signed into
law last night by Gov. McKeldin.
The fire department law
authorizes the county commits
sionerS to appropriate $780, 900
next fiscal year to provide an
annual $4,000 grant to the 80
accredited volunteer fire depar-
ments in the county. The bill
was requested by the county
Volunteer Firemen's Association
and had the approval of the
commissioners.
The commissioners at present
are spending $4,000 annually
for such aid. It is distributed
to the accredited fire depart
mentS on the basis of $l,4OO to
each fire company and $1,000
for each rescue squad.
The four other new Prince
Georges County laws included
two asked by States Attorney
Carlyle j. Lancaster. One pro-
vided for a Stenographic clerk
for the grand jury. to aid the
States attorney in preventing
conflicts in testimony before the
grand jury and actual court
trials. The second requires doc
tors, dentists, druggists, hos
pitfalls and nurses to report to
police promptly when they treat
victims with injuries caused by
auto accident and lethal weapons.
Debt Limit Raised.
The fourth county bill signed
will permit Seat Pleasant to in
crease its Indebtedness from
100000 to 100000 for storm
water drainage and make some
minor changes in it's charter.
The fifth authorizes District
Heights to borrow up to 100000
for a municipal center, subject
to a referendum.
Meanwhile, several Washing
ington area bills were introduced
last night.
To Dredge Anacostia.
Prince Georges Delegates
Perry o. Wilkinson, Democrat,
and j. Frank Lillard. Republic
can, teamed up to offer two
measures-one to provide for
dredging Of the Anacostia River
to temporarily relieve flood con-
ditionS at Peace Cross.
The bill directs the county
commissioner to negotiate with
persons or firms equipped to
dredge" the Anacostia and
authorized a 100000 bond issue
to pay for it, if necessary. The
two sponsors are hopeful that
a private sand and gravel firm
will be willing to do the job for
the sand. gravel and topson
they would get out of it.
The two delegates also intro
duced a bill which would have
the effect of reducing the in.
ventory tax in Prince Georges
by so per cent. That is the 2
per cent tax that business men
pay on stock they have on hand
each year.
Mr.. Lillard and Mr.. Wilkinson
earlier had sponsored a bill to
abolish the Statewide tax en-
tirely in their county, but that was
killed in committee. Their new
bill provides that such stock in
business be assessed at so per
cent of fair average value, whieI
would be the same as cutting the
tax in half. The State law now
allows Anne Arundel and Fred.
erick Counties and Frederick
City to assess at rs per cent Of
actual value for purposes of the
inventory tax.
Would Extend District.
The Prince Georges delegation
introduced three bills to extend
the Washington Sanitary Com
mission District to all of the
Berwyn election district; the
area in the vicinity of Odell road,
Old Baltimore pike, Swampoodle,
Muirkirk, Virginia Manor and
roads, and all Of
Houghs Park.
Seven delegates introduced a
bill to permit the granting of a
liquor license to a yacht club
at Rose Haven in Anne Arundel
County just north of North
Beach. Md.
The measure is a perennial
one, having been vetoed by the
Governor in 1851 and killed in
committee last session. It stems
from the persistent attemps Of
Joseph Rose. owner Of the yacht
club which he built about three
years ago in the legally dry
9th AInnki4.a