Evening star., 1954-12-18
'ParkwayCuts
Profits, Protest
Owners on Ri. |.
Businesses Ask
Commissioners to
Shave Assessments

Businessmen along, the Prince
Georges section of q. s. Route
/ complained to the county
commissioners yesterday that
motorists. using the fast, new
Baltimore Washington parkway
have forgotten the old highway
is still there.
NJ. H. Bargteil, College Park
motel operator and president
of the Washington
Boulevard Association, asked the
commissioners for q downward
revision of tax assessments along
the county portion of Route /.
Mr.. Bargteil appealed to the
board ito use your influence"
to have Federal authorities open
the Federally built section Of
the parkway from Jessup. Nd.
to the District line for truck
traffic.
He said there is danger that
Route / will become exclusively
truck route, to the detriment
of communities along it. Only
the Maryland financed section Of
the parkway, from Baltimore to
Jessup, is open to trucks. The
rest is closed under laws govern
ing Federal parkways.
Letter to Ask Signs,
The commissioners voted to
expedite a letter to the Interior
Department, requesting that the
Federal Government erect signs
pointing to Route / at the park.
ways Prince Georges County in
terchanges. The Maryland sec.
ton of the parkway has signs
directing motorists to gas sta
tions and motels on Route / at
Dorsey and Jessup roads, which
cross both highways.
Mr.. Bargteil, who also is sec
retary of the Maryland Travel
Council, told the commissioners
the parkway ''is taking money
out of the State" by shunting
tourists from Baltimore to
Washington without an oppor-
tunity to make purchases and
pay the Maryland sales tax.
He said the county tax assess
ments along Route /, raised re-
Gently in a general revision, are
excessive in view of the known
depreciation of our property by
the parkway"
Would Ask Transfer.
The Commissioners were told
that Senators Beall and Butler.
Republicans, of Maryland, will
introduce legislation at the COM
ing session of Congress to turn
over the Federal portion of the
parkway to the Maryland State
Roads Commission. Mr.. Barg-
tell said he has had several con-
ferences with the Senators and
expects to see members of Mary
lands delegation in the House
about the same matter.
Neither of the Maryland Sena-
tors could be reached for COM
ment, but Senator Buffers Of
fee confirmed that he is con-
sidering such a bill. Senator
Buffers legislative aide said,
however, there is some question
as to whether the Maryland
General Assembly would accept
the parkway into the State roads
system.
Meanwhile, two counter-pro-
posals to ban trucks from the
Maryland end of the parkway
were promised yesterday for the
General Assembly session OPEN
ing on January by State Sena-
tor John Grason Turnbull,
Democrat, of Baltimore County,
and Delegate jerome Robinson,
Democrat, of Baltimore City.
Clerical Job Handed Out
In other business the COM
missioners swiftly appointed
Mrs. Evelyn Latimer, of Upper
Marlboro. to a $2.400-a-year
clerical post in the Office Of
County Clerk r. Lee Van Horn.
The appointment had been
blocked in a Democratic hassle
at the new boards first meeting
on December 10. when Commits
sioner Herbert w. Reichelt said
he did not know the job was
open and might wish to recon-
mend some one for its from his
Chillum election district.
The Democratic ranks fell back
in line yesterday. Mr.. Reichelt
offered the motion appointing
Mrs. Latimer to the job.
The commissioners also ap-
proved the purchase of 13 new
police cars ait low bid of $l,400
each. after trade-ins. from the
Pyles Motor Co.. In Silver Hill.
The company is owned by Carl
ton Pyles. chairman of the
county's Republican State Gen.
trail Committee.