Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-04-11
Colonial Beach Gets
Ready for Summer
Influx Of vacationisis
By J. l. MichoeI
Ssor StoH Correspondent

COLONIAL BEACH. Va, April
10.-Everybody is hustling today
at what the local Chamber of
Commerce is pleased to call 1.-THE
Playground Of the Potomac"
Hammers are flying. fresh
paint of varied colors CLEANS.
freshly poured cement hardens
on the long riverfront prone
made and the mile-long sandy
beach will soon be as clean as a
Puritan matron's parlor.
The playground appellation
fits this pleasant town with neat
homes Sheltering $500 year.
around residents and reckoning
10000 to $4,000 weekend viSi-
tors.
Colonial Beach Is IS miles
from Washington, the same
distance from Richmond, and
only 80 miles from FrederickS-
burg. Down the Potomac it's a
five-hour cruise, or about so
miles.
Citizens Aid Chamber.
This year, as never before, cit
izenry of the town is backing its
Chamber of Commerce in an
effort to attract families from
everywhere,
In dungarees and shirtsleeves,
Delbert, w. Conner, chamber
president. can be seen these days
astfide tractor, grading a road
bed for a kiddie railroad. The
tracks will run up hill and down
dale for about a quarter-mile
over the grounds of his big Co
'lonial Beach Hotel, where Light
horse Harry Lee once rode his
prancing steed.
The train, a miniature diesel
drawn streamliner painted in
the brightest hues, was unloaded
Tuesday to the great glee of
every grownup boy in town who
had any inkling of the news.
Also included in Mr.. Corners
current plans are a merry-go-
round, a whip. pony rides and
other types of children's amuse-
ments.
This is a distinct and praise
worthy departure for this thriv-
ing town of chance which pulls
large crowds to its slot machine
emporiums. In buildings with
such names as Reno, Monte
Carlo and the somewhat distant
Jackpot are some $50 coin
grabberS of many types.
An act of the Colonials made
1t possible for slot machines to
operate on piers just offshore
from Virginia where gambling
is illegal. Under the Maryland
Virginia Compact of 1785, the
Free State owns the Potomac
except for conservation purposes
Ito the low-water mark on the
Virginia shore.
Thus, slot machines over water
past the designated line operate.
presumably, in Maryland. The
jurisdictional point has never
been settled.
Today these haunts of. me-
chanical fortune are accepted
to such a degree that civic and
charity workers hold meetings
amid their luxurious appoint
ments. Refreshments of the
potent type are available.
Charles County, Md, just
across the river, benefits by some
$150.000 each year from slot.
machine and liquor license wharf
fees. The county assigns a
deputy sheriff to maintain order.
Kenneth Posey, the present off,
Ger, says he encounters little
trouble and when he does local
police give full cooperation.
River Festival in June.
What all the present activity
Is building up to is an early
season start and the annual
Potomac River Festival. set for
June IL, IL and Is. The three
day event will offer a boardwalk
parade, fireworks, a water car
nival, baby and fishing contests.
beauty competition and high
stepping majorettes, all under
the scepter of Festival Queen
Miss Dorothy Sazeo of Norfolk.
Miss Sazeo was Virginia's entry
in the 1858 Miss Universe con-
test.