Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-03-02

BY ALEX n. PRESTON
star stan Writer
COLONIAL BEACH, Va. Mar.
Now that the slot ma
chimes are gone, this Potomac
River resort is redoubling its
efforts to replace the sport
ing" crowds with the quieter
family groups that have made
this a popular vacation spot for
the better part Of q century.
A three-day Potomac River
festival win usher in the sum-
mer season June IL. It will be
the first time In 10 years the
event has been staged without
the one-armed bandits" on
three piers jutting out into
Maryland's river.
Townspeople are sharply d.
vided on the moral issue Of
whether the departure Of the
gambling devices is good or bad.
Most agree. however. that 1t
was an economic setback.
The Supreme Court refused
Tuesday to review q Maryland
decision which upheld the va
lidity Of a State law banning
slot machines from Potomac
River gambling casinos.
Machines Are Gone
Since October, when the ma
chimes were taken away, the
piers have offered as attrac-
tions whisky by the drink-al-
lowed by Maryland but banned
in Virginia-dances. and q few
games of skill"
w. H. White. chairman Of the
Town Planning Board, said:
1.-THE majority of people who
came here to play the slot ma
chimes were the type who came
and went-most Of them played
the machines all day or all
night and then went away.
They didn't contribute much to
our hotels, our rented cottages
or our restaurants.
1--WE are dedicated to the
idea that we are going to have
the biggest turnout this year
we've ever had for the festi-
val"
James Karn, secretary OF
the Chamber Of Commerce.
declared, however: From a
business viewpoint it has
made a big difference to this
town. I don't believe any rec
ords will show there has been
an Improvement" +
Eject ON Business
At least four businesses, the
Colonial Beach Diner. Colo
NAL Motel, Colonial Beach Ho-
tel and the Texaco Service Sta
ton, closed during the winter.
Mr.. Karn said. They were able
to keep open while the slot
machines we're here, he said.
due to the number Of visitors
who came here during the or
H. w. B. williams. president
of the Bank Of Westmoreland
the only bank in town-told
q reporter: "A lot Of people
who used to rent cottages for a
week or two stayed away when
gambling came to Colonial
Beach. They. were afraid to
leave their wives and children
here"
Mr.. Williams, who Is 80.
opened the bank here in 1904.
Alexander Graham Bell. inven-
tor of the telephone, was one
of his customers.
OF course some businesses
have been affected" he added.
But this has been a family re-
sort for more than rs years
and taking the slot machines
away isn't going to destroy US"
Decline Noted
P. D. Greenlaw, former pres
ident OF the Chamber Of Com
merce who runs q hardware
and appliance store, said. I'm
sure any merchant would agret
there has been q fall of II
business. I don't think q weel
end went by during the winter
when the motels weren't flllec
while the slot machines wert
here"
Mr.. Greenlaw's wife chimeC
in: 1T was like taking q small
industry away from the town
Whatever you may say abou
the operators Of the piers. the!
were civic-minded. They do
mated money TO local cam
paigns and they employed
lot Of people"
The Conner brothers - Del
bert and Dennis--own two o
the casinos. They are the Rem
and the Jack Pot. The third
the Monte Carlo, was operates
by Walter Hendrix last seasol
but 1t has been leased to Hugl
Connell. ~
The Reno still operates 2
hours q day while the Mont
Carlo has been opened only Of
week ends. AL three are SEIZED