Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1898-03-10
THE ARLINGTON EXPERIMENT
All, FARM.

At the request of Congressman Rixey,
of this district, the committee on mill
tary affairs of the U. S. Congress on
last Saturday sent over to Arlington, in
this county, Congressman Belknap,
Griffin and Fenton to view 1l75 acres
comprising the government reservation
at Arlington, and TO see il it was FEAST
BILE to take the 500 acres that Congress
man Rixey proposed in his bill for ex-
perimental farming purposes. The
Congressional committee was accom-
panied by James e. Clements, exCom-
monwealth's Attorney of the county,
who being we'll acquainted both with
the lay of tho land as we'll as the legal
status of the estate showed them the
boundaries, and answered and explain
ed many questions concerning the his
tory of the land proposed to be taken.
The committee expressed themselves
we'll satisfied with Congressman Rixey's
plan, and intimated that they would
make favorable report to the military
committee of Congress asking the pas.
sage of the bill. AS stated yesterday
The full military committee has agreed
to make q favorable report on the bill.
Congressman Rixey's bill is as follows:
A BILL to set apart portion OF the
Arlington estate for experimental
agricultural purposes, and TO place
said portion under the jurisdiction OF
the Secretary of Agriculture and his
successors in office.
Al
ment is seized and possessed of a large
tract of land containing one thousand
one hundred and seventy.fve acres,
situated just across the Potomac river
opposite Washington, District OF Col.
umbia, known as the Arlington estate;
and
Whereas only q portion of this
large estate, to wit, about four hundred
acres, is used by the United States for
e national cemetery, and for military
post, known as Fort Myer, leaving over
seven hundred acres unused, uncared
for, and fast becoming an unsightly
waste of land overgrown with bushes
and briers, and washing into nnsightly
chasms and gullies in full view of the
rational capital; and
Whereas the eastern portion OF said
large tract OF land is not now used for
any purpose and is susceptible Of great
improvement and we'll adapted for
agricultural experimental purpose; and,
Whereas it is DESTROYS that the Agri-
cultural Department OF the United
States should have land for expert
mental purposes and the practical illus
traton thereof, and the above land be-
ing near to and convenient to the said
Agricultural Department: Therefore,
Be it enacted, That jurisdiction is
hereby transferred and given to the
Secretary of Agriculture and his sue
cessors in Office over so much of the
government land in Alexandria county,
Virginia, known as the Arlington
estate, as lies east of the public road
leading from the Aqueduct bridge to
Alexandria, Virginia, and between
said road and the Potomac river, con-
tanning about five hundred acres.
Sec. 2 That the declared purpose of
this act is to set apart said tract of land
as a general experimental farm in its
broadcast sense, where all that pertains
to agriculture in it's several and differ
eut branches, including animal il
dustry and horticulture, may be foster
ed and encouraged, and the practice
and science of farming in the United
States advanced, promoted, and practi-
cally illustrated.
Sec. 3. That the Secretary Of Agri-
culture will take immediate and abso-
lutte control Of said property described
in section one, and by clearing, under
draining, grassing, laying out proper
roads and driveways, constructing pro-
per bridges and buildings, and in other
ways as his judgment may dictate,
bring said property as rapidly as posi-
BILE into the proper condition to answer
the purpose for which it is set apart.
Sec. 4. That in the development, i'm.
provement, and management of said
property full discretion is hereby given
the Secretary of agriculture and his sue
cessors in Office to carry into effect the
declared purposes of this act.
Sec. 5. That the sum of ten thousand
dollars, or so much thereof as may be
necessary, is hereby appropriated, out
of any money in the treasury not other.
wise appropriated, for the purpose of
carving into effect the declared pur.
poses of this act.
Sec. 6. That this act shall be in force
from its passage.
The secretary of war has jurisdiction
over this estate, but he has expressed
his Willingness to allow the land pro-
posed in the bill to be taken for agri-
cultural purposes, because this portion
of the estate is not needed for cemetery
or military purposes and is now entire
ly unused and uncared for either by the
government or private parties.
Secretary Wilson, of the Agricultural
is very enthusiastic over
the prospect of getting this 500 acres
of the historic Lee estate for farming
purposes. He says ne will enrich and
improve it and make there one OF the
experimental farms in the
world and show to the thousands of
visitors who come to Washington what
can be done in the science of agricul-
ture in this county. Congressman
Rixey is working hard over the matter
and says that fine experimental farm
so near the capital of the nation, kept
in fr.t class condition and highly i'm
proved, will greatly encourage and slim
uate the farmers OF the whole country.
DR.. W. O. Rodgers head physician of