The evening times., 1900-01-17

1t is believed at the Capitol that the
bill to set apart portion of the Airing
ton estate for experimental agricultural
| purposes, and to place that portion under
the jurisdiction of the Secretary of Agri-
| culture, will be passed. 1t has been favor
ably reported from the House Commit
tee on Military Affairs.
The bill was introduced pursuant to a
request from the Secretary of Agriculture
| that he be given jurisdiction of all that
portion of the Arlington estate situated
east of the Georgetown and Alexandra
public road. which road extends from the
Aqueduct Bridge TO Alexandria and be-
tween that road and the Potomac River,
! for experimental purposes.
The Arlington estate consists of LILO
| acres. The cemetery, the Lee mansion,
and the military post known as Fort
Myer are all located on the more elevated
portion of the estate situated west OF the
public road mentioned Along the west
side of the road is a stone wall, con-
structed by the Government, which is the
east boundary line OF that part OF such
military reservation embracing the ceme-
terry. mansion and military post. lmme-
diately adjoining the public road on the
east is the right of way, roadbed, and
track of the Washington, Alexandria, and
Mount Vernon Electric Railway Compa-
! ny's electric railway.
| The stone wall, the public road, and the
| electric railway, all three being parallel
one to the other, extend from north to
south across the entire area of the estate
! on that line and tend TO segregate, so far
! as the physical view is concerned, the
| lands intended to be set apart by the bill
| from the remainder of the estate, as the
| portions so desired 10 be taken, being
| about one fourth of the estate, are all
| situated east of the public road referred
| TO- The land embraced in the tract de-
! sired is about 400 acres.
| Should the bill become law there
should still remain of the estate under the
control of the War Department for ceme-
/ terry and military purposes 1SS acres. The
lands the jurisdiction to which is thus
! sought to be transferred adjoin the Poto-
! mac River on the west and although their
altitude is considerably less than the 9TH
er portion of the estate, they cannot strict
| ly be called lowlands in the sense in wnlch
/ that term is generally used. They are
sufficiently elevated above the Potomac
River to render them free from the dan
gers of inundation. AT present the prem
| ises in question have the appearance OF an
| abandoned estate. with neither buildings
nor improvements thereon. The surface
| is much quilted and cut up from rains
and the flow of water in the small creeks
and rivulets which empty into the Potomac
River.
The lands are so located as to be in full
view of the city OF Washington, and pres
| ent an unsightly appearance. That they
| are considered fertile is evidenced by the
fact that when leased in past years TO oc-
cupants for cultivation the rental was
fixed at SO per acre annually on these
lands, while the hill land OF the estate
| rented for 81 per acre. The committee
has reported that there is no question but
| what. under the care and direction OF the
Secretary of Agriculture, the premises,
now so uninviting to the view, would not
only be changed to "a beauty spot, but
would also prove to be Of much practical
use and substantial benefits TO the Agri-
cultural Department.
The report Of the committee contains the
following paragraph:
Your committee is not unmindful OF
the possibility -tlIat-th lands mentioned
might be required for military purposes
| at some future time; yet, since the Nai
Department has given such ready assent
| TO- and in fact rather urges, the passage
Of the BILL and as the Government is II
no wise parting with any of its interes
| or title to the premises, but merely trans
| ferring jurisdiction over them from on'
| department TO the other the power Still
remaining in il to again place the prem
| ises under the jurisdiction Of the War De
partment if such action becomes neces
sity. there would seem TO be no sount
reason for refusing the request of the Sec
| rptary of Agriculture"