Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-12-17
ROAD TO MT. VERNON
Association in Charge Believes
Boulevard Will Be Built
ALONG POTOMAC'S BANK
FROM THIS CITY TO WASHING
TOMS OLD HOME.
Means to Garry on Work to Be Fur
nished Through Claim Against
the Government.
ALONG P0TOMAC'S BANK

Stimulated with renewed expectation and
increased hope, the members of the Mount
Vernon Avenue Association, whose purpose
IL Is to construct a grand boulevard of
national significance In honor of General
Washington, from Washington city to the
gates Of the home of the first President at
Mount Vernon. have actively resumed
their efforts In the interest of the proposed
memorial Embodied in the form of a claim
Tor Sl2o,GGo against the federal govern
ment this extraordinary project is now be-
fore Congress
The purpose in view. while changing
somewhat in detail to meet new conditions,
has remained essentially the same from
the first. 1t is intended to construct the
srandest and most unique memorial high
way In the world in this or any other age
Uniting Mount Vernon, the home of Wash
lhstoh, with the great city that he founded
as the capital of the nation 1t is to be a
perpetual memorial to his memory
Many and serious difficulties have con-
ITonted the promoters of the movement in
the recent past. and at times the outlook
Tor the success of the notable scheme has
been exceedingly dark. Such was especi-
ally the case in the last two years The
project which some fifteen years ago had
aroused widespread enthusiasm and had
attracted the favorable attention OF nation
al legislators, had almost entirely faded
from public view But its leading sup
porters never wholly lost hope that the
construction of the boulevard would even
tually be assured by Endorsement of Con-
gress, and recently the prospects bright
ened. The Improvement in the outlook was
brought about in part by the erection of the
new Highway bridge across the Potomac,
offering a suitable means for the continu-
alton of the proposed avenue into the city
of Washington
New Bridge Gives Movement Impetus.
With the removal of the weighty objec-
ton that there was no proper way of APP
proach for the avenue to the national
capital, members of the association expect
that Congress will give the matter more
favorable consideration than ever before.
This hope is entertained by the friends of
the movement throughout the country.
Heretofore when Congress was appealed to
for appropriations to begin the work the
bills were always met by the staggering
objection that there was no fitting means
for connecting Washington with the pro-
posed highway. In response, the old Long
bridge and the Aqueduct bridge were pro-
posed, but neither answered TO the require
ments of the case When, however, the
Highway bridge was erected it was at once
recognized that it had the possibilities of
furnishing for the boulevard fitting en-
trance into the capital city.
The expectation for an early and ma
terial Endorsement of the projected avenue
by Congress is centered around a bill re-
Gently introduced in the Senate by Sena-
tor Daniel and referred to the committee
on claims, for the appropriation of the sum
of $4,000 to the Mount Vernon Avenue
Association as assignee of the state of Vfr
ginia. Coincidently a similar measure was
introduced in the House of Representatives
by Representative Rixey.
Another fact of hopeful augury to the
patrons of the measure is that the recent
settlement of Indebtedness between the
state of Virg mia and the federal govern
ment has cleared the way to the consid-
Grafton of the claim transferred from Vir-
GINA to the association, on which the bill
for the appropriation of $4,000 IS based.
II is contended that Congress is now
tirely free to consider and pass upon this
claim, which heretofore has. not been the