New-York tribune., 1907-12-07
FOR L'ENFANT'S PLANS
ARCHITECTS TO FIGHT.
Think Washington's Beauty Men
aced by Opposition IN Congress.

percy Ash dean of the department of archi-
lecture of the George Washington University
Washington. and secretary of the washington
Chapter OF the American Institute Of Architects
mas sent 10 The Tribune a statement regarding ine
fight there against the proposed beautlhcauon OF
the national capital The different chapters OF
the American Institute Of Architects maintain that
the plans for the development of Washington
should be carried out, despite the opposition OF
property owner, who are afraid that real estate
values will decrease. and that the improvement
plans should Toe backed up by the whole nauoh' aS
Washington belongs 10 me United states.
Ar. Ashs statement follows:
1he nited States Senate appointed d commit
tee. consisting OF Charles + Mchl,. u ~, hHi ,,
Olnssteu prepare plans and models Tor me ue-
IBPs committee made fun and complete report
IN 1872 recommending the Development OF WASH
ington on The lines originally laid out by l. hnlaht
and approved by George Washington and Thomas
Jefferson These plans and Iodes received I'VE coTt
recognition all over the United states on; on ni
of their scientific accuracy and great artsuc q"i-
The ''vandais" and three butchers, as me
authors of these plans have been termed oy sotle %
evacuation of the Mali by the PennsyIVaRa t1Fn ran
planned the great new Union Station for this city
Opposition developed. however, In 7 the low I'M
house almost soon as the plans We're laue Pm RaD
lie. The opposition was headed by SpeahhGI h -.
non and other influential sbat al as the House
had had no hand in the appointment OF M ohtS ofical
However. in spite of this opposition and the un-
oficiai standing of the Park Commission. the
merits of the plans were so selfevident that the
five great public buildings erected since the plaS m
made public have been looEted acG1rdingg 1gs Sc
Ihe @ Si was When an injunction got
restraining the committee having IN .H nau ' ~
moving the Crittenden oak and other trees IN me me
Botanical Garden the obJecu9n rss 2es W. was to
have been located unoccupied gTou1d, IN ~ .ise
fion was already occupied by these hist9ric lee
the monument would have TO be located else~hei
The neysnapers of this city immediately took up
the side of the not apparently realizing @ that
riiced in order 10 carry out the Park COMMISSIONS
pans Ans Presidenf of the United States telegraphed
from Louisiana and the Secretary OF MaI lUiii .hn
monument stopped until the return of President
Roosevelt committee Tas then app9in5ffoH If n - NJ
Shrady the sculptor of the monument: hdwara +;
RromWeii engineer officer in charge of the build
ings and grounds; F. l. Olmstead ana Chafles T.
This committee approved the location OF the the
ran6 saof of capoi Hi s and at right angles Man
vista MI Olmsted stating that the historic tTees @
was sickly and would probably be benefited by the
wished Washington af deFeloP tHd PagR 9R Gom TT@y
mission s plans contained the clements OF gredI-
The fear now is that Congress may order .- tne ne
monument located elsewhere 1t has the power 70
do so and will if it listens to the MISGUIDED frehoS as
Of the trees. The greatest importance alIaci,ee f
the location of the Grant monument, because II IL
ioeation as planned simply because few trees
must be moved or DESTROYED what nope Is .ni m ;T
viii a complete reorganization of the Mall? The
forth hV Charles Moore secretary OF the Senate
District Committee. follows: -,
tally along the lines laid down by Peter Charles
neryision of George Washington and Thomas JET
ferson, is by common consent the Keystone IN the
n eaat he red ~ yle nIf then the cv Of washington
snity, dignity and beauty. II the mall plans. fal
related units and the greatest opportunity ever
presented t9 the S9eeTnorS on pat aside It
is easily within the possibilities that Nasnington
consistent in plan than Paris: and Vet with a
great price Paris purchased unity and dignlfy.
whereas to Washington il is brthrlsht, requii-
ing only nurture and development"
II seems hardly fair TO the nation az large that
owners OF real estate on PENNSYLVANIA avenue
who fancy mistakenly that the creation Of vista vista
in tire mall and the placing or great soVerilIrtlI ~
buildings there will cause q depreciation of values
bic botanist who has charge of the Botanical Gar
den and naturally do not wish to see INN }t or
such great artistic triumph as the development
of Washington by the Park Commissia1's plans
Resolutions were recently adopted by the Wash
snr-on CHAPTER of the American Institute Of Archi-
fects inlorsag the wisdom Of the Park Commis-
sion in adhering 50 the original plan Of l. Enfant,
favoring the location Of public buildings on the
south side Of Pennsylvania avenue the vista treat
Inent Of mall and deploring the fact that uh-
related r,antings made il in carrying out
these plans, remove trees. Copies OF these
resolutions sent TO Secretary Tart, as lhe
representative Of the government on Ie "idh'
Memorial Commission IN charge OF the work OF
its erection. and the different chapters of the
Institute of Architects and various art societies all
: which bodies have approved the resolutions. with
the following letter:
The inclosed resolutions were adopted by thiS
rbanTer on November ! We call your attention 10
them and ask your chapter consider the pro-
rrietv of indoTsng them at early date
Ever since the Park Commissions plans were
formulated and made public there has been per
sistent oppoSition 10 them by many members OF
the House OF Representatives. and by one or TWO ot
the newspapers OF this city
he opposition has been centred on the location
OF the Grant monument, and strong efforts are no%
being made prevent its being placed as planned
nv the Park Commission and at the same time 10
effectuallv bar the beautiful development of the
Mall contemplated This same opposition, / am
tod has on foot 4 movement TO lease to the DIS
frict militia the Pennsylvania Railroad station
after its abandonment by the railroad company.
efTectUally blocking the Mall development for
many wears and helping 10 prevent any subsequent
adoption of the Park Commissions plans
We in Washington feel that in order 10 have tha
CITY realize the artistic possibilities here latent