Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-10-23
FAVOR THE PURCHASE
Attitude of Commercial Bodies
as to "the Avenue"
SHOULD BUY SOUTH SIDE
Board of Trade and Business Men
Both on Record.
REPORT BY PARK COMMISSION
Project Bound to Be Accomplished
in the End-No Reason
for Delay.
REPORT BY PARK COMMISSION

The Washington Board of Trade
and the Business Mems Associa-
ton of this city, the latter recent
ly merged with the Jobbers and
Shippers Association to form the
Washington Chamber of Com
merce, are both on record as
strongly in favor of the purchase
of the land on the south side
of Pennsylvania avenue between
the Mall, the Botanic Garden and
18th street for sites for public
buildings.
"ln my annual report to the president
Of the Washington Board of Trade Mr..
Albert N. Reed chairman of the commit
tee ON parks and reservations, said, Il
mentioned the matter of the purchase of
the south side of Pennsylvania avenue
and remarked that as the board has so
often considered and approved it. would
not bring 1t before the board again. but
would do everything possible to carry the
matter to a successful conclusion. The
committee on parks and reservations will
do all it can to secure action during the
coming session of Congress. 1t Is bound
to be accomplished in the end, and we
can Sc no good reason why there should
be further delay We will carry on edu-
cationaI work in this matter, and I sin
cerely hope that before the session Is
over Congress will have authorized the
purchase of all the land between the
avenue. the Mall, the Botanic Garden and
18th street.
When one considers the great need of
the government for sites for public build
ings and the amount of time that Is spent
in endeavoring to secure single site
when one Is needed, 1t is strange that
this land, which would eliminate that
vexatious question. has not been secured.
This project has 80 long represented what
may practically be called the unanimous
sentiment of Congress that 1t may well
be said to be a well-defined policy OF
Congress. 1t has been advocated by the
Board of Trade for a great many years,
and. although 1t has so long been dis
cussed. no objection has arisen to 1t. In
fact, time only seems to add new argu-
ments in favor of the wisdom Of secur-
ing this improvement as soon as pos
sible.'
Recommendation by Committee.
In its report for the year 1905 the COM
mittee on parks and reservations made
the following recommendation, which was
unanimously approved by the Board of
Trade:
Your committee wishes to express its
earnest conviction that the Congress of
the United States should take immediate
action toward obtaining title to all land not
now belonging to the government on the
south side Of Pennsylvania avenue. from
Sd to 18th street, and sout hto the Mall,
so that public buildings may be placed
thereon in the future with due regard to
their relation to each other and to the
general landscape effect of the entire area
of ground"
This suggestion of the committee that
the acquisition of all this land at one
time would allow the grouping of the
buildings and the Identification OF the
entire south side of the avenue to much
greater advantage than would be the
case if the land Is acquired one square at
time, is regarded as one of the most
important reasons for action by Congress.
1t is quite likely that If Congress should
fail to authorize the purchase Of all OF
this land at least one site FOR a pubic
building will be secured.
Policy of Congress.
The policy of Congress for some time
has been to keep the construction OF pup
lie buildings under way until quarters for
the government have been properly pro-
vided, and until the necessity to pay out
about a third Of million of dollars an
nually in rent has been done away With.
ways is so great that the buildings that
are now under construction will have
little, If any, appreciate effect on the
amount of rented space occupied by the
government In this city. The construction
of additional buildings must go ahead for
some time to come. The work of getting
these buildings under way would be pro-
NOTED. 1t Is said. If it could be known
long in advance what site is to be used.
If the entire south side of Pennsylvania
To % Gala fn~ t,lt
buildings there would be no difficulty In
the order In which structures
should go up, and In many respects plans
for the buildings could be worked out long
ahead of appropriations for them. In that
way there would be an opportunity for
study of the conditions and opportunity
for criticism of the plans that is not gen
orally possible when such matters are
rushed through in order to prevent long
delays in beginning construction.
Favorable Comment.
Comment favorable to this project has
long been general in the newspapers of
the country. The Houston Post COM
mends it in the following manner:
Fortunately for Washington, there Is
among the people of the country a strong
sentiment to make 1t beauti I'll city, and
for this reason the proposition for the
government to purchase the triangle ex-
tending from Sd to 18th street and lying
between Pennsylvania avenue and the
Mall is one that will eventually appeal to
Congress. The district under considera-
ton is now in many respects uns.ghtly
and ii is inhabited largely by class Of
people who should be segregated in some
other section of the city. Under present
conditions. this triangle makes all APP
prOaches to the Mall from the northwest
unattractive, and stands In the way of
the beautiful Wa shington which is the
dream of all who are familiar with the
Capital city.
stretches of ground in the country, and
as park would be a source of delight to
all people who reside in visit Wash
ington, II the approaches to 1t were at
tractve. The government needs the
ground, because 1t would enable Con-
gress to provide sites for needed public
buildings. With the triangle owned by
the government future government build
ings could he erected on either side of the
Mall and convert that property into one of
the beauty spots of the world.
Bills have been introduced in Congress
providing for the purchase of the triangle
and the estimated cost of it is $4,000 900
When we consider the value of the ground
to the government Is building sites and its
possibilities in augmenting the beauty of
Washington. the price is dirt cheap An
equal quantity of land in the heart of
Houston would cost almost twice as much
1T is to be hoped that Congress will
consult the interests Of the government
and the growing interest of all the people
of the country in their capital city and