Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-11-22
AVENUE PURCHASE
PLANS ADVOCATED
House Sentiment Strong in
Favor of Proposition.
CONGRESSMAN ON RECORD
Give Hearty Approval to Improve
ment Scheme.
NEED MORE PUBLIC BUILDINGS
Departmental Structures Should
Line the Thoroughfare From
the Botanic Garden to
the Treasury.

the Treasury.
j The Star presents today the
views of eight more members of
the House of Representatives who
60 squarely on record as favoring
the purchase by the government
of the property lying along the
south side Of Pennsylvania avenue
for sites for public buildings to be
erected in the future. Sentiment
in both houses of Congress ap-
proves the proposition from every
point of view, and the number of
its supporters is growing larger
every day.
II am heartily in favor Of identifying
the Mall. acquiring all squares on the
south side of Pennsylvania avenue and
the erection thereon of department build
ipgs," said Representative Lafean of
! Pennsylvania in an interview with Star
reporter today.
Il believe that the government should
purchase not only those squares on the
south side of Pennsylvania avenue, but
also those squares which are necessary
to carry out the original plan of the Mall.
as rapidly as the revenue of the govern
ment will permit"
Has Long Favored Plan.
Representative Esch of Wisconsin has
| long been an advocate of the south ave-
nue. purchase scheme. In an interview
with a Star reporter today he said:
Some three or four years ago in an
| Interview published, If 1 remember right
| ~, In The Star, l went on record as ia
| voring a proposition of purchase for use
by the federal government of all lands
| then in private ownership lying on the
south side of Pennsylvania avenue be-
tween the Botanic Garden and the Treas
| ury building. Since that interview the
government has purchased and erected
| the District building on the south side of
the avenue, and an effort was made last
| session to purchase the lands lying be-
| tween the site for the District building
and the Treasury Department for new
| building for the State Department and the
new Department of Commerce and Labor.
AT present the unsightly row of cheap
| buildings bordering the Mall on the north
| side detracts from its beauty and value.
| For the government to purchase the land
| on the south side of the avenue would be
| to restore the Mall to the proportions
originally designed for it by LEnfant.
who laid out the city of Washington. l
am still in favor Of such purchase. and
| [ know of nothing which will tend to beau
tify the Capital city of the nation more
| than the building Of a magnificent row
of public buildings on the south SIDE OF
! the avenue
| Pledges His Support.
Representative Reynolds of Pennsylva-
| MIA pledges himself in no uncertain Ian
guage to support the purchase PROPOSE
! ton in question.
| II certainly favor" he said today. 1.-The
plan to have the government purchase
| those squares on the south side of Penn
sylvania avenue and fronting on ina.
thoroughfare at figure to be determined
by proper condemnation proceedings, and
! erect thereon such department buildings
as are provided for In the future. and any
proposition looking to that end will have
my support"
Il think the comprehensive scheme for
| the erection of future government build
ings in Washington along the south side
Of the avenue a splendid ore safd rep,
| resentative COudrey of missouri, ana
hope that some plans will be made where
by we can carry this out
| REPRESENTATIVE Birdsall of Iowa is
equally positive THE government. ne
savs .should own those squares on the
south side of Pennsylvania avenue, and
erect in this tract such department pullo-
ings as are provided for in the future.
sufficient appropriation should De mace
to enable purchase to be mace from . unls
1 fn r..
price to be fixed by a commission ap-
pointed by Congress-
identifying Washington.
REPRESENTATIVE Underwood of Alabama.
in an interview with a Star reporter to-
day, said that he had always approved OF
the plan for the future upbulldlns ana
identifying of Washington.
81 believe" he said, that the new
buildings which are erected by Congress
from time to time should be located on
the space lying between Pennsylvania
| avenue and the Mall and that when the
land for building same Is needeo II
| should be condemned or purchased.
| "At present / do not see the necessity
| for the purchase Of the entire place be
| tween Pennsylvania avenue and the MAIL
| as that property does not seem 10 De IN
creasing in value to any extent ana .ne
government would lose nothing by delay
| ing the purchase or condemnation unti II
| is ready to use the land
Price Must Be Reasonable.
| Representative Mckinney of Illinois told
d. Star reporter today that he would GER
,ainly favor any reasonable movement in
the direction Of a comprehensive scheme
for the erection of future government
buildings in Washington. 'Of course"
he added. 1.-THE real estate to be used by
the government must be furnished at a
Just and proper valuation. I hope to see
Washington become the most beautiful
and attractive city in the world"
Representative H. Olin Young Of Mich
jgan, when asked for his opinion as to the
desira bility of purchasing the south ave-
nue. property and erecting all future gov
eminent department buildings thereon,
said:
Il have not yet clearly thought out the
details of this matter. but am in favor
Of some scheme by which the government
will eventually acquire title to all of the
land not owned by it on the south side of
| Pennsylvania avenue between the Capitol
grounds and 14th or perhaps 18th street,
and use 1t for the public buildings as
needed. Whether this should be done
en- bloc or In parcels. as needed. is a SUBJ