Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-06-08
Movement to Save Estate to
Public Definitely Launched
at Big Mass Meeting.
OWNER WARDMAN OFFERS
TO HOLD ESTATE A YEAR
Financial and Personal Assistance
Preferred by Many Prominent in
Official, Social and Business Life.

Marked by offers Of financial and per-
sonal assistance ~ men and women
prominent in the official. social and husi-
ness life Of Washington. the movement
To- turn Belmont. the estate formerly
owned by Mrs. s. l.. Barber into pub
,ic park and keep IL from being made the
ste of apartment houses. was definitely
launched at large mass meeting yester
daN afternoon under tho magnificent
trees of the tract
There was every indication that the
movement is to he success and that
Belmont is to he numbered among the
large parks in the District. Men and
women who went II the meeting pessi-
mistic over the prospects for undertaking
such large project vent away very op
timiStic
That the purchase nj the tract would
he a good investment was stated by W
f. Andrews. auditor Of the Treasury.
uho said that the government is wasting
a great deal of money renting buildings
for official use. He suggested. also. that
the government should borrow about
S1o0,onO00, or q part Of such sum, at
Low rates of interest, and erect buildings
instead OF renting them
Find Congressman. Favorable.
Several women made statements in
which they said that they had already
interviewed large number of mem
bers of both the Senate and House. in
Guiding members of the appropriations
and District committees. and that they
had found sentiment very favorable
toward the purchase of the estate by
the government They said they felt
sure Congress would take action if
given time.
Following other addresses. Harry
Nardman. the present owner of the
property. who had begun the work of
preparing the estate for the erection
ment was first suggested. made a con-
cession from his original offer. and
said that he would hold the property
for one year longer if paid $1,000 to
defrdy the expenses he would incur.
He offered to give $1,000 of this sum
himself
Arthur Moses. former president of
the Board of Trade, said that he knew
Of two men who would give $1,000
apiece il il was decided to buy the
property. He indicated that zone of
these persons was himself He sug
gested that the money could be raised
by issuing bonds of 800 apiece. with
out interest. and depending on the
government TO take over the property.
Miss Janet Richards offered TO give
500
No Definite Move for Funds.
No definite efforts were made to
raise the $4,000. or to decide on just
what method will be pursued. but it
seemed probable from statements made
on the grounds that the entire sum
could have been raised on the spot.
II was decided 10 name committee of
several men to determine definitely what
IL TO be done and to carry on the work.
This committee was named as follows:
Henry 3. +. mcfarland. Clifford Pinchot.
W. II. Saunders. ID. j. Callahan. w. v.
Cox, Judge c. 5. Bundy and +. II. Droop.-
This committee includes the presidents of
both the Chamber of Commerce and the
Board of Trade, Mr.. Callahan and Mr.
Droop.
The meeting was largely attended, and
was marked by unusual enthusiasm. The
Belmont house had been thrown open.
and many OF those attending the meet
ing inspected II. A large number of chill
dren were present. and during the meet
ing PLAYED over the large estate, as
though 1T had already been made into
a public park.
Justice Anderson of the District Su-
preme Court presided. and addresses OPP
posing the destruction of the beautiful
estate were made by Mrs. John \. Lo-
gan. Rt. Rev. Mgr. Macklin. who made
a particularly effective speech: W. H.
Saunders, president of the Columbia
Heights Citizens Association: Arthur
Moses. presiden. Of the Playground As
ISOLATION of the District; w. f. Andrews,
supervisor of Fairgrounds i'm the Dis
trict; Miss Janet Richards and Claude
y Bennett president of the Southern
Society of Washington Mrs. Logan
Tucker acted as secretary Of the meet
ing.