Evening star., 1921-10-06
WILL START Drive
INCONCRESS TO AID
ANACOST|A FLATS
Directors of Vast RecIama-
tion Plan Say Present Re-
Stricti0ns Must Be Lifted.
PARK Department WANTS
100000 APPROPRIATION
Completion of Beauty Project Also
of Vital Importance to Bo-
tanic Gardens Move.

Reclamation of the Anacostia fats.
started in 1911. and now approximately
90 per cent completed. will be given IA
serious setback. government officials
stated today, should Congress fail TO
eliminate from the next District appro-
piiation act the present restriction that
expenditures shall be confined TO opera
tions south of Benning bridge
Another Year and half may SEQ the
fats project completed to the brids..
Officials directing the work are now
estopped from acquiring land beyond
mat point and preparing for continue
tion of the work. 1t is said the land
should he acquired at least year in
advance. Unless authority 10 keep ia
advance of the present operations is
given in the next appropriation act,
government engineers can see nothing
but cessation Of the work. which
would throw Large engineering and
construction plant out of commission at
a considerable loss to the government;
Will Ask Aid Of Congress.
DESPITE the uncertainty as to what
Congress may do, the Office OF public
buildings and grounds, it was learned
Today. Will send an initial estimate to
Congress this year for developing n
section of the hats that already has
been reclaimed. This government
branch is not concerned with the recla-
Ination work itself, which is being di-
rected by Maj NJ. c. Tyler, District
engineer officer. under tho authority Of
the chief Of engineers of the United
states Army. but it will formulate and
execute plans for building roads, parks
and Fairgrounds and otherwise develop
ing the reclaimed fats.
& nn1arcfnfI h.,t ~
Sheriff., officer in charge of public
buildings and grounds. will ask Con-
gress to appropriate $4,000 for eApend-
ture during the coming fiscal year OH
the hii"d-in fats area between the Ana
costa and Pennsylvania Avenue bridges
This ground has settled and is ready
for development. 1t contains about
siNty-four acres. Col. Sheriff. wouii
develop it into great park for thc
citizens of Southeast Washington Th-
plans can for the building Of a road
around the reservation and the cor.-
! struction of Fairgrounds and athletic
fields.
The Finished Plan.
The work of filling in the fats has
teen done by sections. Ultimately il
is the aim to develop the entire area
hooking up the several sections with
a boulevard several miles in lenrti,
which practically would encircle tn
ARacostia branch from Boiling Field
to the Pennsylvania railroad bridge
above Benning and near the District
line.
II this scheme of development is
carried out. in conjunction with the
building of connecting link between
Rock Creek and Potomac parks along
the line OF Rock creek. Washington
will he provided with the greatest
park highway system in the world
and virtually surrounded by drive
ways
Just why Congress placed the pro-
hlbition in the present District act
about conflninS expenditures to the
operations south OF Bennine bridge
has caused considerable speculation.
That economy reasons prompted the
action is one theory advanced.
Action Caused Surprise.
THE action came as surprise.
Prior to the passage of the act IL was
learned today, the Secretary of War
had served a notice on the Washing
ton Railway and Electric Company 10
construct draw in it's bridge at the
Benning power plant in order that
the dredses engaged in the reclama-
tion work might proceed to the areas
north of the bridge. AT the same
time the government proposed to
build 4 draw in the Benning road
bridge, which parallels the street rail-
way bridge.
1t was estimated the cost to the
Washington Railway and Electric
Company of building the draw would
be about $4,000. TIE draw proposed
for the Benning Road bridge would
have cost the government an amount
estimated at $4,000.
Notice to the Washington Railway
and Electric Company TO make the
change referred to was issued in
February. 1920. Several months were
consumed in discussion of plans and
in June of the same year the COM
pany asked for a six months eXtcn-
sion of the order. which was granted.
In the February following. the Dis
trict appropriation bill was passed
containing this section in relation TO
Ana development work:
BombsheI In SIX Words.
"For continuing the reclamation
and development of Anacostia Park.
to be continued in accordance with
the plans specified in the item for
the reclamation of the Anacostia
river and flats contained in the Dis
trict Of Columbia appropriation act
for the fiscal year 1919, Sl15.0ho. Ia
be expended below Benning bridge.
The last six words in the para
graph threw a bombshel! into the
plans for the reclamation work.
which includes the District Commits
sioner, the District engineer officer
detailed by the chief OF engineers Of
the army anu tHe oiicef III = Cudf y
of public buildings and grounds.
Inasnuch as the legislation mega
tived the plans for building draw
in the Benning Road bridge. the gov
ernment could not require the Wash
ington Railway and Electric Com
pany to build draw in its bridse.'
and, consequently, the company was
notified by the Secretary Of War that
the order of February, 1920, would
be suspended untff further notice.
ant Oh q oil
as Army engineers in charge of the
work do. not believe Congress will
permit economy or other considera-
fions to stop the flats development
work at Benning bridge. They be-
lieye the false economy of allowing
the project to rest there. IL only for
a brief period. and of permitting the
reclamation plant to be put out OF
commission ykill be apparent.
Total Cost. S3,740,506.
The total estimated cost of reclaim
ing the flats and building retaining
walk, for the channel from Boiling
Field to a point near the Pennsyl-
yania railroad bridge, near the Dis
trjct line. Is S3,740.596. Up to June 80
last there had been appropriated
toward the project s1.45o.000.
In the operations to date the gov
ernment. 1t is said, has expended
something like ,s150,p0o for land 1t
is estimated $4,000 Twill be required
for land acquisitions north of Ben
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