Evening star., 1922-10-11
FAVORS ENLARG|NG
Of BOTANIC GARDEN
Langley to Push Bill to Buy
Much Adjacent Land.
Backed by FernaId.
EIGHT BLOCKS INVOLVED
: Purchase Would Aid Carrying Out
of Plan for Parkway Sur
rounding Capitol.

With a view to charging the Ma
tional Botanic Garden OF its present
site, to relieve the existing shortage
of storage space and stables for the
public works of the District and to
further the scheme for Identification
and park development of the area
south of the Capitol to the river. Rep
resentative John W. Langley OF Ken
lucky. chairman of the House COM
mi,tee on public buildings and
grounds. announced today that when
Congress reasscmbles he will intro
duce a bill to acquire about dozen
city squares.
Chairman Langley ard Director
George w. Hess of the Botanic Car
den were in conference yesterday
with Commissioners Rudolph and
Keller. and today they accompanied
District surveyor Dent on tour OF
inspection of the tracts that Chair
man Langley believes the government
should acquire. The District surveyor
will at once have survey made ana
a blueprint prepared showing the
property it is proposed to add to the
Botanic Garden.
Fits In With Plan.
The bill will be prepared by Chair
Senator Fernald of Maine. chairman
of the Senate committee on public
buildings and grounds. Chairman
Langley points out that the govern
ment already owns much of the land
in that section and that now is the
time when the adjoining land can
be acquired at the best prices. so as
to square up the entire tract and
make a wortkW lille development that
will fit in with tine Fine Arts Com
mission plans for developing park
way entirely surrounding The tapl-
the river to the Soldiers Home
grounds This scush-of-the-C Capitol
development has aSD been recon-
mended by Elliott Woods. architec,
of the Capitol, in report called for
by Congress.
Til: Langley bin will provide for
acquiring about eight city blocks ly-
ing within the bend made by twelve
parcels OF lard along the site of the
old James Creek canal recently turned
over to the Botanic Garden by Con-
gresS. thus allowing the Improvement
of a sizable tract all in one piece in
stead of a narroy strip along the old
canal site. TIE land to be secured is
bounded on the east by South Capitol
street, on the west by lst street, on
the north by u street and on the
south by VI stTeat-al in the south
west section. This will take il FIVE
blocks west of Half street and three
east OF Half street.
Favored by Many.
The blue print to be prepared by
the District surveyor will show Con-
Kress Just what land is government
owned and what is privately owned
in this section, with the exact area of
each plot.
Chairman Langley explained today
that after conference with q number OF
prominent members OF the Senate and
House. and with government off1ciais. NJ.
has been convinced that this Is one OF
the most necessary pubic improve
ments considered for the Capital city,
and one that has the strong support OF
the public buildings commission He
pointed out that tGe District Commis-
sioners are much interested in the pro-
posed development not on.y because II
will clean up the most unsightiy section
of the city. allowing extensive park de-
velopmcDt. but bee cause it will also al
ford the public works department In
creased storage and work space, where
they are nov crowded in narrow sec
IONS between CODUlGu lOssuS, anu NHSlt
they are virtually "squauters.'
Lnnd Is Suitable.
Emphasis was placed by Chairman
Langley and Director Hess on the
fact that the land in the section
south Of the Capitol now supports
some of the finest truck gardens in
the District, and is ideal for use by
the Botanic Garden and for nurs-
cry
Both Chairman Langley of the
House corSnittee and Senator Fer
nald of the Senate committee eX-
pressed confidence that early and
favorable action will be taken by
both branches of Congress upon this
proposal. which they estimate will
really save the government a great
deal of money. besides removing an
eyesore which manv members of Con-
gress have repeatedly criticized.