Evening star., 1923-04-13
Extending Grounds to the
Barracks and to the Sta
tion, Is Plan.
SENATOR PEPPER HELPS
BRING ABOUT HARMONY
Conferences Agree on Many I'm.
provements to Be Laid Be-
fore Congress.

A comprehensive plan for the fur
ther Identification of Washington.
the settlement of the controversy
over the future location of the Bo-
tanic Garden and the extension of
the Mall development has been work
ed out in conference between Senator
Pepper of Pennsylvania of the Sem
ate library committee. the Commits
sion of Fine Arts. the Engineer Com
missioners' office, Elliott Woods, ar
chitect of the Capitol, and George w.
Hess. director of the Botanic Gar
den.
The conferences, brought about
through the good Offices of Senator
Pepper. who Is taking a keen interest
In the plans for the Capital city, 1t is
said, have at last brought together
the four conflicting interests in the
settlement of these problems with
gether behind a measure to be press
ed at the next session of Congress
This measure will provide:
l. For the removal of the Botanic
Garden from its present site and its
location on a tract much larger,
bounded by Canal and Sd streets
southwest and extending from Mary
land avenue on the north to the
Washington barracks on the south
2 For the extension Of the Mall
through to the Capitol, leaving un-
obstructed the area Immediately at
the foot of the Capitol
S. the eventual construction of
vision of Elliott woods, W extending
north Of the Capitol to the Union
station plaza and south of the Cap
itol to K street.
4; The removal Of the District
the District government, in the area
which will be used for the Botanic
Garden. to other sites owned by
the government of the District Of
Senator Fernald of Maine and
Representative John w. Langley Of
Kentucky. chairmen Of the Senate
and House committees on public
buildings and grounds. respectively,
nave given their approval to the plan
Garden, and the legislation foys ths-
acquisition of. the necessary Hand
will be handled by their committees
in all probability.
Work Already Began.
The last Congress turned over to
the Botanic Garden for its use the
area now included in Canal street,
the bed of the old James Creek canal.
Already Mr.. Hess. director of the
garden, has begun work looking to
the utilization Of this tract for green
houses. etc. The buildings occupied
by the District government which
extend along this tract for a very
distance are being re-
moved to other sites, so that all of
this tn land eventually will be in use
was merely loaned by the federal
government to the District govern
ment.
While Senator Pepper. members of
the Fine Arts Commission and
Director Hess are hopeful that in
velopment to the south Of the Capitol
1t will be possible to have the total
area lying between Canal street. and
Sd street south to the Washington
barracks included in the Botanic
Garden, 1t is possible that the flrst
effort will be made to have Congress-
.the acquisition and use of
the land lying between Canal street
and 1st street. In the area proposed
to be used are a number Of reserya-
tions already owned by the govern
ment, and also much unimproved
land.
In the past there has been a con-
f1ict between the Fine Arts Commits
ton, the director Of the Botanic Gar
den, the architect of the Capitol and
the District officials over various
proposals to develop the land in the
vicinity Of the Capitol. But the plan
now outlined has won the support, it
Is reported. Of all parties. At pres.
ent survey of the area proposed to
bsinH bosieupied ad: by anS the Botanie Garden
mates looking to the completion of
the entire project will be prepared
and submitted to the bureau OF the
budget. 1t is said.
Other Plans Submitted.
For years the controversy over the
removal of the Botanic
foot of the Capitol has been waged.
Congress eventually located the Grant
at the Capitol end Of the
garden, looping off considerable
slice of the land. There have been q
of proposals in regard to the
Botanic Garden, some of which would
have removed the garden to outlying
sections of the District and others to
extend the garden to the westward.
Senator Peppers interest in the
matter developed when he became a
member of the Senate library COM
mittee, which has jurisdiction over
matters relating to the beauttfication
of the Capitol grounds, che authuriEa-
tion of monuments and memorials to
be erected in the District. and art
matters generally. He has been au-
thorized by Senator BrandeGee of
Connecticut, chairman of the committee
to act for the committee in the confer
ences which have been held with the
various officials.
The area which it Is now proposed
to set aside for the Botanic Garden is
very much larger than the present
site of the garden-in fact, IL carried
out in full would cover half a hun
dred or more acres. The plan to To-
cate the garden on this land would
have the effect of extending the Capt.
tol grounds, almost to the river
on the south, while on the north the
Capitol gardens would extend to the
Union station.
The railroad tracts-elevated-r
through part of the tract which it is
now proposed to use for the Botanic
Garden. But Mr.. Hess and the Fine
Arts Commission believe that this
would be no drawback to the devel-
opment of the tract as n garden. In
fact. great possibilities are seen in the
treatment OF the embankment a. II
will pass through. the garden.