Evening star., 1925-07-05
MASON MEMORIAL
ON ISLAND PLANNED
Construction of Park Across
Potomac Favored by
Developers.
BY WILLIAM q. WHEATLEY.

immediate attention of the group in
Washington, Maryland and Virginia
which Is working for the regional de-
velopment of the National Capital.
This island, which is separated by
q small stream from Columbia Island,
destined to play a prominent part in
the Arlington Memorial Bridge prof.
ect, is now owned by the Washington
Gas Light Company, and unless pur-
chased for park purposes is to be the
site for q large gas works. 1t lies
near the IA acres of Potomac shore
property recently purchased by the
National Capital Park Commission.
Representative r. Walton Moore of
Virginia, who is actively engaged in
the regional development work, said
last week that he was very much in
favor of the acquisition of this land
and would work for it's purchase. He
has already had the matter up with
Lieut.. Col. Clarence o. Sheriff., eX-
ecutive officer of the National Capital
Park Commission. The latter said
that the island must become a part
of the park system. as the govern
ment of the metropolitan district
could not afford to see its utilization
for commercial purposes.
Wants Memorial Land.
Representative Moore recalled that
the land was originally owned by
George Mason of Gunston Hall, author
of the Bill of Rights and the first writ
ten Constitution in the country. 1t
would be a fitting memorial to Mr..
Mason, Representative Moore believes,
and there is none at this time. This
year, Mr.. Moore declared, would be
good time to purchase the island, as
,Nf H.,
birth of Mason.
The development of the metropoli-
tan district should also extend as far
as Great Falls, Mr.. Moore continued.
so that the beautiful palisades of the
Potomac could be preserved. Quarry
men now are destroying these beauties
as they blast out the granite for com
mercial purposes, and quick steps
must be taken to preserve it.
While Representative Moore said
that the details of the development
must be left to the officials and people
directly interested from the COM
munity improvement standpoint, he
nevertheless is fostering it in every
possible way. Representative Moore
has been one of the prime movers
in bringing about the development
work.
The Arlington County Board of
Supervisors, Z. c. Turnburke, w. j.
Ingram and Edward Duncan, have
taken official action to place the board
on record as being in full accord with
the plan of having a central planning
committee for development of the area
surrounding Washington and to that
end adopted the following resolution
last week:
Board Backs Move.
Resolved, by the Board of Super
visors of Arlington County, Va, that
1t thoroughly approves the suggestion
of the governor of the State relative
to the cooperation of the authorities
of this county with the National
Capital Park Commission, and will be
glad to confer with the comrnission
at such times and in such manner as
the commission may find convenient
in respect to any proposed action in
volving the interests of the county
and looking to its development and
welfare"
Impetus given during the week just
closed to plans for the metropolitan
district is believed by those most in
terested to assure the ultimate realiZa-
ton of the project.
Interest in the movement is taking
such a hold that some persons in
adjacent States already are offering
plots of land to the National CAPITAL
Park Commission for use as a part
of the metropolitan district develop
ment. Others have offered large plots
provided the Government would pur-
chase the rest, not at prohibitive or
speculative prices. but at such a price
as a board of appraisers might fix.
one land owner in Virginia, whose
name is withheld for the present, al
ready has made n valid offer of four
acres of woodland for use as a part
of the National Capital park system.
The commission has authority to ac.
cept such offers, and it probably will
accept this.
Plan Gateway Development.
Maryland. District and Federal
Government officials met at the head
OF the present Sixteenth street last
week and agreed on a plan for de-
VelopinS the extension of this thor
oughfare, which met with the an
proval of all. 1t was the first real
step in this cooperative movement.
which brought out the sincerity of
purpose of those who now are work
ing for the development of the great
metropolitan district. Sixteenth street
is to be the grand gateway to the
city from the north, west and east.
and 1t was decided to preserve the
deep cut which would destroy forever
the beauty of this site for future de-
velopment into great memorial.
With this concrete evidence of
wholesome cooperation in mind. rep-
resentattves of Virginia, MARYLAND
and the Federal Government met at
a luncheon at the City Club the fol
lowing day, Friday, and welded to.
gether the strong support of the
three communities, including the Dis
trict of Columbia. for mobilizing the
sentiment of these autonomous sub
divisions behind a great movement
to have the national and State legis-
latures pass legislation which would
bring about the formation of an
allied city planning committee. with
full authority to make plans for the
development. but reserving to each
of the geographical entities the veto
power.
This meeting is to be held at the
Interior Department Auditorium here
at a date to be fixed by special
committee on arrangements appoint
ed on the motion of T. Howard
Duckett, chairman of the Washing
ton Suburban Sanitary Commission
of Maryland, and consisting of Mai.
z. Brooke Lee, secretary of state of
Maryland; Mr.. Duckett. r. c. Plymale
and Arthur Orr of the Arlington
County Civic Federation.
So that the official power of the
two States and their representatives
in the National Congress might OBJ
serve the spontaneity with which the
movement has grown, there are to
be invited Gov. Albert Rttchie of
Maryland. Gov. E. Lee Trinkle of
Virginia and the Senators and Repre-
sentatiyes of these two States. Also
there will be the county representa-