Evening star., 1926-09-19
Congress Expected to Vote
ST, 100000 to Start Work
in Spring.
TOTAL ESTIMATED COST
IS SET NEAR $1,000, 600
Three Routes Staked Out. But a.
Mile Stretch Along River Favored
by Fine Arts Body.
BY WILL p. KENNEDY.

The most magnificent stretch Of
highway in the world, through a sec
ton replete with historic landmarks,
giving Washington the first Of it's
monumental entrances. is expected to
after it meets in December with an
appropriation of about a million dol.
lars to begin work on the project next
Spring. To complete the work will
cost from $5,0o0,oo0 to 100000.
This is the projected Mount Vernon
Boulevard to connect the City of
Washington with the home and tomb
Of Washington, which has been under
consideration by Congress for the last
40 years, advocated by each successive
President, heads Of all the great pa
triotic organizations and by all who
have far-sightediy worked for the de-
1elopment and Identification Of the
National Capital.
At last this long contemplated me-
mortal boulevard. which will at the
same time serve great utilitarian
purpose and be a notable monument
TO 'The Father of His Country has
reached a definite stage. where the
actual work of construction may soon
be expected. Congress instructed the
Bureau Of Public Roads to make a
survey Of the region between Wash
ington and Mount Vernon and to
make recommendations on the route.
with estimates OF cost. This report
will be ready for Congress when 1t
meets early in December. Three ten
tative routes have been staked out.
<t,>S ANcinnArS ara
now figuring up the prospective
costs. Congress has shown dis
position to authorize this important
national project -
Plan Bicentenniai Observation.
The last session of Congress direct
ed a commission Of 10 members, head
ed by the President, to draft plans
for the comprehensive observance OF
that greatest of all historical events,
the bicentennial of the birthday OF
George Washington" in 1882. This
commission issAxpected to approve the
building of what is planned to be the
worlds finest boulevard. The act of
Congress creating this United States
Commission for the Celebration of the
Two Hundredth Anniversary Of the
Birth Of George Washington directs
that all plans for memorial be sub
mitted to the Commission of Fine
Arts, and official spokesmen for the
Fine Arts Commission have let 1t be
knowr, that they will enthusia stically
approve any sufficiently pretentious
plans for memorial boulevard. In
fact, the chairman of the Fine Arts
Commission, Charles Moore, than
whom there is no person alive better
posted on the life of Washington
and the historic spots in the environ
ment of Mount Vernon, has recently
been over the ground. followed the
stakes of the Bureau OF Public Roads
survey. and is in closest touch with
every phase of the project.
OF the three routes staked out one
Is entirely new and skirts the river as
closely as possible, so as to afford the
best possible scenic as we'll as his
torical treat. This route Is about 2
miles longer than the others, making
a total distance OF about II miles, and
will cost considerably more than the
others on account of number of deep
fills that must be made. But this is
the route that now seems likely to be
determined upon and will have the
support of the Fine Arts Commission.
Arlington Bridge TO Be Terminus.
All Of the three tentative routes
staked out start from the new $14,-
$50. 900 Arlington Memorial Bridge.
which is in process. of construction
and which is to be ready for use be-
fore the 1882 celebration.
On the Virginia side this bridge has
a cross axis exit along Columbia Is
land, the western end to connect with
the Lee Highway and the proposed
boulevard along the canal leading to
Cumberland. which is to be the high
way into Washington from the west.
The eastern end of the cross axis of
the bridge will lead into the Mount
Vernon Boulevard. The entire boule-
ward to Mount Vernon is to be made
a most attractive portal to the Capt.
tai. but beyond Mount Vernon the
road will extend as "a great highway
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