Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-09-05

The ADVANTAGES and attractlVeness
OF a boulevard along the route OF the
Chesapeake & Ohio Canal. between
Washington and Cumberland, as pro-
posed recently by Engineer Commis-
sioner Bell, were enthusiastically PIC
tured in &c letter from Fred u. ColdreIi
secretary of the National Capitai
Park and Planning Commission, mace
public at the District Building yester-
day. =.
Mr.. Coldren said the proposition de-
serves the most serious conslderatioIi
and suggested a careful. STUDY ol 'ne
legal questions involved.
Col. Bell has not had an oppoftullts
to take up the plan with the piallnlns
commission itself. The letter from
Mr. Coldren was merely in reply to
one addressed to him by Maj. W. Il. II.
Coyell. assistant Engineer Comnils-
sioner. who is gathering intofna'loil
on the proposal for Col Bel.
Mr. Coldren expressed the personal
belief that a highway along the oiulis
overlooking the river might oe even
more attractive than one following
the route of the canal. although IL
nrohablv would be more expehsiNec
nnd would sacrifice the advantage "'
the uniform grade established py Tic
flow Of the river -,
Col. Bel, probably soon will take
I'D the plan officially with the tark
and Planning Commission, OF Wh';n
he Is a, member. If the pro1ect shouio
win favor, 1t Is more than 1key u.'
first legislative step would De $50,
ing authority for compete SUI 'e'
of the proposal.
Mr.. Coldren's Letter.
Mr. co,dren's letter to Maj. Covell
SAYS in part: A..
Eve all know that one OF the
nrominent reasons that causeo
George Washington to prefer the ~
tomac for the location OF the Ma
tional CAPITAL was not only that II
was substantially midway between
tho North and South geographlcai,y'
and AT that time both as to popuia
lion and wealth, but also because TINS
was the river tributary to the Az
lantic which arose furthest 70 une
West, and, therefore. constituted VI.
hest grade opening through lhe NUS
of the Allegheny Mountain syste,n ,,
toward the center OF the W we, 80
country. The other rivers, hke the
I{,,dson. Delaware and Susquehan1a'
ran much more nearly from norm ~
so,,th and the rivers south OF the
potomac. such as the Rappahanhoch,
James. ETC., did not rise nearly So lai
west as the Potomac. .,
also that for this very reason
| Washington strongly advocated anu
worked to bring about water Trans
nortation connection between the onio
river and the Potomac, and tne o'u
Potomac Co.. of which Washlng1on
was the first president, was orsa'lii~eu
to carry out that OBJECT. ae
"For the same reason the valley OF
the potomac furnishes a grade or
easy and gradual elevation from inc
tidewater level at Washington City
through the first and second main
ranges Of the Allegheny system. ana
reaches SO far west as to approach
within a comparatively short distance
of the large waterways floWlns 10
the Ohio on the west side OF the APP
palachian divide.
ITO be sure, this plan for connected
waterway was never carried out De
yond Cumberland, but as Tar as tnal
| point there was constructed ana main
famed until recently the Chesapeake
and ohio Canal. following the natural
course and banks of the Potomac
River. This canal bed and banks
| stand now as by all means the easiest
grade from Cumberland to tldeWater
| of the Potomac at Georgetown.
River Beauty Stressed.
Besides this matter of grade. any
kind Of highway following either the
actual canal bed or the banks pos
sesses a very exceptional scenic
| beauty, To a remarkable extent and
| almost continuously. the banks Of the
| Potomac River on both sides present
today an unbroken forest view. and
this forest contains very exceptional
| variety Of trees, both hardwoods and
| cone bearing.
| LAS the elements that add most to
the beauties Of a highway are (A a
route not straight. but of long sweep
| ing curves, OBJ location which over
looks water. (C) a. background of forest