Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-03-05
GRANT PROPOSES
NEW AUTO CAMPS
EnIarging or Making Perma-
nent East Potomac Site
Strongly Opposed.

Opposition to the erection of per
manent field house in the Fla st
Potomac Park tourist camp, and the
suggestion that there should be a tour
list camp on each Of the main arteries
carrying travel into and out of Wash
ington, is expressed by Mai. T.. :.
Grant, Sd, director of the office of
public buildings and parks of the Ma
tional Capital in n letter to Rpresen-
tative r. n. Elliott. chairman of the
House committee on public buildings
and grounds.
Maj. Grants letter replies to an in
quiry from the committee on the reSO-
luton which would delay the conStruc-
ton of the permanent field building
plans for which already have been
drawn and the contract for which will
be let within a few weeks. Maj. Grant
recommends favorable action on the
resolution.
The views expressed by Mai. Grant
in his report to the committee repre-
sent the result of a thorough study of
the tourist camp situation by the d-
rector, and also 10y the city and park
planning committee of the National
Capital Park Commission.
Objections are Stated.
There are good reasons for not
making East Potomac Park perma-
nently large automobile camp" said
Maj. Grants report.
First, such a camp is necessarily
unsightlX. and. lying as it does on the
main railroad entrance to the CITY
from the south it must make a dis
agreeable impression on many WISH
tors to the Capital, as we'll as threat
ening the possibility Of making East
Potomac Park a much less agreeable
driving and breathing space in Sum.
mer tor the enjoyment of the people
of Washington.
Second. the tourist traffic is IN
creasing very rapidly and it will be
but few years when the require
ments of the automobile tourists vii!
be seriously encroaching on the ad.
jacent recreational facilities
Third. as the city increases in
population, the dema nds for additional
space for sports. such as base ball,
foot ball. swimming. golf. etc. is in
creasinS. and East Potomac Park of
fers one of the. few sites capable of
development for those sports requir-
ing considerable amount of space.
Finally, while the location is con.
from the south. it is difficult to find
and relatively inaccessible for tourist
coming from the north and east
Practical Solution Sought.
However, practical solution must
Immediately be found to the problem
arising from the coming to Washing
ton each season of a large number of
tourists from all over the country.
These tourists are, many of them.
persons of considerable education and
having a real patriotic interest in the
Capital of their country; AS such they
are entitled to find reasonably good
accommodation here, available at a
price at least not higher than that
for which similar facilities can be OBJ
tanned in other cities. 1t must also
be borne in mind that a tourist camp
is necessarily somewhat unsightly.
and wherever located will be thought
Objectionable by some of the inhabit-
ants of the vicinity.
East Potomac Park is admirably
located for the tourists because of it's
vicinity to the Government buildings
and points of interest, BECAUSE the
Topographic conditions are such as to
make the camp easily controlled and
policed. and it's distance from neigh
boring houses and private property
prevent the tourists from being an
annoyance to any local residents Eff
forts made in the past to obtain an
other suitable site have been unsuc-
cessful, and for the present. and at
least a few years. this site is the only
one that can be available for the au-
tomoble tourists reaching the city.
1.-THE ideal solution of the whole
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