Evening star., 1926-10-24
CONTINUED from 0First pageo

inston Channel, behind the Potomac
Park Peninsula will be the improve
ment which Is now Immediately in
prospect.
This calls for an appropriation
SO, 500 900 project to be completed in
ave years, covering the entire stretch
of water front from the railroad at
Fourteenth street to Washington
Barracks. This has been urged by
The Star and by the Washington
Board of Trade for more than quar-
ter of century. The improvement is
provided for in the rivers and harbors
bill In the regular routine procedure
it would take three years to get this
started, but in view of the fact that
some Of the WharveS are now In bad
state of disrepair, it is felt that the
absolutely necessary repairs should
fit in with the permanent develop
ment program. All of the property is
owned by the United States, though
some Of 1t is under the jurisdiction
Of the Treasury. the District Com.
missioners and the Chief of Engineers:
The question of how the cost of
this development should equitably be
divided has not yet been decided. even
In the minds Of the engineer officers
and city planners, who have been
working on the project. The only
conclusion thus far is that the cost
should not be paid entirely from
Federal funds.
The contemplated development calls
for the construction Of bulkhead, piers
and wharves and provides for the i'm
provement of Water street and It's
connection with the Speedway. the
Potomac Park drive and the park
way boulevard entirely encirclins the
Canital. The question first to be
decided in regard to finances is how
much the Federal Government should
be called upon to contribute to the
construction of the WharVeS.
Two Views Expressed.
Two views have been expressed:
First-It is Government property
and Government improvement, ana
the Government should bear the en-
tire expense and then lease out the
wharves at return that would IN
clude as much interest as the Gov
ernment pays.
SecondIThat the Federal Govern
ment ought to put up the wharves Tor
strictly commercial use and leave the
two Yacht basins and the wharves Tor
the District Government-to be useo
for sand and gravel. police, morgue
and fire-to be otherwise financed.
The District activities should be
financed from the District budget, II
is argued, and the yacht harbor costs
could be included in park approprla'
tions.
The recommendations to be MADE
to Congress regarding nnancing
have not yet been definitely decided
According to the rivers ana mar
hors plan, an examination Is nrst
made and survey Is authorized. then
the district engineer makes up
project and reports on that improve
r,ent. Then Congress acts In author
izins the project. with the money
carried in the rivers and harbors
section of the Army appropriation
h;l, The rivers and harbors act
proyides for this Washington CITY
Waterfront survey as regards tacll'
ties. highway connection and in line
with plans for Identification or the
Capital
The present report therefore. has
two pha ses-for adequate provision
for commercial requirements ana 1of
ha ruonizing 1t with the Capital EN-
bellishment program.
Report Will Go To Congress.
The report which will so TO Con
rress as soon as it assemblies, has to
he passed upon by the engineer oHcef
in New York and then by the Rivers
and Harbors Board of Engineers. l,
has already received the approval OF
the National Capital Park and Plan
ming Commission. Then the Secretary
of War will transmit 1t to Congress
II is contemplated that the entire
nroiect will be completed about the
same time as the new Arlington NE
mortal Bridge and the Memoria la
Ro,,leyard to Mount Vernon are
nnened for traffic-before the bicen
ternial celebration Of Washington
Birth in 1882. 10.
The general layout is on the pier
and sin development plan. The qua
deyelopmem was first consloereu
That would provide only for noats
nov i'm operation and not at all tof
evnansion. and no facilities for yachts
snd small craft. Ii would not pro
tide room for adequate wharves anc
woI,ld constrict the channel unduly
so the QUAY scheme was aoanooheaA
Eex, was considered the scheme o.
having a number of interior pasins
such as are found in Europe. rms
also was discarded because OF tne
needless expense and because !. Mouio
interfere With other Capital develop
ment plans. and because there wa'
No real need for it. So by process
Of elimination the pier and slip par
was agreed upon.
Units in Development.
The units inrthis proposed develop
ment are as follows:
The engineer office provides foi
moving it's own wharf and suppl.
Yard from the. Potomac Park side OF
the Washington Channel near the
s,S e. fhe Apacosfia River auC