Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-06-15
CITIZENS QUESTION
PARK EXPENDITURE.
Council Indicates Opposition
to Buying Nearby Land
With D. c. Taxes.

| WIFI " VI ! dkCos
Indications that the people Of the
District Of Columbia would not cit
idly by and permit the expenditure
Of their tax money for the purchase
Of park lands in Maryland and Vir-
einia, In carrying out the regional de.
velopment plans, were given to Lieut..
| Col. u. S. Grant, a. director OF the
office of public buildings and public
parks of the National Capital, yes
terday by the special committee OF
the Citizens Advisory Council, the
members OF which conferred on the
question of estimates Of this ONCE,
which come out of District funds. The
special committee Is composed OF
James G. Yaden and DR.. George c.
Havenner. r. Q. Jennings, who pre-
pared the estimates, also participated
in the conference.
Mr.. Yaden told Col. Grant that the
citizens Of the District of Columbia
had no objection to the Zihlman bill
for a $3.50 apportionment of funds
between the Federal Government and
an adjoining State in which land is
to be purchased for parks, provided
the Federal Government paid the so
per cent. Col. Grant pointed out that
the law authorizes the expenditure
of the park land acquisition fund, now
composed of District money, for the
purchase of lands in Maryland and
Virginia, but he added that the COM
mission had established the policy Of
not expending any Of this money
across the District borders because
it is the money of the local people. He
said the question as to what pocket
the money for the purchase OF lands
in Maryland and Virginia should come
from was a matter for Congress to
decide. Il
Asks About Estimates.
Mr.. Yaden asked il provision had
been made in the estimates for the
Improvement of the park lands which
had been purchased, and Col. Grant
said that was the justification for the
large salary increase to be asked for.
He pointed out that practically all Of
the expense of improving the parks
and making them accessible to the
people was labor cost, and added
that many of the areas which now
needed improvement were the small
triangles and center parking plots,
which had been turned over to the
office of public buildings and parks
by the District Commissioners, after
new streets were opened. He. said
further that his Office was Of the
opinion that these should be given
first consideration because Of the fact
that they were usually in newly de-
veloped residential districts and un-
less taken care of promptly soon be-
came eyesores. AS to the larger
parks, he pointed out that they could
wait.
Referring to the estimate Of $1,05o,.
900 for the acquisition Of additional
park lands in 1929, DR.. Havenner said
that it was the opinion Of many peo-
pie Of the District of Columbia that
the city now was very we'll provided
for in the matter Of large parks and
they believed that the greatest need
of the city now Is for community
Fairgrounds.
Col. Grant Explains.
Col. Grant said that this matter was
being given study by the National
Capital Park and Planning Commits
sion, and a special investigation had
been made in Chicago on this matter.
He admitted that so far as the larger
parks are concerned, the District was
reasonably well provided, but said the
reason that other large areas were
being acquired was that they could
be obtained now at a reasonable cost,
but that in 10 years it would not be
possible to get them.
This brought up the question as to
the so-called 125 per cent restriction
on the purchase price of park land;
that is, that the commission cannot
pay more than 25 per cent above the
assessed value of property. Mr.. va.
den asked If efforts might be made to
get the restriction removed, and Col.
Grant said that legislation now was
being drawn up and that as soon as
the measure was in tentative shane
the citizens would be called in for
their suggestions.
Brush and forest fires in the parks
also were the subject Of discussion,
DR.. Havenner pointing out that there
were three or four large fires in the
Anacostia area each year. Col. Grant
said that the only way these would
be prevented from doing serious dam.
age was to effect a patrol system, so
that the fires might be discovered
soon after they started, but said that
he did not have enough police even
to attempt to patrol the park lands
across the Anacostia River.
Discusses Anacostia Reserve.
DR.. Havenner also said that the
Anacostia recreation reserve was not
used to capacity at this time because
Of the poor walking facilities, due to
loose gravel, but Col. Grant said that
plans were being made to improve
the walks by providing a firm base of
macadam, with q thin coating Of
gravel which would be rolled firmly.
He said he favored the gravel walks
in the parks, because they were more
in keeping with the surroundings
than the cement walks.
Inquiry was made by the citizens
committee as to whether new legisla-
ton would be needed for the proposed
additional bathing pools, as the pres
ent law provides for only two. Col.
Grant said this was a legal question
which was still to be decided.
DR.. Havenner said that the money
for installing a lighting system around
the Lincoln Memorial Rejecting Pool
should come from Federal funds. as
that was a Federal project strictly,
and also that the construction or the
new roads in the Mall should also
come from Federal funds. DR.. Hav-
enner also suggested that the laying
out of new roads in the Mall should be
deferred until after the construction
of the buildings in the Government tri-
angle south Of the Avenue, but Col.
Grant said he did not agree with this.
However, as to their cost. he said that
they had been put in the Federal estl-
mates last year, and the Bureau or
the Budget transferred them SO that
payment would be made out OF Dis
trict funds.
Estimating for Walk.
Col. Grant said that an estimate OF