Evening star., 1927-03-08
u. S. OFFICIALS Join
FIGHT ON ABATTO|R
Leaders of Federal Agencies
Lend Support to Arling-
ton Citizens.

CLARENDON, Va, March s.-Lead-
ers of Federal agencies concerning
themselves chiefly with plans for a
greater metropolitan area Of Wash
ington and the extension of the park
and boulevard system of the National
Capital, at a mass meeting last night
threw in their strength with the fight
being made by citizens of Arlington
County 10 prevent the n. Auth Pro-
vision Co. from establishing a "slaugh-
ter house" on its property on Coum
bia pike, near the Virginia end of the
Arlington Memorial Bridge.
Hundreds of citizens from all sec
tions of the county who packed the
old Columbia Pike Schoolhouse. where
the meeting was held, voted unani-
mously for resolution condemning
the proposal in its entirety. This ac-
ton was taken following addresses in
opposition to the proposal of Charles
Moore. chairman of the Fine Arts
Commission: Charles w. Eliot Cd, city
planner with the National Capital
Park and Planning Commission; for
mer Representative Philip p. Camp
bell of Kansas, a resident of Arlington
County; Frank G. Campbell, a member
of the Virginia Park and Planning
Commission. and the reading of a let
ter from Lieut.. Co. L. s. Grant, Sd,
executive officer of the National Cap
ital Park and Planning Commission.
The resolution. with few alterations,
Is similar to that adopted by the
board OF directors of the Arlington
County Chamber of Commerce.
Reach Parting Of Ways.
Mr. Moore stated that the slaughter
house proposal opens up a bigger
question than that of whether or not
the county is to have one additional
nuisance. The county has come to
the parting Of the way" Mr.. Moore
said. "and it is up to the people to
decide If they are to have the
slaughter-house type of development
to efforts being made to make a
beauty spot of the Southern shores
of the Potomac. If you get a slaught-
er house you will get other things of
the same class and Arlington County
instead OF being beautiful entrance
to the National Capital will be it's
dump and slums."
Mr.. Moore called attention to the
fact that aside from the Memorial
Bridge, which will be a great boon to
Arlington County, the Federal Gov
ernment has plans for great drive
ways, one of which would run along
the banks of the Potomac from Great
Falls to Alexandria with ample pro-
vision made for parks. and this as
we'll as the proposed Shenandoah Ma
tional Park may be lost to the coun,
try If the people fall short in their
support of projects in keeping with
those great enterprises.
Takes No Official Action.
:. Col. Grant in his letter. which was
read by Mr.. Eliot, said that the Ma
tional Capital Park and Planning
Commission has taken no official ac-
tion with regard to the proposed Auth
plant, but that 1t was obvious that
no such structure can be built in Ar
lington County without some effect on
the National Capital"
He expressed it as his personal opin-
ion that while the vicinity in which
abattoir already is developed indus
trially to a considerable extent, and
while this new plant will be on roads
the commercial character of which
must be expected to increase when
the Mount Vernon boulevard is de-
veloped for tourist and pleasure traf-
fic. whether the line finally selected Is
along the shore or back in the hills;
nevertheless. it is believed that the
placine in this vicinity OF any plant
having such pronounced bad odor as
a slaughter house would be a great
mistake and injurious to the park
system and Federal activities across
the river"
Col Grant stated that the Auth
Co. Is ready to give assurances that
there will be no appreciably bad door
from the plant, and adds: The ques.
ton is whether such deodorizatlon OF
a slaughter house is possible.
In this connection. he states: An
investigation of the Weather Bureau
fahies shows that during the months
of Nav, June, July and August, there
is a prevailing wind from the South
during the greater part of the day. II
Ia lust at this hot time OF the year,
when the odor from the slaughter
house would be most noticeable and
would be most Objectionable to the
people using the parks and working
in public buildings east of the Po,
tomac, because of the necessity oil
keeping windows open."
To protect the parks and public
buildings, from such nuisance.
Col. Grant states, he Is asking the
permit granted the Auth Co.
Col Grant, in conclusion, pointed
out that the proposed location Of the
plant is within three miles Of the
White House and the group of build
fngs proposed under the new public
building program. "It Is believed. .
he said, that such a plant should
not be permitted within 10 miles of
any residential or commercial area"
Sees Need Of Zoning.
Mr.. Eliot said that the present situa-
ton emphasi sizes the need Of zoning
regulations in the county and that he
hoped steps would be taken to have
the LEGISLATURE vest the Board of Su
pervisors with power to determine
types of development and where 1t
shall be placed. Arm yourself with a
complete zoning plan so this sort of
thing will never happen again." he
said.
Former Representative Campbell de-
clared that If Arlington County starts
with a slaughter house 1t will have to
20 on with this class of development
and the establishment of soap and
glue factories and fertilizer plants
would soon follow. "A slaughter house
| in Arlington County would result in
| the destruction of the most desirable
! residential section In the world" Mr.
Campbell stated.
Sees Threat to Federal Aid.
Mr.. Campbell urged that everything
| be kept out of the county that is in