Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-02-27
PATTERSON TRACT
PURCHASE WANTED
Conferees to Notify Park
Commission Acquisition of
Land Was Intended.

| Although the District appropriation
bill as it came from conference and
| was agreed to in the Senate yesterday
does not make 1t mandatory upon the
National Capital Park and Planning
Commission to acquire the Patterson
tract, 1t was learned last night that
the conferees intend to notify the com.
mission they had the Patterson area
in mind when they increased the lump
sum for purchase Of parks from $500
900 to 5000 00h.
Senator Phipps OF Colorado, chair
| man of the District subcommittee of
the Senate appropriations committee.
said lit is the expectation and desire
of the conferees" to indicate to the
Park Commission that the park pur.
chase item was increased to the ex,
tent of 100000 above the usual
amount with view to putting the
commission in a position to negotiate
for the Patterson site.
House Action Needed.
All that remains to he done to COM
plete congressional action on the ap-
preparation bill is for the House to
adopt the conference report. and Rep.
resentative Funk of Illinois plans to
morrow.
1t developed further Yesterday that
the full amount of 100000 for park
acquisitions Is to he available i'm
mediately" upon the approval of the
bill by the President, instead of on
July I, thus enabling the commission
to expedite park purchases this year.
Before the District supply bill was
sent to conference the Senate wrote
in specific item of $500 900 for the
Patterson project, in addition to the
usual lump sum Of 100000 fov ex-
tending the park system. While the
conferees decided to increase the park
purchase fund by only $500, 900. or
half Of the Senate increase. il does
not mean the commission would be
limited to 100000 in any effort it may
make to get the Patterson tract. In
other words, the commission would be
free to use also part Of the $500, 900
Ieeway Is Allowed.
OF the 100000 item, $3.50 900 may
he spent without regard to the price
limitation of 20 per cent above as
sessed value, This same leeway was
allowed in the current appropriation
act. The remainder of the $500. 900
and all of the extra 5000 900 is subject
to the price limitation. Members of
the Senate who handle District affairs
do not believe, however, that the price
restriction will make 1t impossible to
negotiate for the Patterson tract.
In his testimony before the Phipps
subcommittee recently, Lieut.. Col.
L. s. Grant. Ord, director Of public
buildings and parks. testified:
THE Park Commission feels that
the h1liy part of that tract should be
saved for park purposes, and 1t feels
that the fiat part is now the only
available piece left for playground
purposes in that section of the city"
Contains 80 Acres.
The Patterson tract consists of an
proximately 80 acres extending north
ward from SFlorida avenue, between
the railroad viaduct and the Columbia
Institute for the Deaf. The fat por-
ton, referred to as being desirable
Tor playground purposes, is near
Florida avenue, with. the wooded knoll
In the background. While the tract
was heinessused as camp during
the war a swimming pool was con-
structed there
One suggestion advanced at the
hearings was that the park commits
sion might leave from to 10 acres
of the fiat ground at the west end of
the tract to be developed for CONNER
cial purposes II it should be found i'm.
practicable to acquire the entire estate.
Ii this were done the eastern portion
or the level ground would be used as
a playground with the forasted hill in
oack OF 1t for park purposes.
In addition to the statement of Sen.
ator Phipps that the conferees had the
PATTERSON project In mind in increas-
nf kA ..l~
Chairman Capper of the Senate Dis.
trlct committee plans to report favor.
ably from the committee tomorrow the
ON introduced several weeks ago by
senator Jones, directly authorizing
purchase OF the Patterson site.
Teacher Item Dropped.
A similar bill sponsored by Repre-.
sentative Bloom Of New York. has
been favorably reported In the House.
Ihese legislative measures provide
mat any unexpended balance in the
Districts old surplus revenue fund
would be available toward acquiring
the tract.
When the conference report on the
District bill was first called IN hv
Senator Phipps Friday afternoon.
Senator Harrison of Mississippi asked
that it be delayed until he could dis.
cuss the action OF the conferees in
striking out his amendment, which
would have given the school authorj.
ties half of the "a additional teachers
tney testified were needed. When the
Dill was being considered In the Sen
ate originally Senator Harrison made
strong plea for the allowance of at
least half of the teaching force asked
Tor by the school board. Senator
Phlpps told Senator Harrison Friday
that the Senate conferees held ont
untll the last moment for the reten.
tion OF his amendment, but that the
Rouse managers would not Yield.
Inc teacher item was not debated
Wnen senator Phipps called up the
conference agreement YESTERDAY and
II was annrnNad uithnIt Aaaa srL