Evening star., 1927-06-10
ARLINGTON GIVEN
|. D. c. OBJECT LESSON
Col. Grant and Others Dis
cuss County's Relations
to Capital Planning.
Special Dispatch to The Star.

Special Dispatch TO The star.
CHERRYDALE, Va, June 10.-The
National Capital was presented IN
illustrated talks to a large gathering
of Arlington County citizens by Col:
u. S. Grant, Sd, executive officer OF
the National Capital Park and Plan
ming Commission, and Charles w.
Eliot, I'd, city planning expert at the
Cherrydale Auditorium last night.
The meeting was held under aus
pices of the Arlington Coutny Cham-
ber of Commerce, and was for the
primary purpose Of creating an IN
terest that will result in putting INTO
effect the law, passed by the special
session of the Legislature, which pro-
vides for the formation Of a county
zoning commission. Clarence H.
Ahalt, president, presided.
The relation Of Arlington County 70
the development planned for the
District Of Columbia in the matter OF
highways and parks and the important
position it holds in the plans for the
greater metropolitan district Of the
National Capital and environs was
clearly brought out by the speakers.
Col. Grant, after expressing his
appreciation for the cooperation given
the National Capital Park and Plan
ming Commission by the Virginia
Park and Planning Commission and
the State Legislature, asserted that
Arlington County by virtue OF Its
great open spaces, has a wonderful
opportunity of laying out a beautlful
city.
Capital As Example.
The county, he said, in laying Its
nlans will also have the advantage OF
fha examples of the National Capital
and be able to profit by the mistakes
made there. Col. Grant stated that
Looming is merely the application to
our cities of a principle that every
body is applying to the orderly con.
duct Of their business and home life.
Referring to the authorized SON.
900, 900 public buildings program, the
building Of the Arlington Memorial
Bridge and elaborate plans for treat
ment of the Mall, Col. Grant declared,
1--WE find ourselves on the edge OF
fulfillment of the visions of all planners
of a great National Capital from
washington and L'Enfant down to the
present day."
Mr.. Eliot dealt principally with the
studies of the commission with respect
to a great system of connecting high
ways and parks within a 20-mile
radius of the Capital, which has been
designated as the metropolitan area.
He pointed out that Arlington County
has a wonderful opportunity for park
development. This is particularly true,
he said, in the Four Mile Run Basin.
DEVELOPMENT could take place there,
he stated, along lines similar to those
in Rock Creek Park, with even less
difficulty. Touching on the subject OF
the proposed river route for the Mount
ri stated
that he was not in sympathy with
criticism of any particular route. I'VE
need more than one highway, and we
should take them as they come. Get
one, and the others will follow" he
added.
Mai Cary M. Brown, executive as
sistant to the National Capital Park
and Planning Commission, and DIR.
S, NJ. Johnson, director general of the
Lee Highway Association, spoke
briefly, the former on zoning and the
latter on proposed highway construc-
ton through the county to connect
with the Arlington Memorial Bridge.
For Wider Highway.
DR.. johnson appealed to the Cham
ber Of Commerce to join with the Lee
Highway Association that all possible
pressure may be brought to bear to
have that part of the Lee Highway
running across the county widened to
3S feet. He announced that recent
communication with Shirley, chairman
of the Virginia State Highway Com
mission, had produced the informa-
ton that consideration is being given
to the highway surveys recently made
in Arlington County, and decision
in the matter probably would not be
reached for month.
'The question is often asked" DR..
johnson stated, "as to where the
money is coming from to build the
proposed 200-foot Lee boulevard. l
hope to have the opportunity to an
swer this, as well as to tell where the
millions are to come from to realize
on other elaborate visions of the
regional development planners at a
public meeting to be held in the near
future.
"As far as I am concerned there
never has been any competition over
the location of highways in Arling-
ton County. The only question TO be
considered by the people is, Do they
want a beautiful 200-foot driveway
forming the first link of a great high
way between the Arlington Memorial
Bridge and the Shenandoah National
Park?" The sponsors of the Lee bou'
levard project, DR.. Johnson stated,
are ready to give a right of way for
the road and acreage for park pur-
poses that have a value of more than
$500, 900.
President Ahalt reviewed the prog
ress made by the chamber toward the
civic and industrial advancement OF
the country and hopes of the organ
szation for future work along this line