The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1929-05-21
BUILDINGS to
AID BEAUTY
Of D. c.

Congress has set out to make
washington the most heautiIui
capital in the world.
A wave Of enthusiasm for &C
complishment Of this goal appar'
entity has swept both Senate and
House, and virtually all traces OF
a former reluctance to speno huse
sums of money for public buildings
in the District Of Columbia has ais
appeared.
The pledge Of President Hoover to
lend full support to the movement
IL believed to assure a continuation
OF the huge program already un-
der way.
Congress is now committed to
the completion Of q building pro-
gram costing $685., 100000, and this
program is expected to be expanded
in the next few years.
The urge to make the city the
most beautiful of all the worlds
capitals apparently springs from
the sentimental interest Of Con-
gress in the seat OF Government
and the practical belief that it .
cheaper for the Government to build
than rent.
Tourist Responsible
But the American tourist, who
drifts into the national capital by
train and automobile, perhaps Is
more responsible than any other
agency.
With the advent of automobile
touring came expressions Of disap-
pointment from people in every SEE.
ton of the country and from all
walks of life. They usually made
their entrance on historic Penn
sylvania Avenue. and found it 4
wide, drab street, lined with cheap
business houses and almost exclu.
sively occupied in one section by
Chinese curio shops and laundries.
The increase in the number of
Cove. Nment employees from $4,000
to 10000, and the likelihood of fur.
Their expansion of Government ac-
tivities in Washington. has further
spurred the movement. Nearly
$4,000 employees now work in tenn.
porary or rented quarters, some of
them fire-traps and insufferably
hot in summer.
In launching its great building
program, Congress has reverted to
the original plan of Major Pierre
| Charles L'Enfant, French army en-.
| gineer, who was chosen to lay out
! the CITY more than hundred years
| ago.
Capitol Center
The new building plan revolves
around the Capitol Building, already
acclaimed the most beautiful Capt.
| toll in the world a great mall.
lined with beautiful Government
buildings. is to conect the Capitol
with Lincoln Memorial, skirting the
| White House. great parkway is
| to be built between the Union Pas
senger Station and the Capitol.
To redeem Pennsylvania Avenue
| and make it worthy of its history,
Congress has bought a triangle
1 with a half-mile frontage on the
! avenue at a cost of $25 900
/ Senator Smoot R.l, Of Utah, esti
mates that it will cost 5000, 600 .00C
| to complete the triangle develop
ment scheme. the government will
demolish a modern history office
| building and stores of lesser struc
lures.
| One of the most extraordinary
projects in the Capital beautiful
program, Is 200-foot parkway
from the Potomac River to George
washington's home at Mount Yer
non.
| Cost Plenty
Among the building projects nov
under way and their cost are:
| Arlington Memorial Bridge, con
/ Meeting Arlington Cemetery with
the city. $14,575. 900; enlargement Of
Capitol grounds, 1924 900; Supreme
Court site and building. $7,50O.0O0
Department of Agriculture build
ings, $500, 900; Department Of Com
merce Building, ST, 100000: Internal
Revenue Building, $10,O00,00O. New
buildings eventually will be con
structed for the Postoffice Depart
ment, Department of Justice, Labor
Department, Navy Department, and
the present State, War and Navy
Department Building either will be
remodeled or abandoned.