Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-10-11
Fine Arts Group Chairman
Expects Identification
of Railways.
PREDICTS REVISION
OF YARDS SYSTEM
Water Park in Marshes of Big
Hunting Creek and Potomac
Tunnel or Bridge Included.

Identification of the railroads oper-
ating in the National Capital; a re-
vision of the railroad yards and system
to keep unnecessary freight from COM
ing into Washington, with the building
Of tunnel under the Potomac River
or a new bridge; water park in the
marshes of Big Hunting Greek and a
survey of the whole situation affecting
Alexandria, Va, and the Mount YER
non Highway are visualiZed by Charles
Moore chairman of the Fine Arts Com
'iSSion.
w. DUB Brookings of Menokin Semi
nary Hall, Alexandria, Va, recently
wrote to Mr.. Moore, suggesting that
survey to preserve the scenic and his
torical beauties of that community be
made. Mr.. Moore's answer was made
public today.
alexandria is to be pearl in the
chain of the Mount Vernon Highway"
Mr.. Moore explained, adding that Alex
andria's house should be put in order,
not commercially, but historically.
FOresees Shift in Methods.
Toreseeing a shift in the method of
handling freight by the railroads, Mr..
Moore asserted that the carriers them
selves would find the proper place, but
he said his opinion was that it would be
beyond Alexandria, to the south.
1T seems to me wasteful to drag all
the freight for the South across the
AnacoStia through the City of Wash
ington and back to Alexandria" Mr..
Moore asserted in his letter to Mr..
Brookings.
Relating to the Identification of the
railroads coming into Washington, Mr..
Moore said that he has been informed
that the Pennsylvania Railroad is
spending immense sums of money on
this program and that "as sure as fate
electrification of the carriers lines in
Washington Is coming.
Chairman Moore's letter to Mr..
Bookings follows:
Dear Mr.. Brookings:
'I have your cheering letter Of Sep
TENDER 81 and am intensely interested
in 1t. I have read the proposed outline
for a study of the subject and think it
admirably constructed.
Favors Alexandria Route.
From the beginning of the project
for Mount Vernon Highway I have
favored the route through Alexandria
because of the keen interest in that
town taken by George Washington, who
Christ Church and whose intimate
Scotch friends were interested in the
Presbyterian Church. In conversation
with the people of Alexandria I i'm
pressed upon them the idea that the
route of the highway having been fixed
to pass through Alexandria the town
should respond both by the preservation
of its historic buildings and also by
creating sentiment in favor of a return
RI the colonial froditiona uJho1 ray
structures are to be erected. 1t seemed
to me particularly unfortunate that the
Public Service Building was designed
without reference to the town traditions,
and hope this will be q warning.
have urged upon Mayor Smoot the de-
STABILITY of securing new control of the
marshes OF Big Hunting Greek for a
water park. The possibilities of the de-
velopment Of such park and its USE
fulneSS to the growing town are appar-
ent to one who gives even casual con-
sideration to the Alexandria problem.
Sees Railway Revision.
'T believe that before long there will
be a considerable revision Of the rail-
way yards. 1t seems to me wasteful to
drag all the freight for the South
of Washington and back to Alexandria.
There should be a crossing of the Po-
tomac either over or under the Potomac
near Alexandria, and only freight des-
tined for use in Washington should
come into South Washington. These
are some of the larger aspects of the
problem requiring study in any gen.
eral survey.
at will give me real satisfaction to
be of any assistance in my power along
these lines. The survey should be Suf-
ficiently wide to include the Theological
Seminary and the entire region once
embraced in the District of Columbia
and afterward retroceded to Virginia.
Yours very truly,
(Signed) CHARLES MOORE,
Chairman"