Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-04-05
REPORT TO LEAVE
. POWER ITEM OUT
OF CRAMTON BILL
Senate Committee to Favor
Measure Next Week With
Memorial Park Project.
FOR PRESERVING SHORES
IN NATURAL STATE
More Than 40 Amendments Include
Several on Park Extension
Procedure.

opment near Great Falls for future
settlement, the Senate District commit
tee early next week will file with the
Senate its favorable report on the
Capper- Cramton park development bill,
the main feature of which is the pres
ervation of the shores of the Potomac
in its natural state as a George Wash
ington Memorial Parkway.
Advocates of a combined park and
power development on the upper Po-
tomac have indicated, however, that
they expect the battle to be revived
when the measure is taken up for action
in the Senate.
While the Senate committee did not
disturb the House provision, which
leaves for future determination by Con-
gress all questions relating to power and
navigation on the river, it made a num-
Der OF other amendments, the most
important of which was that proposed
by Senator Glass of Virginia definitely
authorizing the Federal Government to
build $l,500,000 free bridge near Great
Falls.
Amendments Exceed 40.
The Senate group made more than
4O amendments, but number of them
are changes in phraSeology that are
not expected to lead to much discus
sion. The amendments include sew
eral requested by the Maryland park
authorities and relate to procedure in
establishing park extensions in the area
surrounding the District.
In the hnal consideration of the bill
IN committee yesterday afternoon.
there was no mention of the contro-
eerSy which has gone on during the
week between Lieut.. Col u, S, Grant
Sd, OF the National Capital Park and
Planning Commission and Mai Brehon
Somervell, Army engineer for this area.
Maj. Somervell believes park and power
development can be combined. and
tnat there would be large economic
waste in preserving the upper Potomac
Tor park purposes only. Col. Grant
mas vigorously defended the position
taken by the House, of providing for
immediate preservation of the upper
Hotomac as a natural park of excep-
tlonal scenic beauty, leaving to some
future Congress the decision as to
whether power should later be de.
Velopeo on the river. The decision of
the Senate committee was a victory
Tor Col. Grant and Representative
Cramton In this respect.
Says Fight Will Continue.
That the. contest is not over, how
ever, was the prediction made follow
ing the meeting by Elisha Hanson, at
torney Tor the Potomac River Corpora
tlon. one OF the applicants for a private
said:
The problem remains for the Sen
ate to dispose of the hydroelectric de-
velopment, which would result in Civ
ing TO the people Of the country a free
recreatlonal park containing all of the
, major features approved by the Ma
tlonal Capital Park and Planning Com
mission, and also taxable assets suffi-
Gent to support all of the other parks
proposed by this measure"
The Glass amendment, insurinz
free Federal bridge below Great Falls
when the park is established. contains
authority also for the condemnation in
connection with the bridge project of
any land or franchise owned by corpo-
rations or individuals.
Authorized by House.
AS passed by the House the bill au-
thorl5ed a total park program of
$23,OOO0OO, OF which $16,000,000 Is
to be spent within the District,
and reimbursed to the Federal
eminent at the rate of $l.000,o00 a
year. The Senate did not change the
District portion of this total Addition
OF the bridge amendment, however, in
creased the total outside the District to
$4,000, 900. OF this sum, $500, 900 is
allocated to the George Washington
Memorial Parkway, along both sides of
the Potomac, including the new bridge
az Great Falls. The remaining 81 $780,
600 is for the extensions to Rock Greek,
AnacoStla and other parkways into
nearby Maryland.
Another Senate amendment insureS
preservation of the historic Patowmack
Canal as an engineering project of the
days OF George Washington. Still an
other amendment authorizes purchase
OF Chesapeake e. Ohio Canal as far
as Point of Rocks, the committee hav-
ing been informed it would cost no
more to secure the canal up to that
point than to Great Falls.
Acquisition of Land.
The Senate committee struck out a
House proviso that would have re-
quired the title to lands acquired by
donation or otherwise to be uncondi-
tional. indefeasible and in fee simple.
Congress has enacted q separate law
defining the various ways in which the
park commission may acquire title to
land.
The amendments made with regard
to the park extensions in nearby
Maryland would do the following: Allow
eight instead of five years for the re-
payment OF advances for Maryland's
part of the cost; vest title to these
lands in the State of Maryland instead
of the United States; require the
National Park Commission to pass on
the plans rather than the regulations
for development of the Maryland ex-
tension.
After hearing an explanation from
Col. Grant, the Senate committee de-
cltned to include the amendment asked
for by the District Commissioners, UNI
der which the park commission would
have to get approval of the city heads
before purchasing lands for strictly
municipal purposes, such as local play
grounds. They worded the bill to have
the park commission consult the Com
misSionerS in such cases, but without
requiring approval of the Commits
sionerS.