Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-01-18
V|RG|N|ANS INSPECT
ROAD APPROACHES
Highways Leading to Capital
From Two States Con-
trasted by Officials.
BY ARTHUR A. ALLEN,
Staff Correspondent OF The Star.


ALEXANDRIA, Va, January 1s-
Two pictures were painted for Virginia's
legislative body yesterday afternoon.
One was a picture of highways Oft
times approaching squalor in their
general appearance.
The other showed beautiful road
ways. dividing rows of neat residences
or separating unoffensive types of COM
mercial buildings.
The first set forth conditions exist
ing along the Virginia approaches to
the National Capitalize second illus
trated the conditions along roads lead
ing from Maryland into Washington.
Comparison of the two scenes con-
structed in the minds of the legislators
| problem most of them admit Is
worthy Of serious study.
Make Highway Tour.
The occasion was an inspection tour
of the traffic arteries leading into
Washington which some SO members
of the General Assembly and about 40
State capitol attaches took as guests
/ of the Alexandria City. Arlington and
Fairfax Chambers of Commerce.
Adopting the roles of ordinary
tourists, the party set out from Alex
andria in chartered buses shortly
after noon to view what the automo-
biist would see by traverSing the Mary
land and Virginia approaches to the
District.
-Four Of the roads leading into the
| Capital City from Virginia were in
spected and compared with three of
those which pass into Washington from
Maryland.
On the Virginia shore of the Potomac
| the legislators saw dump heaps with
their huge piles of smouldering trash
bordering two Of the roads leading up
to the Virginia end of Highway Bridge,
one of which is the Richmond Wash
road leading to the Government Expert
mental Farm, Arlington National Gene
terry, the eastern section of Arlington
County and Alexandria.
RossIyn Congested.
At the Virginia end of Francis Scott
Key Bridge the party found the tiny
town of Rosslyn, its narrow streets
heavily congested with traffic passing
to and from the industries and business
establishments which crowd its small
area. Lumber yards and oil and gaso-
line storage stations were seen con-
| tributing greatly to the general con-
gestion of the town.
The only relief from the otherwise
| squalid appearance of the Virginia ap-
proaches was provided at Chain Bridge,
where the Potomac Palisades rose high
| above the Potomac River and the mar
row span linking the Old Dominion with
! the District, furnishing g. beautiful,
| picturesque setting.
From this point the delegation crossed
the bridge into Ws shington and drove
to the points where the Maryland State
line crosses Wisconsin avenue, Sixteenth
street and Georgia avenue.
At each place the visitors paid many
tributes to the good roads and streets,
I splendid appearing homes, neat business
structures and the general appearance
OF the neighborhood. contrasting strik-
ingly with the conditions seen at the
Virginia entrances to the Capital.
Legislators Impressed.
The survey of Washington and en-
virons apparently greatly impressed the
| members of the General Assembly.
which will soon be called upon to vote
| upon legislation when the National
Capital Park and Planning Commission
asks Virginia to share financially in
carrying out the development of the
| metropolitan area.
Plans for the development Of this area
were barred by the commission last night
at a Joint meeting with Maryland and
Virginia officials in Washington, at
which both Gov. John Garland Pollard
and members of the State Assembly at
| tended, and at which Gov. Pollard
| promised the commission Virginia's sup
| port of the movement.
The tour was made to serve a dual
purpose, the itinerary being arranged so
! that the buses passed many of the
| points of historic interest in Virginia
and Washington on their way to view
the Maryland and Virginia boundaries.
brief halt was made az the outset
to allow Lieut.. Gov. James H Price
and j. Sinclair Brown, speaker in the
State Senate. to place wreath upon
the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier In
the Arlington National Cemetery.
Arlington House Visited.
A stop was also made at Arlington
House, where, by special permission, the
party was permitted to go through the
historic home, which is now under
going extensive repairs.
From the lawn, overlooking Wash
ington, guides pointed out the new
$4,000, 900 bridge connecting the Lincoln
Memorial and Lee Boulevard. the route
the Mount Vernon Memorial Boulevard
will take, the Washington Monument
and other places of interest.
While in Washington the delegation
viewed the Lincoln Memorial, White
House, Treasury and Commerce Depart
ment buildings.
Prior TO the trip the three Chambers
of Commerce were hosts at luncheon
in the George Mason Hotel here, while
they also gave dinner for their guests
upon the return to this city after which
the legislators went to Washington fol-
the Park and Planning Commission's
meeting.
Both luncheon and dinner were
marked by the exclusion Of speech
making.