Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-05-10
OIL DOCK HEARING
TESTIMONY BULKY
Chief of Army Engineers
Hears Many Protests Against
RossIyn Project.

MOTEL TO De constructed near ftOSSlyIl,
Va, to the right of riverside owner
to get in and out of his land by water,
confronted Maj. Gen. Lytle Brown, chief
of Army Engineers, today, as a result
| or a hearing yesterday on application
, of the Sun Oil Co. of Philadelphia and
| Baltimore to construct a wharf up
| stream of the Key Bridge near RoSslyn.
Gen. Brown w2s informed by Hugh
Lee Kirby of Cherrydale. Va. that he
and his neighbors are prepared to pur-
chase the land upon which the Sun
| Oil Co. proposes TO erect its tanks and
| present it as a gift to the Federal
Government for park contingent
upon the Government declining to grant
| the permit sought at the hearing. He
| likewise asserted, as a member of the
merce, that a $1,250,000 hotel is to be
| constructed on the top of Mackeys Hill
| and that the taxable value of this
would far exceed that of the proposed
! improvements of the Sun Oil Co.
At the outset Gen. Brown clamped
! down on the alleged lengthy cross
| examination by NJ. A. Coles, who ap-
peared as attorney for those opposing
| the granting of the permit, and ad-
vised him that this is not a case, and
while you can ask any reasonable ques-
neSSeS.'
First Witness Heard.
Appearing as counsel for the Sun Oil
Co. were Spencer Gordon, John Mar
shall, Chester I. Long and Peter @.
Nyce and their first witness put on the
stand was Peyton S. Cochran of Balti-
more, district manager of the firm for
Maryland, the District of Columbia and
riYDio r-l,a he
Grafton of the company, if the wharf
permit is granted. Formed in 1886, he
said, the firm operates in II States and
has followed the policy of using inland
waterways, in line with President Hoo
ver'S suggestions. On September 4,
1924, he informed the general, permit
was issued by the proper authorities
for a canoe house and float at the
point the company desires to erect a
wharf. He read the certificate of the
board of supervisors of Arlington
County, Va, dated September 80, 1929.
granting the firm permit for wharf,
age and this was introduced in evil
dence. Maps, sketches, photographs,
changes in the original plan to con-
form to the wishes of the National
Capital Park and Planning Commits
sion, with underground pipe lines and
tanks concealed in the trees, were
placed in evidence through Mr.. Cochran.
The Sun Oil Co., the witness said, has
dedicated about half of its property to
the Government for the proposed George
Washington Memorial Parkway, at that
point. Mr.. Cochran cited the various
commercial interests that are now in
that vicinity, including an ice concern,
soft drink firm, laundry and service
station. Surrounding property owners,
he said are in agreement with the
company's plan.
w. A. Courtenay, jr., engineer in
charge of construction for the Sun on
Co., said that the dock would be about
205 feet long and feet wide, termi-
mating in a T-head. Barges would come
from the refinery and through hose at
tachments to the pipe lines, the oil and
gasoline would be pumped into the stor-
age tanks. He secuted the suggestion OF
fire hazards or water pollution.
Two Letters Read.
Counsel for the petitioner read two
letters, one from A. F. G. Lucas, who
said he had previously signed the pc
tition against the granting of the permit,
but now believed as property owner
that it would be beneficial, and from
Lucien H. Greathouse of 1929 Sixteenth
street, owner of the part of the prop
erty on which the oil firm proposes to
set its tanks and wharf, who declared
that 1.-The Cramton park-purchase bill,
if passed, will lie as dead letter for
years" and will not prevent dumping or
the cutting of trees. The land owned
by his parents, which is part of the
property to be developed. he said. rep
resents the savings of lifetime.
Gen. Brown took a hand in the
questioning, and in response to queries,
Mr. Cochran said that the firm proposes
to pump gasoline and fuel oil, used for
household purposes, into the tanks. The
bargeS, in which the petroleum products
would be brought to Rossyln, he ex-
planned, would be self-propelled and
tugs would not be used. Ice jams, he
said, are caused on the Georgetown
side of the channel, due to the great
Washington.
John G. Bowen of Georgetown Uni
versity, on behalf of the president
and faculty, registered emphatic OBJ
lection" to the granting of the permit,
as this would be 1.-The opening wedge
for further Characterization" He said
he offered special objection on behalf
of Georgetown Hospital as the site Sc
lected for the new hospital is opposite
to the proposed wharf.
G. II. Greenhouse, part owner of the
tends to build, if the permit is granted,
told Gen. Brown that taxes this prop
erty would bring to Arlington County
are badly needed.
Reasons for Choosing Site.
Mr.. Cochran was asked why the
Rosslyn site had been cc7csen by the
company, and he replied that from
the Key Bridge to Alexandria the
industrial water front has been elimi-
mated. Water transportation is cheaper,
he said, but unless it can be brought
to the center of distribution it would
not be economical. The company has
not considered Alexandria, he said, due
to the cost OF truck hauling, which he
placed at $40 per day per truck Wash
lngton, he said has restriction on the
installation of tanks, requiring them to
be buried underground and this was a
policy his company is opposed to, due
to the difficulty of rusting and problems
OF upkeep. An area 1000 feet above
Key Bridge, he asserted, is the only
available site that would not interfere
with park lands. 1t would be impossible
to hear the pumps, he said, as the
barges are self-propelled and are equip
ped with Diesel engines.
DR.. Jasper Newton Roberts on behalf
of the opposition to the granting in
sisted that the only benefits to accrue
from the granting of the permit would
be to the Sun Oil Company. He asked
why this firm did not bury its tanks
as the Standard Oil Company does on
the Washington side of the river. The
granting of this permit, he said, would
be discrimination against other oil
firms and the Government would have
to give additional permits in that
vicinity.
John A. Neu brought before Gen.
Brown the protests of residents of
Woodmont, Va. Mrs. Florence E. Can