Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-01-25

while his vorkmen are engaged at
present in destroying billboards on the
! Langley road on the Virginia side of
Chain Bridge, John E. Shoemaker,
Washfn gton manager of the General
Outdoor Advertising Co., yesterday indi-
Gated that the removal Of his company's
boards would not be limited solely to
those within two-nlile area Of the Dis
trict Line. u hsMl4
Mr.. Shoemaker Is studying the situa-
ton in the suburban area with q view,
he said, to eliminating possibly q num-
Der of other display units along certain
roads which might be regarded by the
committee whiI h Is cooperating with
him as particularly disfiguring to the
scenery
without waiting for its competitors in
the Washington territory to come into
an agreement for the removal of bill
boards within the hvo-mile area of the
District Line m Mar land and Virginia,
the General Outdoor ADVERTISING Co. has
selected Langley road as its first obiec-
tive. In marked contrast with other
billboard concerns. ths spirit of co..
operation with which Mr.. Shoemaker
has begun to tackle t1As problem has
convinced members Of Ahe committee
that the company Is prepared to go 30
reasonable lengths In heAping to Inn
prove conditions along theA roadside In
its territory.
Committee AppOintAi
While the General Co. has "a number
of huge billboards on the LanAley road.
the eventual removal Of these units viii
not altogether restore the natural beauty
Of this rural stretch. Other biNboards
on the road were erected by the Morton
Co., which has not yet signif1ed it's WILL
ingneSs to Cooperate with tbs Washing
ton Bicentennial Commission officials.
At q recent meeting called by the
Committee Of the National Capital Of
the Garden Club Of America, attended
by many officials, q committee was ap~
pointed to look into the billboard sital-
alton in the District and in the outside
two-nile zone. DR.. Cloyd Heck Marvin,
as chairman Of the District Commits
sion for the2 bicentennial, is head of
this committee and two other members
are Representatives Sol Bloom, as
sociate director Of the National BIZ
centennial Commission, and Repre-
sentative r. Walton Moore of Virginia.
Mr.. Shoemaker. who has started 20
carry out the instructions given by his
company at that meeting, has been in
conference with members Of the COM
mittee. He said he would make a tour
Of the route followed by the Mount
Vernon Memorial Boulevard, with Mr..
Moore when the latter can get away
from his duties at the Capitol. There
are a number of signs which he be-
lieveS his company would agree to
eliminate along this route, he said.
It has been necessary for the Gov
eminent to purchase q large acreage
in this territory to preserve the boule-
ward from becoming commercialized.
Another tract OF about 500 acres along
the "A miles OF roadsidetis being sought
for the same reason.
Removed Before Celebration.
Mr.. Shoemaker has had O long ex-
perief1ce in the billboard industry, and
as q member Of the committee. he has
offered his services in studying the
problems involved In this stretch of
land along the Mount Vernon Boule-
ward.
The removal Of existing billboards Of
the company cannot be accomplished In
a short time as there are contracts
which extend in most cases for five
years. But as rapidly as financial
matters can be Strengthened out the
billboard units will be taken down, long
before the opening of the 1882 BIZ
centennial. q
The company also has agreed to re-
duce TO a minimum its display units
inside Washington and re-allocate
boards which In the opinion of the
committee should be placed elsewhere.
AL this requires detailed study Of the
situation.
Meanwhile, endeavors are being made
to bring other smaller billboard con-
Germs into the agreement.