Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-06-09
|DENY CABINET CAMP
lis ON SEIZED LAND
White House Declares Site
Was Obtained by Oral Per-
mission From Owners.

mission From Owners.
The White House today denied that
private land was seized for the erection
Of camp for cabinet members In con-
junction with President Hoover's Rapi-
dan camp from private owners without
permission, as was brought out yester-
day in testimony in condemnation
proceedings before the Virginia State
Commission of Conservation and De-
velopment at Madison, Va.
1t was stated in behalf of the Pres
ident that the land had been obtained
by oral permission from the owners, the
Madison Timber Corporation, subsid-
larry Of the Ward Rue Lumber Co. At
the hearing yesterday, however, the
owners Cenied any lease had been OBJ
tanned. either written or oral. This
camp Is about l mile below President
Hoovcrs, and, according to testimony.
is SO protected by the Marine guard
stationed at the Presidents camp that
the owners have been denied entry to it.
Oral Permission Given.
According to the White House ex-
PLANTATION, requests for a lease was made
to the owners when 1t was decided to
build the cabinet camp" early in 1880.
This permission was given orally to
Maj Earl G. Long, commanding the
Marine detachment at the Presidents
camp. and work was at once started.
The land was improved with six cot
tages, pipings and roadway, which, ac-
cording TO White House estimate, cost
approximately SIS 900 1t was explained
this this camp was built for the use of
the Presidents cabinet and their fam
lilies.
The Ward Rue Co is claiming $40, 900
for the value of the six cottages and
other improvements m:de by the Ma
rine detachment under Maj. Long, who
also constructed the Presidents camp
and the roads leading to them. The
buildings of the Presidents camp are
not located on the disputed property.
The cabinet camp was built. 1t was said,
two months before the State brought
condemnation proc edingS against the
lumber company in connection with
the proposed Shenandoah National
Park.
Assessments Increased.
In fact, owners testified. that be-
erty and its proximity to the Presi-
dents camp, the assessments have been
increased and the owners have had to
pay greater taxes than they otherwise
would
When condemnation proceedings were
instituted on June 2, 1880, by the COM
mission the Ward Rue Lumber Co.
laid claim to 1900 acres of timber
lands. which 1t valued at in excess OF
81 900 900.
Testimony that the camp was built
without permission of any of its own
ers was given by C. d. Rue. vice pres1-
dent and general manager OF the lumber
firm. William Armstrong, attorney 1or
the commission repudiated responsible
ty for the seizure of the land, declaring
that II don't think that the State Com
mission of Conservation and Develop
ment is responsible for the situation"
Holds Land Was Seized.
Mathew L. Rue, president Of the lum-
Der company, testified that corralS for
the detachment of Marines were also
located on the property and that the
land had been seized without permits
sion and occupied for more than a
year before the lease was sought and
ODIalllSQ. MI. rue odAA tI!ob "AASAA ASN
and other owners of the property at
tempted to enter the land. they were
detained by the Marine guard and
forced to leave.
Herman ]. Galloway, an attorney. OF
728 Seventeenth street, this city. rep
resenting the owners, In questioning
Mr.. Rue brought out the following
When was the Cabinet Camp built?'
'In the Spring of 1890
Did you ever give any permission
for its constructions"
mo. sir; we were not consulted
At this juncture, Mr. Armstrong inter
rupted to ask who gave permission.
Il don't know" answered Mr.. Rue.
$50 far as l know, no one did
do they have a lease?" asked Mr..
No, thsy have not" Mr.. Rue replied
I'VE will prove that later" said Mr..
Galloway.
Il don't dispute it." said Mr.. Arm
strong. Il don't know. myself"
"Inasmuch as it is our property we
claim that we are entitled to payment
for it," Mr. Galloway said
Story of Hoover Camp.
Since Mr.. Hoover and the mountain
retreat selected by him soon after he
became President, as a place where NJ
could go for complete rest and quiet
have been brought into this condemna-
ton hcaring, the following story OF the
Presidents carp might be Of interest
At the suggestion of w. E. Carson,
chairman of the Virginia State Commits
sion of Conserva ion and Development,
which body is authorized to obtain the
land necessary for the. Shenandoah Ma
tional Park President Hoover first went
to the spot on the Rapidan which has
since become his camp. During his orig
inal visit he and Mrs. Hoover and the
other members of their party lived In
Army tents and otherwise roughed it
and enjoyed it. The remoteness and
natural beauty of the place suited the
President exactly, and he at once de-
cided to make it his permanent retreat
while occupying the White House.
Instructed to Build Camp.
Mr.. Hoover then gave instructions
to his assistants to build him camp
that would be comfortable and livab!e,
but at the same time simple and rustic.
Negotiations Immediately followed, re-
sulting in 1913 acres being purchased
for the camp site from the Wayland
estate at a price of S. an acre. 1t is
said that the President could have
purchased the property for less and
that he would have been willing to have
paid more, but the SIS was agreed upon
as being not sufficiently large to en-
barrasS the State of Virginia in pur-
chasing the necessary land for the
Shenandoah Park. In addition to this
1853 acres, the President obtained lease
for an indefinite period of 1000 acres
to be used in conjunction with his
CAMP. The land necessary for the Ma
4 4, 1T
Maj. Long.
Later, when the corrals for the Ma
rines were built they were constructed
on property thought to be included in
the lease of Maj. Long, but which later
developed to be on the property of the