Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-12-02
Capitol Architects Office win
Be Given Seat on Park
Planning Body.
F. A. DELAN0 DISCLOSES
PLAN FOR COOPERATION
Says Commission Had System for
Transplanting Trees on East
Capitol Street.

Following destruction OF fine old elm
trees on East Capitol street by a steam
tunnel, the office of David Lynn. Archi-
tect OF the Capitol, which has accented
responsibility for the tunnel, will be
asked to place member of that Office
on the Co-ordinating Committee of the
National Capital Park and Planning
Commission, on which it has not here
tofore been represented.
This was learned today from Frederic
A. Delano, chairman of the Park and
Planning Commission, who disclosed
that the commission had a plan for
transplanting the old elms on East
Capitol street. instead of allowing them
to be destroyed.
Move for Better Cooperation.
The move to place the Architect of
the Cap1toPS office on the Co-ordinat-
ing Committee is in line with what Mr..
Delano believes to be the need for a
better system of cooperation and pro-
lection for all the trees of the National
Capital.
Mr.. Delano, who has returned to
Washington, conferred on the matter
OF the elm trees with several officials
concerned.
In an interview, Mr.. Delano ex-
eAietO d H4d4l lOI WHICH,
ing East Capitol street was proposed
several months ago, sit was laid aside
10 be carried out at future date, be-
cause Of the fact that there was no
money to carry out the proposal and
because we thought this was a bad time
10 approach Congress for the necessary
Trees Roots Already Cut.
At the time the plan was adopted
last Winter, Mr.. Delano continued,
nothing was said about the necessity
Of putting tunnel down East Capitol
street. The location of the tun-
mel should have been considered very
carefully in view of the proposed plan
for East Capitol street." he said. And If
we had known that the building OF the
tunnel was an immediate necessity I
think it would have been perfectly
possible to have mosed the trees when
were worthy of moving to their new
location which would have been be-
tween the tunnel and the present grass
plot, the sidewalk under the new plan
being moved considerably further
south. The situation now Is that the
putting in Of this tunnel has cut the
roots off the trees on the south side,
and even If they survived, they could
perhaps not be moved over the tunnel
and into their new location. 7
cannot help thinking that a location
for the tunnel might have been found
which would have injured no trees, nor
even any grass" Some of the trees
were cut down, as there was danger of
them falling.
Explains Difficulties.
Referring to coordination, Mr.. De-
lano said, there is great need of it,
and yet 1t Is exceedingly difficult to
bring about in government where there
are so many commissions. The Park
and Planning Commission from the
first recognized the Importance of this
matter of coordination, he explained,
and we have committee known as
the Co-ordinating Committee which
sits with members Of cur staff to con-
slider every important project before 1t
Is voted upon by our commission. For
on this Co-ordinating Com
mittee are representatives of the Engi-
neer commissioners Office, men repre-
senting the Highway Department, the
Sewer and Water Departments, and
several others who must be consulted.
I find, however, that the Architect of
The Capitol has no representative on
this Co-ordinating Committee, and r
am inclined to think this is a mistake
and that his Office should be included
at least in all matters where he is
Personnel Of Committee.
The co-ordinating committee, to
which a member of the Office of archi-
ect of the Capitol is to be invited, con-
lists now of: Capt. e. N. Chisholm,
r, engineer of the Park and Planning
commission, chairman; Capt. H. G.
Nhltehurst, chief engineer of the Dis
,rict OF Columbia; Charles w. Elliott I'd,
director OF planning of the commits
ion; ]. B. Gordon, sanitary engineer
u the District; Capt. Hugh C. Dram.
Assistant Engineer Commissioner of the
district: Thomas S. Settle, secretary of
ne Park and Planning Commission;
'ohn II. Nolen, jr., city planner of the
commission; Maj. H. L. Robb, Assistant
engineer Commissioner of the District;
Melvin c. Hazen, District surveyor:
George A. Kicker, engineer; Edward A.
'chmitt, engineer in the United States
engineer ONCE, and A. B. Cammerer
II the National Park Service.
Mr. Delano made an extended in
,estlgation OF the scene of the elm
At first he said he was
nclined to believe there might have
'SSA4 4" oNoeSA PAdSC 1Ol IilC StSdfIl LuI-
lei, so that the trees might have been
aved by not cutting their roots. But
N more careful study, he said he was
that the tunnel was placed
n the proper place, beneath the pres
mt sidewalk, which will be under the
treet when East Capitol street is
Vldened in the distant future
Suggests Transportation.
The plan for moving the old elm
reeS, instead of allowing them to be
destroyed when the steam tunnel cut
heir roots, was proposed by Frederick
law Olmsted, noted landscape archi-
ect and member of the planning
commission. At his own expense Mr..
)lmsted brought to Washington soma
xperts in tree transportation and the
last Capitol situation was carefully
ooked over.
The good elms along East Capitol
treet, 1t was agreed could be trans
,lanted and placed in their new posi-
ION by a process which would use
arge trench. This trenck would be
Jug from the trees present location to
is new location and the tree then
ould be pulled along the trench by
block and tackle a few feet to its new
location.
The steam tunnel on East Capitol
treet is to heat the new Supreme Court
'ullolng and the new annex to the
rty raf ~,