Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-05-02
Virginian Governor Turns
First Earth in Big Boule-
ward Project.
GALAEVENT is HELD
NEAR FALLS CHURCH
Several Descendants of Late Con-
federate General Were on Plat
form at Ceremonies.
Special Dispatch to The Star.

FORT BUFFALO, Va, May 2.-In
the presence Of at least 5000 persons,
Gov. John Garland Pollard yesterday
afternoon formally inaugurated the con-
struction of the proposed 200-foot-wide
Lee Boulevard, destined to constitute
Virginias most imposing approach to
the Nations Capital.
Pollard, accompanied by several mem
bers of his staff and by other State
officials and prominent Virginians, ap-
preached the site of the ceremony
through lines of Boy Scouts from Falls
Church, Fairfax and Glen Carlyn, and
girl and boy cadets from Washington
and Lee H gh School in Warrenton,
drawn to attention along the Leesburg
pike. The town of Falls Church was
gay with flags and bunting in his honor.
Several Reasons Stressed.
Pollard's brief opening speech stressed
several reasons for the significance of
the occasion. This is the beginning
of great national highway, traversing
the entire continent, connecting the
Capital City. with the Pacific Coast, an
ambitious undertaking. This particular
link" he stated, has been projected by
earnest, enthusiastic, public-spirited
citizens who have accomplished feat
which sets an example to the entire
country. They have acquired a right
of way 200 feet wide and 6 miles long
at an entire expense of only $45,000.
This occasion is also significant be-
cause the plans inaugurated here today
are part of the greater plan for i'm
proving the Capital City and its
cnvirons. 1t is also significant because
the great highway projected will con-
meet the Capital with the Shenandoah
National Park; because it is to be a
memorial TO Robert E. Lee, the idol of
the South, of the Nation and of the
world"
Pollard then paid his tribute to the
vision of the far-seeing men who have
achieved this undertaklng-to DR.. S. M.
Johnson with whom the idea originated;
to Charles Davis, president of the
National Highway Association; DR..
Showalter, whom he termed the loud
speaker" of the project. He acknowledged
the assistance OF President Hoover, who
presided over the first meeting at which
the plan for the highway was launched,
regretting his enforced absence from
yesterdays ceremony and reiterating
his confidence in Hoover's interest in
what Virginia is trying TO do
Tells of Shenandoah Park.
Pollard introduced William E. Carson,
chairman of the State Conservation and
Development Commission, who extolled
the beauties of the new Shenandoah
National Park now being made ac-
| ceSsible to the public for the first time
by the construction of roads and termed
it the greatest adventure Virginia has
ever undertaken" Reported progress
on the work Of survey and appraisal of
lands and collection of funds for their
purchases and prophesied that within
another year the commission will be
ready to turn over to the National
Government deeds for the entire prof.
ect. His talk stressed the Importance
of preserving this section in all its
natural grandeur for the sake of future
generations.
Gov Pollard introduced to the audi
ence Wade H. MaSsie, member of the
State Highway Commission, represent
ing Culpeper district.
Among the distinguished guests on
the platform were several descendants
OF the man in whose honor the boule-
ward was named. Gov. Pollard intro
duced first DR.. George Boiling Lee of
Ravensworth Farm, Fairfax County,
and Of New York City, grandson of
Robert z. Lee. Mrs. Hunter De Butts
and Mrs. Hanson Ely, jr., grand
daughters of the general and Mrs.
Robert E. Lee, Jr. widow OF the gen.
erals grandson, were also presented
while the band played Dixie" Robert
Lee Longstreet, son of the great Con-
federate general, joined the Lee family
in the limelight.
Charles Davis, president of the Ma
tional Highways Association, in a brief
| address advocated taking over by the
Federal Government of the ownership
construction and maintenance of both
| the Lee and the Lincoln highways.
The actual COMMUNICATING was &C
| complished by Pollard with a beautiful
mahogany-handled spade, trimmed In
ribbons Of red, white and blue. Pol
lard. in closing invited each spectator
to meet him at the same point to
celebrate the completion of the Lee
Memorial Boulevard.
Highway Is Outlined.
Tape lines were stretched across a
cleared strip of ground yesterday aft
ernoon to indicate the arrangement of
the new boulevard with the 60-foot
paved center speedway, without grade
crossings, f1anked on either side by 30
foot strips for trees and shrubbery, these
in turn to be bounded by 30-foot pave
mentS for local and slow-moving traf-
flc, with l0-foot strips on the exterior
for trees and sidewalks. The program
for the next 10 months calls for an
expenditure of more than a million
dollars on this road. -
Through the courtesy of Lieut. Col. U.
S. Grant, Sd, the grandstands were
erected by the U. S. Engineers. Music
was furnished by the Army Band from
Washington Barracks, with the Boys
Band from the Warenton High School
playing during the march to and from
the stand.
The gavel used by Pollard during the
ceremony was made from material taken
from an Arizona cliff dwelling near the
Roosevelt Dam, first used in 1922 at
the Lee Highway Convention in Lawton,
Okla; later used by President Harding
when he placed the zero milestone in
the Monument Grounds.
| There has been considerable protest
among union labor at the States con-
struction of this highway by convict
| labor. Yesterday as Pollard turned the
| first spade full of earth he smiled and
coid sTrTl1iS least will not