Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-10-13
PLANNING BOARD
TO HEAR PLEA FOR
PORT AUTHORITY
Recommendation Will Be
Made Thursday by Charles
< ! w. Eliot.
ALEXANDRIA WATER FRONT
STUDIES TO BE REPORTED
Commission Will Be Asked to State
Preference on Virginia Tram
Lines Terminal.

Creation of port of Washington
! authority, to assume jurisdiction over
the waterfront of the National Capital,
may soon be a reality. A recommends
ton that there be a port authority for
washington to handle all wharf and
| dock questions here, will be made by
Charles w. Eliot. I'd. director of plan
lE,ng, when the National Capital Park
and Planning Commission begins its
three=day meeting here on Thursday,
1t is understood.
Mr.. Eliot has investigated the sub
ject and conferred with interested par
ties relating to ownership and juris-
! oictlon5 of the District of Columbia
waterfront. AS most of the large cities
that are ports have port authority.
there is a feeling that Washington
! should conform to this practice Con-
| gressional action would be necessary
/ to bring 1t about, officials said today.
To Hear Alexandria Studies.
The commission will hear studies and
plans relating to the Alexandria, Va.
waterfront. Capt. E. N. Chisolm, jr..
engineer OF the commission, said today
that the commission has never delved
! into the Alexandria waterfront prob
/ lem, out recently questions have arisen
in which all concerned are interested
A number of meetings have been held
! Alexandria is considered to have A
! good waterfront and can be further
| developed. in the opinion of officials
! Capt Chisolm made it clear that the
! Forthcoming deliberations are not con-
! troverSial
! William J. Heiser. special consultant
TO the commission on railroad matters
! will make a report on projected rail-
! road lines into the BYzZards Point area,
which is contemplated for industrial ex-
! pansion, urder the commissions plan
Mr.. Heiser, who is from New York and
was retained on August 81, will like
wise report on overhead crossings above
the terminal yards, north of the Union
Station. The report has not yet been
made public
J The commission will be requested to
/ state its preference on a terminal for
the street railway coming into WASH
lngton from Virginia. J. William May,
I proprietor of the street railway, has
written letter to the commission re-
| queStlng that survey be made as to
! the best way his lines might enter the
business district. Mr. Mays tracks are
I III danger of removal because of the
Governments building program in the
triangle and court action is pending in
volvlng this. Mr.. May wants the COM
put his terminal. near the Washington
downtown business district. The COM
missions staff has been unable to make
any definite study, prior TO the COM
mission meeting.
Eliot to Discuss Tracks.
The commission will turn its atten-
ton to the proposal of depressed street
railway tracks on lower Fourteenth
in he tot 1S
Engraving and Printing. This subject
Will be discussed by Mr.. Eliot, who has
had a number of conferences with De-
partment of Agriculture and other in
tsreSted officials. The plan. tentatively
drawn. has been to have the two car
lines below the level of the street traf-
fic. with the driVewayS built up on
either side. tunnel from the Bureau
of Engraving and Printing and later
from the Department OF Agriculture
buildings along the east side of Four
| tenth street would enable car riders to
board the trolleyS from loading plat
forms. AS this program vitality affects
! the Department of Agriculture Build
ings, Mr.. Eliot will review the whole
subject, so that the commission may
take appropriate action.
Lieut.. Col. U. S. Grant, Sd. the
commissions executive officer, will dis
thorities, as to ways and means for fur
thering the George Washington Me-
mortal Parkway development. Under
the law. Virginians are expected to con-
tribute so per cent of all money spent
for the purchase of that park property
on the west side of the Potomac River.
Col. Grant explained today that the
commission is anxious to have Virginia
take advantage of the Ball act, setting ND
II Do
mission can deal directly. At present
in Virginia the colonel said, it is nee
eSSary for the Planning Commission to
deal with Chamber of Commerce au-
thoritieS and a number of other groups.
If the Ball act can be put into force.
this one group would deal as a unit
with the Planning Commission and so
speed up acquisition of land for the
George Washington Memorial Parkway
, In the case of Maryland, the colonel
recalled, the Planning Commission can
tional Capital Park and Planning Com
mission.
Settle to Tell of Parks.
Thomas S. Settle. the commissions
secretary, will acquaint the body with
the opinion rendered by Attorney Gen.
eral William D. Mitchell bearing on the
proposed financial agreement with
Maryland for the development Of Rock
Greek and Sligo Valleys. Under the law
Maryland would contribute one-third
of the purchase price Of land for park
purposes in the valleys and the Federal
Government two-thirds. The Federal
Government is allowed to advance its
portion for eight years without interest.
Irving C. Root, engineer of the Mary
land-National Capital Park and Plan
ming Commission will appear before the
commission and explain what his or
ganization is doing in the development
of Rock Creek end Sligo Valleys.
John Nolen, jr., of Philadelphia, the
commissions new city planner, who
stood first in the recent Civil Service
examination, will be introduced to the
commission. Capt. Chisholm said to-
day that he will request that Mr.. Nolen
be made member of the Co-ordnaiting
Committee, consisting of interested Fed
eral and District government agencies.
A list of bills in which the COM
mission is interested will be submitted
by Mr.. Settle, If he can have this re-
port finished in time.
Shipstead-Luce Act Report.
Mr.. Eliot will submit a further re-
port on the proposed rules and regula-
items, which have been drawn up under
the Shipstead-Luce act, which gives the
Government authority over the design