Evening star., 1932-11-22
MONUMENT AREA
DECISION DELAYED
1901 Plan Held UnsatiSfac-
tory Solution of Gardens
Development.

The National Capital Park and Plan
ming C Commission holds that no satisfac-
tory solution of the problem of proper
development of the Washington Monu-
ment gardens has yet been reached, so
further study Is necessary. Moreover,
It believes that the plan of 1901, evolved
by the Mcmillan Park Commission in
the DAYS before automobiles were fac
tor In city planning, does not furnish
complete answer to the problem.
These views were embodied in res
olution passed by the commission at its
three-day meeting last week and made
public today by Lieut.. Col. q. S. Grant,
Sd, it's vice chairman and executive Off
Ger. The commission debated the prob
lem with the Fine Arts Commission at
joint meeting.
Text of Resolution.
The text of the resolution follows:
Resolved that 1t is the opinion OF
the commission, after long and Seri-
Gus study has been given by architects,
landscape architects and engineers, to
the problem of fitting design for the
grounds surrounding the Washington
Monument, that no satisfactory solu-
ton has yet been found, which safe
guards both the stability and the
esthetic possibilities of this important
monument; the commission is there
fore reluctantly led to the conclusion
that further study of this matter is
essential.
THAT the plan of 1901 does not, in
the opinion of the commission, ade-
quately provide for the traffic conditions
which have arisen since 1t was made"
Col Grant asserted that the automo-
bile has made different method of
city planning imperative and remarked
that there were no automobiles In 1901,
when the Michigan Senator and his
colleagues mapped out a program for
development of the Mall. The 1901
plan has the highways down the Mall
ending abruptly, but the colonel pointed
out that this method cannot now be
followed In view of the traffic problems
arising.
Excavation Would Be Peril.
The Washington Monument, which
rests on a great bed of blue clay and
gravel, stands In danger Of being diss
turbed should any great amount Of
earth be added to its base or extensive
excavation done to hew gardens out of
the surrounding mound This was one
of the prime considerations that led
the planners to their decision.
Assisting Col. Grant is a special ad-
visory committee on the foundation Of
the Washington Monument, after bor-
1ngs determined how far down bed rock
really Is, consisting of William A. De-
lano, member of the Planning Commis-
sion, who Is a New York engineer;
Frederick Law Olmsted, Brookline
Mass, landscape architect, commission
member, who recently resigned; James
Vipond Davies and Lazarus White, New
York engineers, who are experts on
foundations: Maj. D. H. Gillette, Col.
Grants assistant, and John L. Nagle
designing engineer in the coloners
Office.
Congress viii be asked for further
funds in order that additional studies
may be made to determine the most
acceptable means for finishing the area
surrounding the base Of the Washington
Monument, now that the Lincoln Me-
mortal and its adjacent grounds have
been improved, and in the Mall, east
OF the monument, the commission is
supervising construction of four broad
highways that will run from Union
Square, near the Capitol, to Fourteenth
street. Inasmuch as no final decision
was reached on the Washington Monu-
ment gardens, the future Of Fifteenth
street, where 1t crosses the Mall, Is
left indefinite for the present.