Evening star., 1932-08-01
HOOVER FUND PAID
FOR RAPIDAN CAMP,
ADAMS ANNOUNCES
Continued From First Page)

Continued From First Page.)
but lit cost the Federal Government
nothing, as these men would have been
occupied in road construction at some
other point as part of their annual
training" and upkeep of the road is
paid for by Madison County, Va, and
the Virginia Conservation Commission.
1t is customary, Mr.. Adams said, to de-
tail Marines or soldiers to guard the
President, when he is on his Summer
holidays. The Secretary denied the
existence of power plant at the Rap
idan Camp, explaining that electricity
is supplied by local company.
In closing Mr.. Adams said: I'm
fact the provisions by Congress for
considerable expenditure upon Sum-
mer residence have been entirely avoid
ed, and the President has taken it upon
himself personally"
Representative Rainey's letter, ad-
dressed to Gen. Fuller, follows:
"I am advised that hard road,
about six miles long, through the
mountains connecting State high
way with Mr. Hoover's Rapidan camp
was constructed largely by the Marines.
Asks Number Employed.
''Plesse oblige me by advising me
the construction of this road and for
what length of time.
please also advise me where the
equipment used in the construction OF
this road was obtained, such as steam
shovels, etcetera, and how this charge
for equipment was met.
please also advise me whether or
not the Marine Corps constructed
power plant at the Rapidan Camp and
out CT what funds this power plant was
paid for.
H. T. RAINEY."
Gen. Fuller turned this communica-
ton over to Secretary Adams and FOL
lowing this mornings conference, tne
NAVY Department announced this reply
by Mr.. Adams.
"Your letter of July 25, addressed
to the general commanding the Marine
Corps. had been referred to me. II
is obvious that the information you
seek rises from many Misrepresentation
which have been made during the pres
ent political campaign in respect 10
the Presidents camp on the Raploan.
Letter to War Secretary.
In order that the matter may be
clear to YOU 1 have conferred with the
Secretary of War, who has a similar
letter from you addressed TO the cnleI
of staff of the Army, and have thor-
ouphlv investigated the circumstances
surrounding construction of the camp.
T beg to set out the following facts:
"1. In 1928 the Congress, at the in
stance of Senator Swanson OF Virginia,
enacted legislation to establish the
weather station at Bluemont, Va, IN the
Blue Ridge Mountains, as a Summer
camp for the President, and an appro-
priation of $4,000 was made for the
purpose of its reconstruction. President
Hoover considered this an unnecessary
public expenditure and declined to pro-
"2. In April 1929, the Conservation
and Development Commission Of the
States of Virginia (who were enoeaVor-
ing to establish public park IN the
Blue Ridge offered to build Tor the
President a Summer lodge on the
Rapidan River in the Blue Ridge
Mountains, with the necessary road
connections with a cost Of $4,000 to
as he did not believe such q burden
should be undertaken by the commits
sion, although the commission conslo-
cred it a great advantage to the pro-
posed Shenandoah National Park ana
desired to extend this hospitality.
President Purchased Land.
"3. The President, however, being
desirous Of having a Summer camp TO
secure weekend relief from the heat
of Washington during the Summer taS
under existing conditions 1t was I'M
possible for him to take the customary
holidays) purchased with his own 1unoS
a plot of land at the headwaters OF the
Rapidan, and at his own expense OF
about $4,000 bought the materials for
the construction of a temporary camp.
The maj ior part of the labor of erection
of the rough board cabins, OF which
the camp is comprised, was performed
by the Marine Guard. They would not
otherwise have been employed, and the
work was substituted for the ordinary
training they would have been given
elsewhere.
a. On August 2, 1929, the President
addressed letter to the Conservation
and Development Commission of Vlr-
ginia, stating that as soon as the park s
titles were completed to surrounding
land he would transfer the camp to
the Conservation Commission for the
use of future Presidents or alternately
for whatever purpose the commission
wished to use it. thus making a gift OF
the whole amount expended by him to
the commission authorities.
"5 The President, at his own ex-
pense of about $4,000. constructed a
modern school house for the benefit of
the children in that section of the
Blue Ridge Mountains, and maintains
the school at his own private expense.
Previously there were no school facill-
ties of any kind in that section of the
mountains, and the children were to-
tally illiterate.
Road Plans Explained.
sc. The plans of the Conservation
Commission and the State of Virginia
called for construction of a State road
from Criglersville over the Blue Ridge
Mountains into the proposed Shenan-
doah National Park. This projected
road passed within one-half mile of
the proposed camp A section of about
6 miles Of the road was advanced in
construction and paid for jointly by
Madison County. the State of Virginia
and the Conservation Commission and
latterly the road is being extended over
the ridge No work was done upon
this road by the Marines. At one time
in the Summer of 1880 an Engineer
road regiment was employed for few
weeks in their annual road-building cx-
ercise in surfacing two or three miles
OF this road. 1t cost the Federal Gov
ernment nothing as these men would
have been occupied in road construction
~4.@& arf Of