Evening star., 1932-09-11
ADVERTISERS AID
BILLBOARD DRIVE
District Officials Report
Abandonment Plans
Half Completed.

District officials charged with enforc-
ing the sign regulations governing the
outdoor display Of advertising matter
have noted a steady improvement In
the local billboard situation.
Through the cooperation Of John z.
Shoemaker, local manager Of the Cen
eral outdoor Advertising Co., clean
up" program in Washington and some
nearby Maryland and Virginia districts
has been inaugurated and which even
tually will remove a large amount Of
Objectionable advertising displays. Ap-
proximately $50 billboards, most of them
large panels, will be removed by the
company by January 1 next from 43
sites which have been selected.
About hsr Of this abandonment pro-
gram ah eady has been accomplished.
and it was expected that the General
Outdoor Advertising Co. soon would
announce the inclusion Of additional
billboard sites which are to be elimi-
mated. Thomas F. Roche, sign inspec-
tor for the District, said the company
Is cooperating cheerfully in sugges-
tions he has made in connection with
efforts to tidy up various locations and
eliminate others in neighborhoods where
billboard displays are held to be OBJ
jectionable. He expressed encourage
ment over the situation, which in other
months had led to considerable anxiety
in oflcial circles.
Landscaping Added.
%ha ,,rix;Iarn - orna4;~.
group Of steel poster panels at Florida
and New Jersey avenues several months
ago, the General company recently
Handicapped them. The result Is admit
tedly vast improvement, officials claim,
over conditions that previously existed
on the lot. Some nine other boards are
to be similarly treated by the company
at this same location. A grass lawn
has been planted in the space in front
OF the boards and evergreen plants
placed advantageouSly. The new boards
are high enough to screen entirely the
unsightly auto dump which occupies
the lot.
The plan adopted at this important
street intersection was one designed to
overcome conditions on the lot with
which police and District officials ap-
parently were unable to cope. Civic
interests opposed the replacement of
old billboardS by old ones at the time,
contending it introduced a precedent.
Maj. John c. Gotwals. Engineer Com
missioner, who finally granted the per-
mission, did so with the understanding
that the company would remove an
equal number of boards from other
locations.
The billboard company not only did
this but co-operated in other ways, it
was said, in an endeavor to improve
appearances in various sections Of the
city. Since then Mr. Shoemaker has
1naugurated a systematic program for
the removal Of many other signboards
Removed Elsewhere.
Outside Of Washington, in Maryland.
the company has removed % billboards
In Garrett Park, Halpine, Hyattsville,
Seat Pleasant, Branchville and Lake
land. 1t also has removed eight boards
in Annapolis, 10 in Frederick, including
four opposite the fair grounds, and four
In Laurel. Two other boards are to be
removed within the three-mile limit of
Washington on the Baltimore boulevard
near Bladensburg. and three others on
the Defense highway east Of the Peace
Cross.
The situation at the Peace Cross.
ciOIIcQ dS war memorial IN the inter-
section OF the Baltimore and Defense
highways, has long been a matter of
controversy. Although there has been
some improvement, the memorial still
Is surrounded by billboards, most of
which are controlled by the General
company.
The company also has removed q
number Of boards in the Alexandria,
Va, district, and Is planning to remove
others at an early date, it was said.
In addition to boards actually re-
moved in the suburban areas of Mary
land and Virginia, Mr.. Shoemaker has
caused number Of others to be painted
out. These now serve as fences to
screen unsightly lots which the removal
OF the boards would expose.
Other boards due for early removal
In Washington are located chiefly in
residential sections, some in the heart
OF the city and few in the OUTLYING
districts. In number of instances MI
Shoemaker has been able to secure the
cooperation Of property owners In
Cleaning up premises on which sirnS
are located. In some cases also he has
tne work done at the expense Of the
company.