Evening star., 1933-11-25
Land Purchase Money With
held by Douglas as
: Economy Move.
AUTHORITIES SEEKING
CASH TO AID J0BLESS
Hundreds Would Be Given EN-.
ployment if DISTINCTIONS to
Program Are Overcome.


areas in the city, already partially pur'
chased for parks, Fairgrounds and rec
leation centers. is at a standstill because
the National Capital Park and Planning
Commissions land-purchase fund oil
$3.50 900 Is still tied up by Director OF
the Budget Douglas as an economy
move.
This was made clear today by park
authorities. who declared release OF this
money-which must be repaid. practi-
cally all by District taxpayers, Under the
Capper-Cramton park-purchase act
would assist employment. This fund
appropriated by Congress for buying
land in the District for public use, would
stimulate purchasing power by turning
over to District land owners and others
throughout the Nation, who hold lots
here needed by the Government. money
for their property and long since marked
out as approved projects, according to
the authorities.
The matter becomes particularly
acute now. with the Civil Works Ad-
ministration putting hundreds to work
here, who could be utilized in improving
these areas, if the remaining land pur-
chases could be closed, to enable the
projects to be completed. the park ex-
ecutives explained.
Civilian Conservation Corps workers
and welfare workers. as well as survey
OrS and planners, could be utilized in
making these areas fit for public use,
they said, but the intervening properties
still in private (Which the
Government is planning to buy with the
$3.50, ,000-bar this program.
Land Owners Appeal.
Several months ago, Mr.. Douglas
notified the National Capital Park and
Planning Commission that its unobli-
gated fund totaling S555,000 could not
be used. AS a result, the commission S
land-buying activities have been slow
ing down appreciably. the authorities
being engaged in closing out pending
deals Park officials declare they get
many pitiful letters from landowners,
now forced into bankruptcy. who have
been anticipating that the Government
would buy their property for parks.
Fairgrounds and recreation centers in
the District.
AS matters now stand, say the park
officials, the Government has some S5,-
900 600 tied up in land purchases which
are not capable of improvement. be-
cause further purchases are necessary
in the Fort Drive project. which will
link up the old Civil War forts en-
circling the city with motor highway
The public. however. is denied access
to these sites because in some cases
the entrances are not in public owner
ship and so they represent a frozen
investment" say the authorities.
Release of the impounded $3.50 900,
which was appropriated for land pur-
chases here by Congress. would ma
terially relieve this situation, they said
The Capper-Cramton act was ap-
proved on May 90. 1880, and since then
of the Sl6000,000 authorized to be spent
in the District on parks. Fairgrounds
and recreation centers, little more than
So 500 600 actually has been spent here
Previous land purchases were made by
the commission before the passage OF
this act. The District has made repay
mentS - the Federal Treasury. under
the terms of the act, by turning over a
oi1eck for si,0000O0 by June 80. 1882
a similar sum on June 80 of this year
and another 81 ,000,000 will be deposited
in the Federal Treasury on or before
June 80 next.
Just how much the District budget fol-
the fiscal year ending June 30, 1885
will carry for the repayment, is de-
batable. in view Of the impounding.
Five Million Appropriated
Altogether. under the Capper-Cram-
ton aCt, Congress has appropriated fol
District of Columbia property. for i'm
provement of the nearby Maryland VAL
Memorial Parkway. from Great FAILS
on both sides of the river to Fort Wash
ington. Md, and Mount Vernon. Va.
the sum of s50O0.O0O In the second
deficiency appropriation act of 1896
S1,000,000 was made available ano
s4,0o0.000 in the independent offices
appropriation act of February %, 1881
The money is not bound by the fisca
year limitation. 1t is part of thi.
sum which Director Douglas is still
keeping in the Treasury vaults.
In addition to the S16.000000 to be
spent in the District, the act has au.
thorized s7,5OO,O0O for the George
Washington Memorial Parkway il
Maryland and Virginia and 81 5000
in Maryland for the Rock Greek, Ana.
costa, Sligo and Cabin John valleys
The advance of the S16.000,000 with.
out interest to the District will be
repaid at the rate of S1,000000 an
nually, to be carried in the District ol
Columbia appropriation bill.
Approximately 100000 of Fedora
money has been expended to date or
land acquisition in the nearby Mary
land valleys. In Rock Greek Unit No
/, which extends from the District line
to the East-West Highway in Mont
gomery County. the Federal Govern
ment has expended S144, 900, of which
$4,000 was loan and $4,000 was q
contribution. In Rock Greek Unit No
2, going from the East-West Highway
to Connecticut avenue, $282,000 has
been expended. of which $188,O00 is a
loan and $4,000 is the contribution.
Rock Greek Unit No. will run from
Connecticut to Wisconsin avenues
along the bed of the stream. but here
no expenditures have yet been made.
In Sligo Valley Unit No. /, which
runs from the Prince Georges County
line to Sligo avenue. the National Capt.
tai Park and Planning Commission has
expended $4,000, of which 100000 il
the loan and $4,000 is the contribu-
tion. In the second unit of Sligo Val
ley. running from Sligo avenue to the
Colesviile road S1260O0 has been ex-
pended by the Federal agency, of which
S84, 900 is loaned and $4,000 is con.
tributed. In the third unit of Sligo
Valley, which runs from Colesville roac
to Forest Glen road, $63, 900 has beer
spent by the Federal Government, $42,
900 being the loan and $21 900 being
the contribution.
fee for the purpose of amplifying an6