Evening star., 1934-04-10

CTRAGGLING along the eastern
~ bank of the Anacostia River.
less than 3 miles from the Cap
- itol, there's colony Of penni-
less men-victims Of the de-
preston, living in crude shacks built
Of odds and ends picked up on a
nearby dump. raising just enough
vegetables to keep from starving,
cooking over fires started without the
aid of matches.
Leaders Of this primitive commun-
ity. which stretches for more than
half mile along the river, between
a maze Of sewer outlets and the tracks
of the Pennsylvania and Baltimore &
Ohio Railroad tracks, Is L. s. Rore,
70-year-old farmer.
Rore's RANCH" on q knoll from
which the dome Of the Capitol can
be seen, is far and away the most
elaborate Of the half-dozen or more
dwellings comprising "Shantytown-
on-the- Flats"
Arrived About Year Ago.
With his few belongings piled in
his wagon, Rore pulled into Shanty-
town about a year ago-just in time
to hitch his old gray horse to his
pillow and 60 to work. BY the time
Fall rolled around, Rore had enough
"keepin' vegetables" stored away to see
him through most Of the Winter; and
the rest Of the time, he Just made
out as best he could.
This Spring. however, things are
"lookin' up" for Rore-and for most
Of the other residents of Shantytown
as well. They were discovered" sew
eral days ago by r. L. King, who
has charge of the subsistence gardens
program of the emergency relief di-
vision Of the Board of Public Welfare.
Il was Just moseying along the
river, south Of Benning road north
east, looking for some land suitable
for use in the gardens project" King
said. When stumbled into this
place I could hardly believe my eyes
I wouldn't have believed such q place
existed in the District.
Government Property.
I'm tickled to death that I found
it, though, because it's Government
property-land included in the prof.
ected Anacostia Park development, as
a matter Of fact-and I expect to use
it for gardens.
I've already arranged to have
Rore stay on the ground, as resident
foreman. He's an expert farmer and
he'll be able to show the gardeners
Just how to get the best results from
their labors."
Rdfe's ranch" consists Of a large
khaki tent, in which he lives; the BODY
Of an old bus, which he uses as .
tool house and storage room, and q
stable made from parts Of an old street
car.
At the bottom of the knoll Is an.
other shack, occupied by Ed Wilson
also q farmer, who, with his dog
"Shep," arrived about q month age
from Knox, Ind. He Is going to be
Rore's assistant on the garden project
If the plans that King has in mind
materialize.
Already Rore and Wilson have most
OF the cleared land plowed up, and
are about to start clearing the brush
from the rest. Wilson has his tomato
plants, which he brought from In
diana. "set out" in preparation for
planting.
Farther down the river, there are
other shacks, and their occupants will
be given an opportunity to participate
IN the garden program, II they want
to. King said. Most of them are men
with farming experience; one or two
are hoboes who dropped on freight
trains, took a liking to the place and
decided to stay q while. All Of them
pick up a bit Of change now and then
by gathering water cress, which grows
wild along the river bank, and ped
ding 1t through the Benning section.
Start Fires With Glass.
Shantytown gets its water from q
spring that gushes from hollow near
Rore's RANCH" and its fires are
started with q huge piece Of magni-
flying mirror, found on the dump,
which parallels the railroad tracks.
"On a bright cay" said Wilson,
rays Of the sun, reflected and mag
nified with this hunk Of glass, will get
q good fire going In little more than q
minute"
Across the river men are at work
laying out garden plots on the North
Kingman tract, where approximately
125 colored families will begin raising
their own vegetables as soon as the
preliminary work is completed. Far
ther down, on the same side Of the
river, Is the South Kingman tract, at
the foot Of A street southeast, where
116 gardens for white families are be-
ing laid out. Four other tracts, In
other sections Of the city, also are be-
ing rounded into "gardenable" shape.
As an added incentive to the needy
families taking part In the gardens