The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1935-07-13

widely known scenic attractio:
HoneymoonerS und o u b t e dly
would flock to this part Of the
country to see the falls here just
Is they have for years Travelled
to upstate New York to see
Niagara.
In any event, these beautiful
falls about is miles up the
Potomac from Washington, de
Scribed as second in natural
beauty only to Niagara in the en-
tire East, haven't the drawing
power Of the New York falls al
the present time. The reason is
according to John Nolen, jr.
director Of planning of the Ma
tional Capital Park and Planning
Commission, that they are quite
inaccessible and hence little
known.
TOLL, TROLLEY GONE
To make Of this cataract the
focal point Of travellers in this
part Of the country has been the
hope and dream Of the planning
commission for years. And it is
now well on its way to realizing
its aspirations. Congress has only
to appropriate the necessary
funds, and Great Falls will come
into its own.
What the planning commission
hopes to do is to connect Fort
Belvoir with the falls on the
Virginia side and Fort Washing
ton with the falls on the Mary
land side, with a bridge across
the river near the falls. The en-
tire project is known as the
George Washington Memorial
Parkway, named for the man who
left his mark in one way Or
another all along the proposed
route.
At present, the falls are not &C.
ceSsible on any main line Of travel.
There are roads in both Virginia
and Maryland leading to the falls,
but, again quoting Mr.. Nolen, peo-
pie haven't quite recovered from
the fact that until recently both
roads were in a sense private
roads.
On the Virginia side for several
years, until a year ago, the road
leading to the falls was a toll
road. Now it's owned by the State
Of Virginia and has been reSur-
faced, but it still isn't along any
main line of travel. There used
to be a trolley line going to the
falls from Rosslyn, just on the
other side Of the Key Bridge, but
now even that Is gone.
On the Maryland side, Conduit
Road is the highway that leads
to the Great Falls. But, technical.
ly, this has never really been a
public road, although it has been
owned by the Federal Govern.
ment since the days before the
Civil War. At that time the Gov
eminent built the road to provide
access to the conduit.
ONE.FOURTH DONE
Under the CapperCrampton
act, which authorizes the entire
George Washington M m orial
Parkway project, including the
bridge at the falls, the Federal
Government would acquire all the
land on both sides of the river
from Fort Belvoir on the Vir-
ginia side and Fort Washington
on the Maryland. So far, much Of
the land has been acquired, but
the rest is awaiting the where
withal in terms Of cash from Con.
greSS.
The Mount Vernon Memorial
Parkway, the beautiful road from
the Arlington Memorial Bridge to
George Washington'S residence at
Mt. Vernon, was authorized be-
fore the larger project and be-
comes part Of it. Thus, about one
fourth Of the proposed parkway
Is already constructed.
Public ownership of the land
from Georgetown to the District
line is now almost complete and,
AAOAG WAC O4oVA 4SV 444lC w TOA
Foote in Maryland, a considerable
number Of property owners have
indicated their willingness to dedi-
cate their property to the Federal
Government in the cause Of the
great parkway. Between Wash
ington and Great Falls also con-
siderable progress has been made
In the matter of land acquisition.
At present there is no means of
crossing the river anywhere near
the cataract. There is no bridge
across the river from Chain
Bridge, which is about six miles
from Washington, to Point Of
Rocks, Nd, which is 81 miles from
the city.
The nearest approach to the
falls from the river is from an
island on the Maryland side, which
can be reached only by crossing a
small swinging foot bridge. And
that's q toll bridge.
BRIDGE CONTROVERSY
Plan for the entire protect, in
Guiding the bridge at the falls,
passed another milestone a short
time ago when public acquisition
~ land hatuann NKnronrio1 BRIDGE