Evening star., 1935-07-12
FLOOD CONTROL
WORK TO BEGIN
GartSide Announces Plan
Ready for Capital
Project.

The food-control program for Wash
tngton moved step nearer realiZa-
ton today when Frank T. Gartside
acting superintendent of the National
Capital Parks, announced that plans
are now ready for execution and are
expected to be underway the latter
part of the coming month.
The procurement division of the
Treasury Department is opening bids
July 26 for construction of the new
Interior Department at Eighteenth and
E streets, that will include demolition
of existing structures as we'll as exca-
vation and the construction Of the new
building.
Earth from that excavation will be
utilized by the park authorities in
building the f1ood-control dyke, which
will run at the rear of the Munitions
and Navy Buildings, from the Lincoln
Memorial to the northern section of
the Washington Monument grounds.
Originally, the Treasury proposed to
open the bids week from today, but
tr order to give prospective con-
tractors more time to make up their
estimates, the opening has been post
poned until pm. on July 26.
To Be One Contract.
The interior operation of changing
the present situation into completed
new Interior Department building
will be in one contract, unlike the con-
struction of other public buildings
here. where demolition, excavation
and construction were each separate
operations.
Gartside made it clear today there
will be no levee effect, with a mound
of earth sticking up like a sore finger,
but that the food-control dixie will be
nodded into the landscape and be as
unobtrusive as possible. The program
is expected to consume year for the
building of the dixie and the placing
Of top soil and landscaping
Plans for flood control have re-
ceived the Endorsement of the United
States Engineer Office, the Fine Arts
Commission and the National Capital
Park and Planning Commission. The
general level of the northwest section
of the Washington Monument grounds
will be raised to act as a permanent
dixie. Funds for this job will come out
of the $l,0O0,000 of the old Public
Works Administration money, recently
allocated for the improvement of local
parks. This particular operation will
take $55 900. The Federal Govern
ment is particularly fortunate in being
able to get the earth from the new
Interior Department excavation for
nothing. This serves a mutually ad-
vantageouS purpose, Gartside ex-
planned, as the contractors problem of
finding place to dispose of the sur
plus earth will be solved and flood
control will be insured.
To Rebuild Section.
The grade of the short section of
Sixteenth street, south of Constitu-
tion avenue, will be raised in the
hood-control program and this neces-
states rebuilding that short stretch of
highway. Wells will be placed around
the trees, as was done in the Mall and
elsewhere. From the present grade,
Mr.. Gartside said, the northerly Sec
tion of the Monument Grounds will
be raised about feet from a little
south Of Constitution avenue from
Seventeenth street toward the Wash
dngton Monument.
In the rear of the Navy and NUM-
tions Buildings, the dixie will be but
q few feet in height and will also be
worked IN with the existing grounds.
It will be constructed in the rear of
the parking area at the south fence
and be raised some feet.
Pools to Be Replaced.
The f1ood-control dixie will be To-
Gated on the site of the present
Municipal Swimming Pools near Sew
enteenth street and Constitution ave-
enue. But park authorities have
promised that these pools will not be
interfered with during the current
season.
They are to be torn down after the
end of the season and will be replaced
by next Summer by new swimming
pools in the Southwest, near the Hoo
yer Playground, and in Georgetown
at an unannounced location. Ac-
cordingly, for the present, the earth
will be utilized in the food control pro-
grom on the site of the municipal
pool, and will be piled up there tenn
porarily, to be put in permanent posi-
tion later.
Gartside explained that the contours
have been carefully studied, so that
the food control program will be
worked in to become q permanent
part Of the Washington Monument
Grounds.