Evening star., 1935-08-17
SMOKESTACKS DUE
TO Be DYNAM|TED
FROM MALL SOON
Park and Planning Board
Approves Union Square
Proposals.
ROOSEVELT ISLAND
DETAILS DISCUSSED
Trees and Shrubbery Being
Planted in Parkway Between
Capitol and Monument.

Wreckers are soon to dynamite the
two great smokestackS on Sixth street
in the middle of the Mall which re-
main now as about the only obStac
in the way of completing the parkway
between the Capitol grounds and the
Washington Monument.
With this assurance, the National
Capital Park and Planning Commis-
sion yesterday approved plans for
further development of Union Square
before it brought its two-day session
to a close Plans also were approved
for development of the 90-acre park
area comprising Roosevelt Island. as
well as Fort Dupont and the Palisades
Playground on the Potomac Piver
heights in West Washington.
The two smokestacks stand in the
immediate path of the parkway and
constitute not only a blemish on the
landscape, but an impeachment to de-
velopment progress. The firm Of
Hechinger Co, which has the wreck
ing contract, expects to blast them in
a few days as the old heating plant
has been demolished. No danger will
be involved in the blasting.
Driveway Design o. KID.
The Park and Planning Commission
approved the design of driveways ana
safety islands in Third street as part
Of the Union Square development.
c. Marshall Finnan, superintendent Of
National Capital Parks reported
progress in development of the Mall
parkway. For the first time, engineers
in charge of the work have found it
possible to make the walks harmonize
with the dark concrete of the two
boulevards which border the parkway.
Holes are being dug for the planting
CT additional elm trees along the two
driveways. With the destruction of
the smokestacks, it will be possible to
extend the parkway to the site o..
Union Square at the foot of Capitol
Hill. Unusually fine box hedges are
being planted in the Union Square
area. it was reported These hedges
have been gathered from Maryland.
Virginia. West Virginia and Pennsyl-
vania. Grass seed also is being
planted.
The Park and Planning Commits
sion also approved the plans of Paul
Cret, Philadelphia architect, for the
new Federal Reserve Board Building,
to be located on Constitution ave-
nue. between Twentieth and Twenty
first streets. This is the present site
of the Federal Trade Commission.
The Fine Arts Commission last week
approved the building plans and the
action taken yesterday paves the way
for an early start on construction.
Slum Clearance Sites.
John Lhlder, head of the Alley
Dwelling Authority, submitted several
proposed slum clearance sites. Replat-
ting Of the. alley areas was approved
by the commission.
In connection with Roosevelt Is
land, Finnan reported that progress
Is being made by the c. C. C. men
at work on the development. New
plans call for addition of picnic
GROUNDS ana DrloIe paths, besides more
extensive work of clearing and grad
ing. When completed the island will
be one of the finest park areas around
Washington. 1t will connect con-
veniently with the Mount Vernon
parkway, being situated between the
two Potomac River bridges.
The commission also considered
plans for cooperation with Arlington,
Fairfax and Alexandria authorities on
planning matters affecting those
jurisdictions. T. S. Settle, secretary,
and John Nolen, jr. director of plan
ming, will represent the commission in
these matters. Virginia has no plan
ming commission such as Maryland
has provided to cooperate with Ma
tlonal Capital officials.
A report also was made on progress
to date by the Virginia District of
Columbia Boundary Commission. As
sistant Attorney General Harry w.
Blair Of Virginia and G. A. Iverson
appeared before the planning body.
1verson heads the Government counsel
in the boundary dispute.