Evening star., 1936-03-18

horseshoe's heel are to be the COM
munity stores, schools. club house,
various mercantile establishments, and
two or three small apartment houses.
The interior of the horseshoe is a
broad valley. In this will be a 28-
acre lake. The valley has been cleared
Of forest and the top soil is being
cleared from the terra Gotta clay
bottom. A dam is under construction
across the valley to impound the
waters of Little Paint Greek to fill this
lake. There are scores of perpetually
flowing springs on the surrounding
hills. The rims of the plateau over
looking the lake on both sides are
densely wooded. mostly with pine.
AS outlined on the Resettlement Ad-
ministration plans, this lake should be
one of the outstanding beauty spots in
the neighborhood Of Washington. 1t
will be the nearest safe boating and
bathing place. The depth will range
from 80 feet at the center to a few
inches at the sides, where there will be
wading pools for children. The pro-
jected picture is closer to that of
New Hampshire or Canadian lake
than to anything in this part of the
country. Part of the inspiration came
from a unique little pond discovered
by the engineers in the forest about
mile away. which may later be in
cluded in the experimental farm Of the
Department Of Agriculture. Water has
filled the deep hollow scooped out
century ago in surface iron mining
operations, and it now is of a rare
blue color, in striking contrast to the
dirty yellow of most still water of this
section. The underlying soil of the
Greenbelt Valley is practically the
same as the bed of the blue lake.
Greensward Planned.
The houses on the heel of the pla-
teau will look down over this lake
across a few hundred feet of green
sward and for a mile or more through
the green vista of pines. Along both
shores of the lake will be Fairgrounds
| for the community-picnic grounds.
bathing beaches, boat houses, groves.
The lake and the Fairgrounds will be-
long exclusively to the town, which
can make such regulations as it sees
fit for the admission of the general
public.
Back Of the houses and near the
foot of the lake around the toes of the
horseshoe will be community garden
plots. A garden will be assigned to
every householder. He can cultivate
it or not. as he sees fit. 1t is planned
to employ community gardener to
till such plots as the citizens do not
want, turning the produce into the
community market, where it will be
sold at current prices and the profits
applied to the community budget. Ex-
tending out from the lower rims and
toes of the horseshoe will be farms of
from to so acres, leased by the COM
munity to experienced farmers. Most
Of them already are on the land and
will be allowed to stay there.
Greenbelt-town, lake, farms and all
will be community property.
The householders will constitute a
corporation under the laws of Mary
land. This corporation will elect its
own officers, except for two or three
directors named by the ReSettlement
Administration. whose function is in
tended to be advisory. and who are ex-
pected to drop out as soon as affairs
are running smoothly.
The entire property will be turned
over to this corporation as soon as it
is finished. The management division
Of the Resettlement Administration
will hold first mortgage on it, cover
ing the entire cost to the Government,
with certain exceptions. The cost will
be calculated as If the work had been
done by private contractor. which
involved knocking about one-third of
the labor costs. The work is being
done almost entirely by transient
camp and w. P. A. labor--Some very
good and some very bad. The differ
entail, according to present plans, is to
be set down to "relief," and simply
written of the books. 1t would con-
stitute loss to the Government any
way, in some form or other. It would
not be fair, Resettlement Administra-
| ton officials think, to burden the fu-
ture community with this bill. nor
with certain minor sums expended
purely for experimental purposes.
Payments by Month.
The corporation will make regular
monthly payments on its mortgage,
which it will collect in the form Of
rent from the lease holders. This rent
also will meet the Maryland and
Prince Georges County taxes. At
present, of course, the property be-
longs to the Federal Government and
is withdrawn from local taxation. As
soon as 1t Is turned over to the cor
poration, however, it will be in the
same status as any other private prop
erty. upon which taxes will be levied
according to the local assessment. The
schools will be part of the Prince
Georges County school system. Actu-
ally. Resettlement Administration
officials claim, they are passing over
an enormous taxable asset to Prince
Georges County and to Maryland.
In place Of worn-out farm and