Evening star., 1937-08-24
TWO j. s. AGENCIES
FIGHT BAY FILLING
IN AIRPORT PLAN
Parks Unit and Bureau of
Plant Industry Object to
Bill Proposal.
OBJECTION WITHDRAWN
BY ARMY ENGINEERS
Planning Commission Expected to
Discuss Problem At Sep.
tember Meeting.
BY w. A. MILLEN.

Two Government agencies were on
record today in opposition to pro-
visions of the bill now before Presi-
dent Roosevelt to enlarge and improve
Washington Airport. while a third
agency closely concerned with the
project was expressing no objection to
the plan as embraced in the Cope
land-May legislation.
The obJectors are the National Cap
ital Park and Planning Commission.
which does not favor the projected
filling in of part of Boundary Chan
mel Bay. and the Bureau of Plant
Industry of the Department of Agri-
culture. which looks with disfavor on
surrendering SO acres of its expert
mental farm land to the airport.
The Army engineers, however, no
longer are objecting to the channel
alterations.
The planners will not meet again
until September is and II. when it is
expected the subject will be discussed
anew, unless President Roosevelt
meanwhile should veto the measure.
John Nolen, jr., director of plan
ming OF the commission, said today
that any further announcement re-
gardlng the Washington Airport will
have to await the action Of the com.
mission.
Another Hazard.
THE commission heretofore has
gone on record as feeling that the
filling in of Boundary Channel Bay
would create another hazard on the
Mount Vernon Memorial Highway"
Nolen said The new hazard would
be similar to that existing on Military
road prior to the placing of gates to
warn motorists.
THE commission will view the whole
situation very carefully in view of the
action by Congress" he added.
Maj. Walter D. Luplow, district en-
gineer for the War Department for
the Washington area. pointed out that
under plans previously presented to
him by Washington Airport interests,
tn southwest corner of Columbia Is
land would be sliced OF, but the
Boundary Channel would be kept
open.
Plans for extension of the runways
and the filling in of Boundary Chan
mel lagoon likely will have to be laid
before the United States Engineer
Office for approval, Maj. Luplow be-
lieveS.
In the opinion of other Govern
ment officials, if the improvement
takes place, it will tend to clean up
an unsatisfactory situation created by
houseboats and other structures in
the Boundary Channel area. The
whole problem is linked with the STILL
undecided boundary dispute between
the District of Columbia and Vir-
ginia.
Faced With Loss of Land.
Because of the projected airport ex-
pansion, the Department of Agricul-
ture finds itself faced not only with
the loss of valuable land on which
scientific experiments on various crops
have been proceeding for many years,
these being of value all over the Ma
ton, but also with no provision for
funds with which to obtain compen-
sating land.
While land could be secured else
where, the scientists say that it would
not be the rich bottom land such as
exists along the Potomac River. Fur
ther, the Arlington farm has been
drained, irrigated and handled, so
that drought and other conditions
can be overcome. In fact, the scien-
lists say. this tract provides condi-
tions that sufficiently simulate those
found elsewhere in the Nation as to
make it of great importance in their
national program.
While there has been some sugges-
ton that the Arlington Experimental
Farm be transferred to Beltsville, Nd,
to the large Department Of Agricul-
ture development there, the scientists
say that this will be neither as con-
venlent nor as suitable for the crops.
The Beltsville area contains some ex-
cellent land, but 1t is already in use.
1t also comprises good deal Of mar
ginal land. the scientists say, and the
same character of earth cannot be OBJ
tanned there as the bottom land in
the SO acres.
Loss Felt Keenly.
Frederick D. Richey, chief Of the
Bureau Of Plant Industry, who has
done noted research work, especially
with corn, at Arlington Farm, feels
the prospective loss of the valuable
land keenly. Before he became q
bureau chief. he performed extensive
agricultural experiments at the farm,
which is near the Department Of Agri-
culture. Many scientists take ad-
vantage of doing field work in this
way, combining administration and
research which could not be done a.
conveniently at Beltsville, because of
the cloeeness Of Arlington to the de-
partment.
Altogether, there are some 400 acres
IN the Arlington Experimental Farm.
OF this. $50 acres are upland and
ABOUT So acres are bottom land.