Evening star., 1938-03-31
ARLINGTON OFFER
SEEN AS ASSURING
PARKWAY Project
Planning Body's Secretary
Backs Acceptance by
Commission.
COOPERATION PLEDGED
BY PROPERTY OWNERS
Leaders in Plan to Salvage
Program Are Praised for
Shrewd Bargain.
By NELSON M. SHEPARD.


Federal officials today credited the
Arlington (Va) County Board with
salvaging a $l,O00,000 park improve
ment by its timely offer of plan to
raise the equivalent of $50,O0O as the
countys share in acquiring needed
rights of way for completion of unit
No. 2 of the George Washington Me-
mortal Parkway above Key Bridge.
Failure of the board to make a bona
f1de offer, officials said. probably
would have resulted in the withdrawal
OF Federal allotment of 100000 to
extend the memorial parkway up
Spout Run Valley. A belief that the
county's offer of yesterday will prove
acceptable to the National Capital
Park and Planning Commission was
expressed today by Thomas S. Settle,
its secretary. He said he would
recommend it.
THE action shows evidence of good
faith on the part Of Arlington County
to cooperate with the Federal and
the State governments in carrying out
this proposed extension" Mr.. Settle
said. 1T also puts the Federal and
State governments on notice that the
county expects to raise $4,000 so that
the funds already allotted by the
United States can be kept intact.
Ready to Plan Details.
THE National Capital Park and
Planning Commission stands ready to
meet with the Arlington County Board
at any time to work out the details
and methods for Supplying whatever
funds the county can secure to the
acquisition Of lands needed for this
of the memorial parkway"
Meanwhile, members of the County
Board, of which Mrs. Elizabeth w.
is chairman were basking
in the warmth of congratulatory mes
sages for having made a shrewd offer
by which the community would reap
the benefits Of a handsome bareain
without an additional levy On local
taxpayers. Board Member William p.
Ames said: Il think the offer il a
solution Of this problem that will
enable the county to trade off a piece
Of property and bind this transaction.
It would have been a pity for the
county to pass up this golden opportu-
nifty"
The county has ,impounded IS 900
IN its budget and hopes to trade in for
$4,000 strip Of land adjoining the
Federally owned abutments to Kew
Bridge. Under a previous agreement
the strip IS now being filled in by the
Government and it is in a favorable
location to be incorporated within the
memorial parkway.
Groups Pledge Cooperation.
Mrs. Magruoer explained that
property owners along Spout Run
made offers Of cooperation as soon
IS they learned Of the action taken
by the County Board. I'VE have r..
'eived many expressions of approval
from both individuals and organ
Ized groups" she said.
Several persons have actually Of
Tered to donate lands for the right of
way and have volunteered to work on
other property owners who will re-
ceive benefits from the improvements
over and above other cities in the
county. I hope and believe every
hing will work out satisfactorily in
The end. There is no doubt that the
valley parkway will be a great asset
10 this community"
County Manager Frank c. Ham
rahan was credited by Mrs. Magruder
with drawing up the proposal and
finding the $4,000 earnest money in
The budget to put up as a down pay
ment.
If and when the National Capital
Park and Planning Commission
finally accepts the offer, Virginia will
turn over the s5o,0O0 appropriated by
The General Assembly and the United
States will put up 100000 to secure
title to the rights of way.
The County Board was under pres
sure OF organized public opinion in
the county to clinch this bargain. The
members were favorable to the park
way extension and some of them had
worked desperately hard to put it
through. They SHE'D away from it,
however, until they believed they
could work out plan to bind the
agreement without voting to increase
the s2.70 tax rate, which now re-
mains intact.
Between Two Problems.
Mrs. Florence Cannon, chairman of
the Committee on Planning and
zoning Of the Arlington County Civic
Federation. which had made a power
Ful fight for the park development,
was gratified over the outcome.
Referring to the plan to raise the
of the $50,000 from property
owners, Mr.. Settle said today that
whatever method the county uses is
thoroughly satisfactory" to the Ma
tional Capital Park and Planning
Commission. "All we want to do is
to acquire the property, with the coun-
ty as partner" he said.
Mr.. Settle said that in the past
Ave years the cooperation between
Arlington County and the Federal
has been very satisfactory
and that these matters had worked
out as mutual benefits.
AS result Of the $25,000 put up
by the county for unit No. l of the
Memorial Parkway, he said the Fed
eral Government has already spent
$173,253 on the improvements from
Arlington Memorial Bridge to the Key
Bridge. The Bureau of Public Roads
has allocated an additional 1928, 900.
I'VE are also spending ,$197 900 to con-
meet the Rosslyn-Alexandria pike to
Lee boulevard, so one can see that
It's pretty good thing to cooper
ate. Washington needs these improve
ments and so does Arlington County" !"
he explained.
Mr.. Settle said . contract will be
awarded In . few days to extend .
double highway into Rosslyn from
ilttlo 3Soe.