The Washington times., 1938-01-06
LAND PURCHASE.
FOR FORT DRIVE.
DUE THIS YEAR.
Parks Body Presses
City-Wide Program

Olly-WluG IlVSIoIII
This year h ou d see the last
of the land needed for the pro
posed Fort Drive around Wash
ington acquired by the National
Capital Park and Planning CON-
mission.
In addition to closing the fina.
gap in the new drive, making pos
sible the Inauguration of a city
wide scenic and historic parkway
development, the commission is
going ahead with its program of
land purchases for new play
grounds and recreation centers,
both in congeSted areas and out
lying sections of Washington. Nine
new projects have been outlined
for the fiscal year 1889.
PLANS OUTLINED
Commission plans for the year
were outlined in detail before the
House Appropriations subcommit-
tee on the independent offices ap.
preparation bill, reported to the
House today, by Chairman Fred.
eric A. Delano.
1t was disclosed also that the
commission is employing moral
SuaSion with the Department of
Agriculture in an effort to have
the present greenhouses in the
Mall moved to some other loca-
tion, and hopes when the new War
Department building is built. to
have the last of the temporary
war structures in the Mall, now
used for the storage of war rec.
ords, torn down as we'll.
UNDERPASS OKAYED
Thomas c. Settle, secretary of
the commission, told the commit
tee the commission had approved
the District Commissioners plan
to build an underpass under Du-
pont Circle to relieve traffic con-
gestion at that point, but was
caught completely unaware by the
plan of the Jefferson Memorial
Commission to change the contour
of the Tidal Basin and otherwise
alter the landscape in that area
in connection with it's scheme for
a Jefferson memorial to rank in
magnitude with the Washington
and Lincoln memorials.
I'VE had no formal consulta-
tion with the Jefferson Me-
mortal Commission) last year
or the site plan for the Tidal
Basin location until after the
plans were announced, Mr..
Settle informed the subcommit-
tee, it was disclosed in the
printed hearings released today.
TREATMENT DEBATED
1.-TWO years ago they did ask
US for recommendation as to
location, and we suggested four
sites, including the one below
the Tidal Basin. 1t was not the
site that the commission object
ed to, but its proposed treat
ment. We are now attempting
to adjust that with the memo
rial commission"
In support of the estimates sub
mitted to the Budget Bureau and
under consideration by the COM
mittee, Chairman Delano said in
a letter to Chairman Clifton A.
Wcodrum (D0, of Virginia, in
cluded in the record:
Washington continues to be
one of the most rapidly develop
ing cities in the United States,
surprising all other cities of its
size in housing construction and
ranking nationally about third
in building permits. Most of the
projects situated in outlying or
marginal areas, included in the
program here submitted are in
the line of active subdivision and
building operations, thus poten-
TALLY greatly increasing the cost
Of acquisition should such acqui-
sition be deferred to future
years."
Supplementing this statement,
Secretary Settle pointed out that
George Washington acquired the
park and playground land in the
original City of Washington eX-
tending to Florida Avenue, for SGT
an acre This land is appraised
now at an average of 100000 an
acre. The planning commission,
he said, has been able to purchase
land in outlying sections for rec
reational purposes for as low as
1000 an acre.