Evening star., 1939-03-31

Blossoms
(Continued From First Page.)

a front-row reserved seat was Miss
Josephine LaFranier, national cher
ry blossom queen from Traverse
City, Mich. who arrived here last
night for the festival from New
Orleans, where she is in school.
Miss La Franier, accompanied this
morning by Edgar Morris, general
chairman of the festival, Joined
Washingtons cherry queen-elect at
a party last night at the Roger
Smith Hotel Miss Townsend is pur-
suing a career there as singer in the
hotels night club. Last night was
her might off,"
The Michigan queen was escorted
last night by Arthur H. Vandenberg,
jr., son of the Michigan Senator.
She will ride with Miss Townsend
in the parade following the corona
ton ceremony this afternoon. She
also will appear at the Marine Band
concert at LAS o'clock and at the
fireworks display tonight Her es-
corts this afternoon and tonight will
be Thomas P. Morgan. jr.. member
of the Festival Committee. and c.
Marshall Finnan, superintendent OF
National Capital Parks.
Rain Is Remote Possibility.
Rain, which for a time officials
feared would spoil the festival. was
only a remote possibility today, as
the Weather Bureau predicted
mostly cloudy" tonight and Sat-
urday, with fair weather during the
afternoon.
The mercury is expected to re-
main in, the 40s and low Sos. but
experts stated that a sudden rise in
temperature will come about this
afternoon If the sun manages to
shine through the clouds.
All highways leading into the Dis
trict were crowded today with thou
sands of visitors arriving for the
major festival events an q week end
of sightseeing in the Capital.
In nearby Maryland and Vir-
ginia trailer camps were filled with
homes on wheels" as trailer resi-
dents migrated here from their win
ter quarters In the South.
Cherry trees were not the only
blooming shrubs in the Tidal Basin
and Potomac Park areas. Dozens Of
bushes were adding a wide range
of colors to the blossoms of the
japanese cherries.
Park service workers. who have
labored for weeks getting the city's
parks in an immaculate condition
for the festival, were making their
rounds today, picking up papers and
other trash scattered by the visitors.
Mr.. Finnan said that the mainte-
nance crew on duty at the Tidal
Basin vicinity is three times its nor
NAL size today to see that everything
remains as spotless as possible. More
than so laborers are on duty.
| Tourist Camp Crowded.
| Nearby tourist camps were ac-
commodaitng near ar-capacity crowds
today, the Washington Tourist
Camp reporting all of its heated
cabins taken. Nearly 100 trailers
were parked on the camps grounds,
located a short distance from the
Tidal Basin.
More than 200 officers were Or
dered on special details. Most of
them we're assigned to duty along
main traffic arteries and at the
Potomac Park and Tidal Basin areas
where many trafIic direction changes
have been made to prevent unneces-
sary snarls.
Major railroad companies were
reporting incoming traffic slightly
above normal today, but their heav-
lest influx will come Sunday when
most of the roads are operating ex-
cursions from principal cities in the
East and Midwest.
! Buses Are Jammed.
| Bus company officials said that
their vehicles operating into WASH
ington today are crowded far above
normal, with even greater traflc ex-
pected later In the week end.
Hotel registers were filling rapid
ly with names of visitors here for
the cherry blossom season. Several
of the downtown hotels were antic-
ipating sell-outs before the big influx
| 0u4ludy. AA4 OAAC VI JWO AASC01lCCo,
managers reported fewer guests than
last year but added that Sunday
probably would bring q different
story.
The Keystone Automobile Club
issued special instructions to mo-
torists entering and leaving the Cap
ital during the cherry-blossom sea-
| s>l~
Use of alternate routes to Balti-
more-Central avenue to Grain
highway and Route 3 onward, and
Route 20 from Silver Spring by way
Of Ashton and Ellicott City.
The club explained that though
both of these suggested routes are
longer, less time probably will be
necessary than over the heavily
travelled Baltimore boulevard.