Evening star., 1939-02-23
Fire Department
Radio Atop Monument
Opposed by Society
Action Is Token at
106th Annual Session
Of Memorial Group

sVONu NtSuIUOu SSSSuOU
Of Memorial Group
The Washington National Monu-
ment Society, which is charged by
Congress with advising the National
Parks Service on the administration
Of the memorial shaft, today an
nounced its opinion that it would be
"inexpedient" to permit the District
Fire Department to use the apex Of
the structure for installation Of radio
receiving apparatus.
This opinion, formed yesterday at
the society's 106th annual executive
session at the Metropolitan Club,
came In response to a request from
Arno B. Cammerrer, director Of the
National Park Service, as to the pro-
priety Of granting an application for
installation of the set, William r.
Harr, secretary, said today.
Favored by Park Service.
On October 13 last it was reported
in The Star that an experimental
radio set was being installed at the
peak Of the monument for two-way
radio communication for emergency
fire work of the Fire and Police De-
partments and that the Park Serv-
ice was agreeable to placing the
radio set there.
Charles Peter, general manager
Of public buildings for the Park
Service, who has been handling the
matter personally in view of...he dif-
ference in opinion between the Park
Service and the Monument Society,
could not be reached Immediately
for comment.
Under present plans two-way
radio communication is wanted for
emergency fire work only. If the
plan goes through sending and re-
ceiving sets will be installed in the
flreboat and the cars of the fire
marshal and fire chiefs, the car
OF the fire departments chief en-
gineer, the car of the superintendent
OF machinery and that Of the super
intendent of the alarm system.
A pickup set in a high, unob-
structed building is needed because
sending sets in the cars will not
be powerful enough to reach the
fire boat up the river, for instance.
1t was not expected that the set
would be put into use until 1910
when the Districts new fire alarm
headquarters is completed at Nc
MILAN Park.
Maj. Ernest w. Brown, superin-
tendent Of the Metropolitan Police
Force, for several years has expert
mented with sending sets in his
scout cars and is anxious to utilize
the relay set proposed for the Monu-
ment. The fire department has ex-
pressed its willingness to have the
set used eventually for police work.
Restriction Of Concessions Urged.
At yesterdays meeting the society
also adopted a resolution recon-
mending that all existing conces-
sions for the sale of articles in or
adjacent to the Monument should
be resclnded and the sale OF such
articles restricted to the stone lodge
on the Monument Grounds.
Efforts Of the society will be di-
rected during the coming year to-
wards inducing Congress to pro-
vide resurfacing of the lower $50
feet of the shaft, it was announced
today.
That portion of the Monument
was built prior to the Civil War
and the remainder built afterwards
after a lapse Of several years, with
the result that different coloration
of the two parts of the structure is
apparent.
At yesterdays meeting the group
went on record as describing the
present condition of the lower $50
feet of the Monument as "un-
slightly"
Mr.. Harr today quoted the So
ciety as being of the following opin-
ion: THE arst $50 feet Of the Mon
un1ert was constructed with funds
raised by the society nearly 100
years ago. Its veneering of white
marble, only inches thick, has be-
come badly broken and discolored,
and the appearance thereof has not
been improved by numerous cement
patches that have been placed
upon it."
Frederic A. Delano, who is chair
man of special committee ap-
pointed by the society to secure, if
possible, an appropriation from Con-
gress for the resurfacing job. re-
ported at the meeting that efforts
Of his committee have been unsuc-
cessful so far, Mr.. Harr said.
Hope for Appropriation.
Mr.. Harr added, however, that the
society believes that such an ap-
preparation will be made by Con-
gress when its members have be-
come more familiar with the poor
appearance which the Monument
presents on close inspection.
Other members of Mr.. Delano's
committee are Col. Ulysses S. Grant,
Sd; R. Walton Moore, counselor of
the State Department.; George E.
Hamilton and John Spalding Flan-
merry.
The cost of such resurfacing has
been estimated by the engineers Of
the National Park Service, which is
in charge of the administration Of
the Monument, at about 100000.
There Is strong sentiment in the
society, Mr.. Harr said today, in favor
Of doing the resurfacing with white
polished granite-far more durable
than marble-and in time resurfac-
ing the upper portion in the same
way, thus creating a lasting ap-
pearance of beauty and strength in
the exterior surface of the Monu-
ment"
Washington Wreath Placed.
The meeting, which took the form
of an executive session, was preceded
by the laying of a wreath at the base
of the Monument in accordance with
the society's annual custom of OBJ
serving Washington's birthday In
this manner.
Mr.. Harr said he reported to the
society that the large bronze nlanle