Evening star., 1941-12-28
Underpass Opening
AT Scott Circle Set
For Noon Tomorrow
No Ceremony Planned;
S400, 900 Project Center
Of Many Disputes

VI Wony DISPuteS
Sixteenth street traffic will pass
under the statue of 1t. Gen. Win
field Scott about noon tomorrow
when the new 100000 underpass at
Scott Cir.>a is opened without
formal Ceremony.
Highway Director H. c. White
hurst said the opening was to be
delayed until about noon to permit
the clearing away after the morning
rush hour of the barricades which
have routed traffic through the area
during construction of what turned
out to be one of the city's most
controversial engineering projects.
The Commissioners have been ad-
vised of the opening, but whether
or not they will be on hand is not
known.
Almost from the moment the
Commissioners and the National
Capital Park. and Planning Com
mission decided on the Sixteenth
street axis for the subway it became
the center of WrangleS all the way
from the Capitol to the Interior
Department which carried through
from the spring of 1910 until last
winter-long after it was too late
to do anything about it.
The new underpaSS was built as a
Federal aid project with the District
supplying 100000 from its gasoline
tax revenues and the United States
the other half. District taxpayers
also provided $4,000 for preparation
of plans, an item carried in the 194l
District budget.
Bids Opened Year Ago.
AS a climax to the months of
controversy, bids were advertised
November 8, 1910, and opened De-
cember 6 to reveal the Cayuga Con-
struction Co. of New York the low
bidder. Contract was awarded De-
cember TO-
A separate paving contract of
about $114,000 was awarded the
Union Paving Co. of Washington
December % to make improvements
at various approaches to the circle
A month later gangs of w. P. A.
4,300 feet of sewer and water mains
st the circle to make way for the
underpass excavations.
January also saw the cutting
down of trees along Sixteenth street
at the circle, which brought storm
of protest from tree lovers in the
city that the project was destroying
the beauty of the Capital Among
the trees removed was the grand
son" of the famous Washington elm
at Cambridge. Mass, a small tree
which stood in front of the head
quarters of the Sons of the Amer
ican Revolution, 1914 Sixteenth
street The tree. however, was trans
planted a few feet out Of the way.
Requirements of about half the
number of trees felled are planned.
Both the historic elm and an oak
from Mount Vernon were moved to
another point in front of the S. A. R.
building and are thriving" ac-
cording to an S. A. R. employe.
Moving was by the National Park
Service.
Work Began in February.
Construction officially and actu-
ally began February 8. Moving the
generals statue out of the way was |
in itself an engineering feat. The
base Of the figure weighs 119 tons |
and was quarried from a single /
piece of stone.
1t was the selection by the District
and the Park and Planning Com
mission of the Sixteenth street line
for the subway instead of Massa-
chusetts avenue that was the main
bone of contention. The reasons for
this action in early April of 1910
were
/. A Sixteenth street tube would
be shorter and hence cost about
100000 less than a Massachusetts,
avenue tunnel.
2. Traffic on Sixteenth street is
heavier
3. A Massachusetts, avenue sub
way would result in curious oval
effect on the surface instead OF a
circle.
Sectional Feud.
One of the most interesting feudS
to break out over the project was
between property owners of the
area. Those on Sixteenth street
banded together under the leader
ship of Frank B. Steele, secretary
registrar general of the S. A. R.,
and demanded the Massachusetts
avenue line. They contended:
/. The underpass would spoil the
circle and result in the cutting
down of many beautiful trees.
2. Property values would be de-
creased Is to so per cent.
8. Traffic would not be relieved
sufficiently to warrant desecration of
the circle.
4. Expenditure of the large
amount of money was not justi-
fled at this crucial time.
5. Better light control and en-
larging the circle surface would be
better.
Another contention was that the
Massachusetts avenue line would
continue the line of the Thomas
Circle Underpass two blocks away
Residents of Massachusetts, ave-
nue., however, Immediately entered
the fray under DR.. F. Scott Avery
1923 Massachusetts, avenue NV.
strongly approving the Sixteenth
street plan Among other reasons
DR.. Avery said that old records
disclosed the 1900 block of th'
avenue as the site of an old creel
and valley that had been filled. HI
also said recent drillings had shown
this area not as good for founda
tions as Sixteenth street.
In April. 1910, Secretary OF In
terror Ickes demanded the righ
to pass on the underpass plan
before they we're approved and car
ried his complaint to the Capito
He said parks property In his ju
risdiction was affected. After con
-