Evening star., 1941-09-24
Two New Sites
Considered for
Home for Aged
Officials Inspect
Glenn Dale and
Muirkirk Tracts

A group of District officials today
began inspection of District-owne
property at Glenn Dale and Muir
kirk, Md, as possible sites for new
home for the aged.
Led by Assistant Engineer Com
missioner Beverly C. Snow, the
group included Welfare Director
Conrad Van Hyning, Merrill A. Coe
and Archie G. Hudson of the Mu-
nicipal Architects Office.
1t. Col Snow said the Commits
sioners are considering both the
MARYLAND sites and the present Blue
Plains property for new institution
and that sketches of a new build
Ing would be prepared for the city
heads on all three locations.
Cost Put at 100000.
Following their recent visit to the
Blue Plains home, the Commission
ers condemned conditions they
found there and said they were con-
sidering seeking a new institution at
a cost of some 100000 to $500 900.
Their criticism and plans for i'm
provement of the conditions at the
home drew the support Of Chairman
McCarran of the Senate District
Committee.
Yesterday. accompanied by Renah
r. Camalier, attorney for the COM
mittee, Senator Capper of Kansas
also paid a visit to the home, and
after his visit gave his support to
the move for a new institution.
Mr.. Camalier previously inspected
the institution at the request OF
Senator McCarran.
Col. Snow explained todays in
spection trip was merely to see how
much of the land available on each
site could be used for new institu-
ton. Half of the more than 250-acre
Glen Dale tract is devoted to the
tuberculosis sanitorium, but sec
tions of the remainder are suitable
for building construction.
$50 Acres in Muirkirk Tract.
The Muirkirk tract, owned by the
District, has been suggested as the
site for numerous welfare institu-
tons, including the National Train
ing School for Girls, now on Con-
duit road. and the Industrial Home
School for white youths, now on
Wisconsin avenue. Orig ly
acquired and briefly operated as a
branch of the National Training
School for Girls. the tract consists
of about $50 acres, about miles
from Laurel. where the District
training school for feeble-minded Is
located
Assistant Welfare Director Paul
Kirby said there was one good brick
building and several other smaller
structures on the land.
To rebuild the home on its pres
ent site, it is understood, would in
volve moving it back from its pres
ent location, since the proposed exi
tension of the Fort Dupont parkway
would cut through directly in front
OF the present buildings. The near
ness of the terrain to the river, re-
sulting often in dampness, will also
probably be taken into consideration
in the ultimate choice of a site.
Capper Visits Home
After visiting the institution yes
terday and inspecting conditions
which the District Commissioners
had described as appalling" Sem
stor Capper said:
There doesn't seem to be much
that can be done with this old place.
1t would cost no more to build a new
institution than it would to put this
one in shape. I certainly would
support an appropriation to con-
ktruct new home"
The Commissioners have been pre-
pairing estimates on the cost of
new home and it is understood a
request will be made to Congress for
a deficiency appropriation.
There was evidence at the home
that many walls in the place had
been washed and some painted.
Cracks in the ceilings were being
filled up. Broken dishes and worm
out table ware were being replaced
There has been great deal of
improvement said Mr.. Camalier.
They've made good start on the
Job OF cleaning this place up and
the Commissioners deserve credit"
Improvement Fund Small.
Off1cials of the establishment told
Senator Capper that they had been
getting only $4,000 a year to i'm
prove the place. which sum was
not enough even to pay for painting
The result has been that it is so run
down now that it would cost as
much to fix it up as it would to
build new place.
The kitchen has been fixed up
since the Commissioners visit and
the baker was proclaiming yester-
day that he was starting "a new
program"
1--WE been here for 13 years, bak-
ing white bread" he told Senator
Capper. Il couldn't get the ingre-
dients for anything else. But now
they tell me I can make cornbread
couple of times week and ginger
bread. too. I'm going to make a
barrel Of cookies for the old folks
every week end"