Evening star., 1942-04-17
Reservoir Site
Al Fort Totten
Is Approved
10000, ,000- Gallon
Project TO Serve
North Central Area

Old Fort Totten Park. north of
Soldiers Home. was recommended
today as a site for a new 20. 600 600
gallon reservoir 10 serve the north
central area of the District II was
pointed out. however. that 1t will
be necessary to tear out some OF the
old Federal Civil War breastworks
In the area.
The site was approved by the
National Capital Parks and Planning
Commission following conferences
with Maj. John Gordon OF the United
States engineers Office for this dis
trict.
The District Commissioners have
requested s500.000 for construction
OF the reservoir. It was announced,
from funds that will become avail
able through the Lanham Act for
new utility improvements.
Much as We regret IT, some OF the
old Federal breastworkS in Fort
Totten will have to be removed to
make way for this much-needed
reservoir" Thomas 8. Settle, secre-
tary OF the planning commission.
said today. Fort Totten is one OF
the old Civil War defenses.
Reservation Contains 40 Acres.
The historic reservation contains
approximately 40 acres. Approx
mately two acres, on the highest
point OF the land, will be reserved
as q reservoir site.
Mr.. Settle said the reservoir would
be covered and made available as A
high observation point from which
visitors would command view of
the city.
The new reservoir, which would be
enc of the largest in the city. is
needed to protect the local water
supply In view of the expected in
crease in wartime population during
the next few years.
Capt. H. C, Whitehurst, director
OF highways. met with the commits
sion this morning and went over
studies for q proposed subway in
Washington.
Some time ago the Federal plan
ners gave the District Commission
ers data they had assembled over
a period of years bearing on all
present and future planned Gov
ernment buildings. All these sites,
directly affecting the transportation
load, were considered in connection
with the subway studies,
Demand for Expansion Seen.
Chairman Frederic A. Delano and
j. G. Nichols asked that the subway
study include surveys of COM
muting facilities between Washing
ton and the Virginia
suburbs. They expressed the opinion
that the war would create a new
demand for expansion of such
transportation facilities and visual
ised this problem as one directly
linked with any subway in the city.
The commission approved final
plans for the widening of Independ-
ence avenue from Fourteenth street
to the Tidal Basin at Seventeenth
street. The extension would run
through the area now occupied by
the National Capital Parks and
greenhouses, which eventually will
be removed to another location.
This extension would give mo-
torists direct route on indie
pendence avenue from the Capitol
10 the John Paul Jones statue at
Seventeenth street, and thence over
the Arlington Memorial Bridge to
the new War Department building
on the Virginia side of the river,
Mr.. Settle reported on the status
Of the District Recreation Board bill,
which is expected to come up for
ANAL action before the House Mon
day Enactment of this measure,
establishing Seven-man board to
direct all recreation activities in the
District, would culminate a move
ment started by the Planning Com
mission in 1890, when it submitted
the first draft for such legislation.
Mr.. Settle said the commission
hoped that the board, when it be-
gins TO function, would develop rec
reation areas in the outlying dis
tricts as its prime objective. Many
OF the Fairgrounds and athletic IA
cilitieS in these areas, it was pointed
out, have been turned over for de-
tense purposes.