Evening star., 1945-09-20
Planners Call
On President,
Tell of. Projects
Capitol Park Boord
Cites Desires for
Stadium and Bridge

SSbs 49, WI
Stadium and Bridge
Members OF the National Capital
Park and Planning Commission
,alled on President Truman today
and stressed the desirability of put
ing another bridge across the Po-
tomac and of constructing a huge
sports stadium to serve the Capital.
Thomas s. Settle, commission Sec
retary, said there was mot any at
,empt to get the President to say
yes or no" on any of the projects.
but simply ito inform him of the
work of the commission
Maj Gen. U. S. Grant III, chair
man of the commission, headed the
group which is holding its monthly
meeting today, Chairmen Bilbo and
of the Senate and House
District Committees, also sat In on
the conference which lasted ap-
proximately an hour.
Need of Bridge Stressed.
Mr.. Settle said Gen. Grant en-
phasiZed the need for new bridge
across the Potomac that would link
the Capital with Alexandria from
Shepherds Landing. The sports
stadium projected for East Capitol
street was described as lone of the
major things" that should be de-
veloped here.
Secretary Settle said the visitors
also explained the comprehensive
park system and the highway de-
velopment in the vicinity of WASH ?
ington, and told how the commits
sion figured in this work.
He said the President was very
much interested in municipal plan
ming, and that the meeting was
very satisfactory
The commission had under study
today a report reviewing prof.
ects of a s5,OOO,oO0 land acquisition
program for postwar development,
including a number of added rec
concentrations for new neighbor-
hood parks.
officials said the sum involved
represented the balance left of the
S16,000,0 900 authorized in 1880 under
the Capper -Cramton Act for park
and playground acquisitions. Thomas
c. Jeffers, landscape architect, pre-
sented the report.
Because of the secrecy involved
in all prospective land purchasing.
details of the program were with
held.
Plans Parking Study.
With the increase in automobile
travel. the commission is planning
to look into the matter of provid-
ing adequate parking areas at
Great Falls on the Maryland side.
In order to do this. the National
Park Service has asked it to sane
ton the transfer of certain areas
from the Washington Aqueduct
Reservation.
Planning officials believed a plan
can be worked out that will be
agreeable to the War Department,
so that the National Park Service
could arrange for developments of
suitable parking lots. John Nolen,
director of planning, visited Great
Falls recently to find that the num-
ber of motorists and picnic parties
rivaled those of several years ago.
The proposed development aG
Great Falls is in line with number
of other items under study in con-
nection with extension of the George
Washington Memorial Parkway. In
! the absence of parking lots, motor
lists visiting the scenic site must now
park their cars ''helter skelter" along
the road, Mr. Nolen said
PreWar plans for the development
of Great Falls included the restora-
ton of the old inn that formerly
accommodated overnight visitors,
provisions for a boathouse and ade-
quate picnic grounds. Some of these
I projects may be undertaken in the
future.
Also at today's session, Fred w.
Tuemmler, director of planning for
the Maryland Park and Planning
Commission, was to propose certain
suggestions for the extension of ex-
isting parks in Maryland tying in
with National Capital parks. These
extensions. it was explained, would
involve financial assistance from
the Federal planning group on the
basis of one-third contributions and
two-thirds in loans.
Harbors Report Prepared
In accordance with recommends
tions of the new Rivers and Har-
bors Act, the commission has pre-
pared report incorporating all pro-
posals made in the last 80 years for
land and water uses" along the
Washington water front. This re-
port will be submitted to Col John
M. Johnson, United States district
engineer.
Later in the afternoon, members
of the commission, headed by Maj
Gen. Grant, will visit the Corcoran
Art Gallery to see the exhibit OF
| plans and models of postwar prof.
ects for the District. These were
prepared by the commission in CO.
operation with various other Federal
/ and District agencies.
Tomorrow Mr.. Settle will report on
/ the status of the District of Colum-
. bia-Virginia boundary line, to which
the has devoted much effort since 1881
1t has passed the House and was re-
ported favorably yesterday from The
Senate District Subcommittee. The
only difficulty involved in the proo-
lem now, Mr.. Settle said, is the mat
ter of jurisdiction at the National
Airport.
The commission is prepared to re-
ceive proposal from the National
Housing Agency that it assist in the
organization of continuing hous.
ing survey and study in the Wash
ington Metropolitan Area. Such q
study, it was said, would be usefu.
to local agencies and private enter.
prise in developing an orderly post.
war program, now that priorities art
being lifted on new construction.