Evening star., 1947-10-08

the expansion of Mr. Porter.
the city of Washington. In recent
years this growth has been accel-
Grated in the suburbs by the war
and establishment of Government
office buildings, such as the Penta-
gon, beyond the District line. Also
recently, more homes have been
built in the suburban Metropolitan
Area than in Washington itself.
Beautification Under Way.
Each political subdivision of the
area has it's own marks of distlnc-
ton and plans for becoming even
more attractive in the future.
Hub of the area is the city of
Washington-nerve center of the
Nations Government and mecca for
millions of tourists. The citadel of
democracy is itself disenfranchised,
however, and its $4,000 voteless
citizens are ruled by an appointed
Board of Commissioners for the
District of Columbia
The Metropolitan Area had about
353, 900 dwelling units in April of
this year, according to the Bureau
of the Census. The Washington
Board of Trade estimated the pop
ulation of the entire Metropolitan
Area, including Washington, as
100000 as of January /, 1947.
Source of Water Supply.
Washington draws it's water supply
from the Potomac River, near Great
Falls, and shares it with Arlington
and parts of Fairfax Counties. Alex
andria has it's own reservoir which
is located in Fairfax County. Mont
gomery and Prince Georges Counties
draw their water supply from the
Patuxent River.
One of Washington's major at
fractions Is its parks, which COM
prise over 5000 acres. CThe District
of Columbia consists Of an area of
about so square miles. The natural
beauty of Rock Creek Park is re-
far beyond the Districts
borders. Other park areas include
the National Geological Park. Poto-
mac Park, Anacostia Parkway,
Soldiers Home, the Mall and the
Botanical Gardens.
Alexandria, which was a city long
before the plans for Washington
were drawn, jocularly considers
Washington one of its suburbs rather
than vice versa. (The same is said
of Georgetown and BladensburgD
The home town" of George Wash
ington is proud of its historical
Christ Church and
Gadsby's Tavern.
Oldest Daily Newspaper.
It claims to have the Oldest. daily
newspaper in the United States and
soon will have the most modern
plant of the Potomac Electric Power
Co. It's stately Colonial homes are
within a stones throw Of the 20th
century housing projects such as
Alexandria, Potomac
Yards is the largest railroad freight
center in the metropolitan area, one
of the largest of its kind in the
country.
A city of 7ss square miles, the
Alexandria Chamber Of Commerce
estimates the 1947 population at
$4,000. The city is governed by
Mayor and City Council, with a city
manager. Steamboats,, railroads,
buses and express highways link 1t
with Washington.
Arlington County, the community
most accessible to the District and
once a part of Washington. is the
site of more big housing projects,
such as Buckingham, Colonial VII
lage and darlington, than any
other section of the Metropolitan
Area.
Government agencies such as are
housed in the Pentagon, the Navy
Annex, and at the National Air
port, have helped contribute to its
growth.
Along with Arlington National
Cemetery, Fort Myer, ETC., they also
have removed 50 much land from
the county tax rolls that authorities
are seeking some means of COM
pensation.
10000 In Arlington.
Arlington, the second smallest
county in the United States, has an
area Of about n square miles. Fed
eral holdings take up about 3