Evening star., 1950-02-17

across the Nation and even il
foreign countries.
Mr.. Nichols had much to do with
the creation of the District as i
appears today. He served on tht
planning commission for % years
until his resignation on April 80
1948, because of his advancing
years. President Truman accepted
the resignation with regret.
Appointed by Coolidge.
Mr. Nichols was appointed to the
commission in 1926 by President
Calvin Coolidge to help supervise
the improvement and beautifica.
ton of the District. Like Other
commission members, he served
without compensation. His tenure
of service covered the administra
tions of Presidents Coolidge, Hoo.
YER, Roosevelt and Truman, all 0.
whom he knew.
Mr.. Nichols, in his work here
took particular interest in having
the eastern section of the District
expanded. He contended the city
had grown "lopsided." with too
much emphasis on the Northwes
and Southwest.
Mr.. Nichols also devoted much
of his efforts to the East Capito
street development for future
museums, libraries and othel
Government buildings.
He was in the forefront of plan:
for the National Guard Armory
the projected stadium in the Eas
Capitol street area and othel
projects on the bank of the Ana.
costa River at East Capitol street
He also was credited with urg.
ing his colleagues to purchase
Fort Dupont, which since has beer
developed into a major recrea.
tional area.
Fort Drive Proponent.
Mr.. Nichols was one of thu
most ardent advocates of the For1
Drive-a highway connecting tht
old Civil War bastions-both fol-
its traffic value and to knit the
city together" as he once ex.
pressed it. He said the highway
also would prevent the decline
of neighborhood land values.
Intimately acquainted with the
city as few Washingtonians were
Mr.. Nichols was a pre-eminent
student of city planning. Before
his resignation, he headed a COM
mission subcommittee that Sc
lected sites for Government office
buildings and housing develop.
mentS. He took an active part ir
the purchase of parks, play
grounds and other public areas
When he left the commission
Senator KEN, Republican, of Mis-.
souri,. paid him this tribute:
Perhaps his most valuable con-
tribution has been in his wise
counsel against eXtravagent anc
impractical plans and keen fore.
sight in advising the acquisition
of land for parks, recreation
grounds, boulevards and drive
ways before other constructor
was started upon the ground.
I'm this way, a great deal ol
money has been saved to the Gov
ernment and taxpayers, anc
Washington has acquired a sys-
tenn of parks and boulevards un.
surpassed by any capital city ir
the world"
Served in Other Posts.
Before his commission work
Mr.. Nichols was for 10 years {
member of the Kansas City Boarc
OF Education. Just before joining
the commission he was named by
President Coolidge as a delegat.
to the International Housing Con.
ference in Paris in 1926.
His other early associations in.
cluded a vice presidency of thu
National Association of Real Es,
tate Boards and membership or
the Businessmen's Advisory Coun.
Gil of the Commerce Department
He was director of the Miscel
laneous Equipment Division of tn,
National Advisory Council of tn,
National Defense Commission il
1910. He also served on a com.
mittee of the United State
Chamber of Commerce having tt
do with trade relations with South
America and was former vict
president of the American Civi,
and Planning Association.
Mr.. Nichols was born in Olathe
Kans. He worked his way through
high school and the University O.
Kansas, although his family wa
moderately we'll to do. While ,
student, he toured Europe on hi
own funds.
Began Project in 1905.
In 1905, he began his countr,
club district project near a no.
lot in neighborhood of shanties
Today it is Kansas City's mos
fashionable district, covering 5,00l
acres and including 10000 home
and apartment units.
His company spent more thar
100000 on art objects, many O
them from Europe, and place.
them in the 100 residential park
and along parkways 4 and stree
intersections.
Mr.. Nichols is survived by hi
widow, two sons, Miller and Clyde
and a daughter, Mrs. Earl w
Allen.
In speaking for himself ant
the members of the commission
Thomas S. Settle, secretary, sait
last night that Mr.. Nichols hat
been a most faithful, valuabl,
and earnest worker who mad
great contributions to the city O
Washington"
To provide workers with incen
tive to greater effort, New Zea