Evening star., 1953-04-28


This is the third and lost Of series oi
ortieles examining just whot the
Copper Cromton Act hos contributed
to the development Of parks in the
Washington oreo.
been born dead" one official
commented.
When the. Capper-Cramton
Act was passed in 1880, Airing
ton and Fairfax Counties and
Alexandria and Falls Church
Steered clear of the program
advanced for the development
of the stream valleys in both
Maryland and Virginia. Only
last fall was Virginia finally
brought into the program.
The result has been virtually
no park development in nearby
Virginia.
Anxious to Get Started.
Substantial progress has been
made on the George Washington
Memorial Parkway, also provided
for in the Capper- -Cramton Act,
however. Virginia authorities
now are anxious for the stream
valley development to begin be-
fore it is too late.
The catch is that the Capper-
Cramton Act under which this
will be possible is in danger.
Sentiment has arisen in the
Federal Budget Bureau for scrap
ing or modifying the act. Cong
ress has not appropriated funds
under the act for the past two
years and the budget of the Ma
tional Capital Planning Commits
sion, as passed by the House,
again contains no funds for buy
ing park lands.
Actually, the Planning Com
mission had not requested funds
in next years budget for the new
Virginia program. The COM
mission is now drawing up a
master plan, in cooperation with
Virginia authorities, for devel-
opment of the stream valleys in
Arlington and Fairfax Counties
Funds were not requested be-
cause the plan was not finished.
Authorizes $4.5 Million.
The Capper-Cram Act now
authorizes $4.5 million to ex-
tend the stream valley develop
ment program to nearby Virginia
areas. The Federal government
will pay one-third of the cost UP
to the $4.5 million authorization
Virginia must pay tWo-thirds of
the cost of land so acquired.
Stream valleys in the program
include Hunting Creek, Cameron
Run, Holmes Run, Tripp Run,
-Four Mile Run, Pimmit Run,
Accotink Greek and other such
streams as may be deemed ad-
V1Sapte later.
Dispute COmplicates Things.
There also is little jurisdic-
tional fight in Virginia that is
complicating matters somewhat
The Virginia National Capital
Park Authority was created un-
der authority granted by the
State Legislature in 1850. It
was formed in anticipation OF
Virginia's getting in on the
Capper- -Cramton Act stream val
ley program.
The authority represents Ar
lington, Alexandria and Falls
Church. Fairfax County has not
joined, although it has been
sending a representative to meet
ingS.
About the same time the Fair
fax County Park Authority was
organized. It is headed by John
w. Brookfleld. He has indicated
Fairfax County probably will join
eventually, but has expressed
opposition until a master plan
is drawn and costs outlined spe-
clf1cally.
Matt Huppuch, chairman OF
the Virginia authority, said they
all must be in on the program
or it would fall through.
Realize Parks Value Now.
Virginia authorities frankly
admit they just were not inter-
ested in park development when
the Capper-Cramton Act was
passed. Rapid growth of the
nearby areas, however, has made
them realize that parks are nee
esary now.
The Federal Government built
the Mount Vernon boulevard
from Mount Vernon to Washing
ton. The parks and recreational
areas connected with this boule-
ward are all Federal.
The boulevard has been in
coproYated into the George
Washington Memorial highway,
which is to extend from Mount
Vernon to Great Falls on the
Virginia side, skipping Alexan-
dria. On the Maryland side, the
highway is to extend from Fort
Washington to Great Falls, skip
ping the District.
With the Mount Vernon prof.
ect as the first leg, this project
now has been completed in Arl-
ington County to Lorcum lane
and acquisition of the remainder
or the land necessary to get it tc
the Fairfax County line is about
completed.
The Federal government pays
half the cost of the land and the
State the other half under the
Capper-Cramton Act.
Fund Cut From Budget.
Acquisition of land in Fairfax
County was scheduled to begir
this year. But the Federal Budget
Bureau cut out $500, 900 allocatec
in the National Capital Plan.
~s~s u.