Evening star., 1953-10-30


MARK LANSBURGH.
Marshall, Mo-. where his ma
ternal grandparents lived. But
he always referred to himself as
a WaShingtonian.
His father, James LanSburgh,
and his uncle. Gustave Lans-
burgh, opened their fancy goods
agency" in Washington in 1850
Mr.. Lansburgh liked to recall
incidents of those early days,
as told to him by his father
and uncle.
] "They were alert" he once re-
lated. LAS soon as they heard
about the assassination of Abra-
ham Lincoln, they rushed to
Baltimore, which was a large
textile market, and bought up
all the black crepes and cottons
they could find and got them
/ back here.
! when the Government called
on the merchants for black goods
and bunting so the buildings
could be draped in mourning
LansburghS provided most of it.
They just cornered the black
goods market"
Mr.. Lansburgh was graduated
from Mckinley High School
here. He wanted to be an archi-
tect and took his degree in archi-
lecture at the University of
Pennsylvania in 1912.
He practiced architecture at
only one place, however. He once
explained it this way:
MY father said if I had
learned anything, I could re-
model the store front. When I
wasn't remodeling, I worked as
a floor man in the millinery de-
partment."
Appointed BY Truman.
/ Mr.. Lansburgh was appointed
the first chairman of the Rede-
velopment Land Agency by
| President Truman in 1947 for a
five-year term. He was reap
pointed last year. The agency
was to attack slums, but Con-
gresS neglected to appropriate
funds.
In the first years of RIA, Mr..
Lansburgh set up the agency in
his own private Office. He paid
from his own pocket the Office
expenses, secretarial salaries and
even had stationery printed.
He carried on the work of the
agency almost single-handed
until funds were obtained for a
staff in 1851.
Since then, he has seen the
dream of redevelopment of
Southwest Washington take
shape. He lost a battle several
years ago to make Marshall
Heights the first redeyelopment
project in the city, but the South
west project apparently is headed
for success.
/ Director Of Bank.
Mr.. Lansburgh was a director
of the National Bank of Wash
ington, a member of the District
Motor Vehicle Parking Agency
former president of the Mer-
chants and Manufacturers AS
sociation, a member Of the Wash
ington Board Of Trade.
Also former president of the
Washington Kiwanis Club, for
mer director of Children's Hos
pital, former president of the
Associated Retail Credit Men OF
Washington, former director OF
Group disqualification, Inc.
Also, former director of the
Instructive Visiting Nurses So
ciety, past chairman of the store
management group of the Ma
tional Retail Dry Goods Associa-
ton; former president of the Ma
tional Cinema Club, former di-
rector of the National Symphony
Orchestra and former chairman
of the Keystone Automobile Club.
Trustee of University.
He also served on the board
of Children's Hospital and was
treasurer of the Armed Services
Hospitality Committee and a
trustee of American University.
He was a Mason and a member
of the Scottish Rite and AlmaS
Temple, belonged to the National
Press Club and was active in
the Washington Hebrew Con-
gregation. He belonged to
Woodmont and Congressional
Country Clubs.
Mr.. Lansburgh was we'll known
in national stamp collecting cir
cleS. He was a member of the
American Philatelic Society and
Washington Philatelic Society
and took part in many philatelic
exhibitions and conventions.
He was a painter In his youth,
and retained his interest in art.
He also was a skilled violinist,
playing in the orchestras at Nc
Kinley high school and in COL
lege.
His sense of humor and his
ready wit brought him numer-
Gus invitations to serve as toast
master at civic and charitable
banquets.
Another hobby was making
motion picture travelogues of
foreign countries. He and Mrs
Lansburgh have shown these
travelogues to the public for
years, usually through the Ma
tional Park Service programs and
through organizations.
He became q member Of the