Evening star., 1954-05-09
y|ndorses
Parkway Along
{. 90. Canal
BeuII DiscIoses
Interior Decision:
No Funds Available
BY George Beveridee

4ulerlOr secretary Mckay mas
decided in favor of building a
roadway along the historic 1885,
mile Chesapeake and Ohio Canal
between Great Falls and Cum
berland, Md.
Senator Beall. Republican, Of
Maryland. long time champion
Of the controversial parkway pro-
posal, disclosed the Interior De-
partment policy decision in a
statement yesterday.
1t was learned also that Mr..
Mckay has made his position
known in a letter to President
Eisenhower. The letter was not
released but Senator Beall said
Mr.. McKay's thinking like this:
"The Secretary is aware that
some conServationiSts and local
sportSmen do not want park
way along the river or canal, and
also that many citizen groups,
officials of Maryland and the
State Legislature have supported
the parkway.
THE Secretary . is reported
to be in favor of the recreational
use and preservation of the nat
ural loveliness of the Potomac
River and the historic c. g. O.
Canal. and does not believe that
the National Park Service should
be in the business of construct
ing highways between cities even
though such highways might be
classified as parkways.
However. the Secretary has
concluded that the proposed
canal parkway should not be so
considered, but is actually a
scenic way through a park area"
Plans to Be Studied.
Senator Beall said detailed In
terror plans for the road will be
under continuing study" so as
not to "be destructive of the
canal" He said special emphasis
is on the 58-mile parkway stretch
between Cumberland and Han
cock, Md. so that when funds
are actually available that sec
ton can be started without too
long delay"
Senator Beall urged that Inte-
rior Immediately earmark con-
struction money for the canal
project from increased park road
and parkway funds made avail
able by the new Federal aid high
way act signed by President Eli
senhower Thursday. That act
also gave park officials power for
the first time to contract for
expenditure of the authorized
amounts before the money IS
actually appropriated.
Interior officials made it plain
last night. however, that the
project is in competition for the
money with a huge backlog of
park road needs throughout the
country. At the moment, at
least, no funds are available for
the c. & o. project, they
stressed.
Some officials also feel that
the Washington area has more
pressing parkway needs-most
notably extension of the George
Washington Memorial parkway
from the terminus of Canal
road at Chain Bridge to Great
Falls on the Maryland side of
the Potomac.
The George Washington road
way. in fact, would provide the
main link between Washington
and the proposed canal park
way start at Great Falls. Some
officials question giving the
canal road priority until this
link is built.
Two-Lane Park Road.
The present thinking of park
officials about the C. & o. road
way is that it should be a two
lane park road similar to Beach
drive in Rock Creek Park. In no
way would it be a parkway"
similar to the new four-lane di-
vided Baltimore Washington
parkway.
Last year, the Maryland legis-
lature granted 1865, 900 to buy
enough land to increase average
width of the Federal canal prop
erty between Hancock and Cum
berland to about 800 feet. Some
parts of the Federal property
now are too narrow for a road
way. Federally-owned property
along the entire 185-mile canal
averages about 230 feet in width.