davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1955-10-23
Need Questioned

This Is the fast-changing set
ting into which urban renewal
has moved, raising controversial
questions about its need, its
methods and It's effects.
urban renewal = briefly. Is the
new approach worked out BY
Congress and the administration
to help cities restore neighbor-
hoods which either have become
slums or are heading in that di-
rcction.
The approach calls for an in
tensive study Of q particular
rundown area and q detailed
plan for its restoration. The
plan 5rings to bear q number OF
weapons old and new.
One block of homes. for ex-
ample. may be designated by the
plan as so bad it should all be
fazed--the .'redeveIopment" TECH
ninue now being applied in
Southwest washington to entire
vast areas. But another block,
or individual structure. may need
only remodeling, perhaps BY
compliance with the city's new
housing code.
Evening star., 1955-10-23
COLORFUL NAME
LINGERS FOR AREA
ONCE SWAMPY

Foggy Bottoms colorful
name has fingered even
though the conditions which
led to the title largely have
disappeared.
George Rothwell Brown,
IN his washington. A Not
Too Serious History" ex-
planned 1t this way:
7"In It's (Foggy Bottomss)
southern reaches it was
formerly o. section Of
lswanlps and fats, from
which arose at night nlias-
matte vapors which gave 1t
its colorful cognomen."
In this area also existed
the little town Of Hamburger,
older than Washington.
Early Foggy Bottom resi-
dents were two-gun men
who lived the life Of Ten
nessee mountaineers, Mr..
Brown wrote.
Evening star., 1955-10-23
Need .. c. Approval

This plan retained all OF the
|remodeled homes. but provided
for d number Of park and recrea-
ton areas and closed several
streets. Talks were held with
the District Redeveiopment Land
Agency. which administers 'ur.
ban renewal" projects.
The residents plan for the
small area was submitted again
Ia few months ago and the RIA
board referred 1t to the National
Capital Planning Commission.
The planners last month Of
ficially indorsed b renewal prof.
Iect" In Foggy Bottom, but SCI
project boundaries which greatly
expanded the original citizens
proposal.
Roughly. the project bounda-
|ries approved were Pennsylvania
avenue on the north. Twenty
third street on the east. the Rock
Creek and Potomac parkway on
the west and Water street Gust
taking in the Heurich Brewery
lon the south.
The planners action was the
first official step In the complex
renewal" machinery. Here's
what must follow:
/. Approval Of the ofacial
boundaries by the District Com
lmissioners. The project was in.
dorsed last week by the District.
lofiicial Urban Renewal Opera
ltions Committee. II will be con.
sidered Tuesday BY the Urbar
Renewal Council. q new citizer
advisory group. before going Il
the city heads.
| 2. Application by the Redevel.
lopnent Land Agency to the Fed
leral Housing and Home Financ,
agency for funds to plan tn
project.
/ 3. Drawing OF the detailed de
lvelopment plan by the Planning
Commission and RIA. with citi
zen participation.
i 4. Formal approval Of the plaj
Iby the District Commissioned
latter o public hearing.
Evening star., 1955-10-23

between Constitution avenue and
IL street, is earmarked for gov
|ernment buildings. The Plan
ming Commission is restudying
this area Independently. and Its
development also viii have strong
| effects on the residential and
commercial buildings 70 the
north.
The third reason is that the
commission wants to take
another look at the big Potomac
Plaza development, planned to
extend from Twenty : fourth
street to the Potomac River be-
tween q and ]. streets on the
lold gas works land.
| Property for the Potomac
Plaza project was acquired only
la few months ago and building
Evening star., 1955-10-23

plans have been filed with the
city for the fifst phase.
The flrst three buildings viii
Ibe o large cross-shaped apart
lment, q medical ONCE building
land q commercial Office building
lon the block bounded by Twen.
Ity-fourth. @ and H streets and
New Hampshire and Virginia
avenues. The space win be sole
lon . co-operative-ownershiI
basis.
4 An elaborate construction ant
field sales Office already has beer
built on the Virginia avenue
frontage Of the tract. Sponsor,
lsay the first ground viii b,
turned by the first Of the year
/ An ofiicial Of the Potorna'
Plaza group said 1t appeared h
him that the urban renewal
project could only enhance th
value Of his project. The gov
ernmental action. however. ha
raised strong questions In tn
minds Of other private deyel
opers.,
One realtor. an opposition
leader. put It this way:
We've made an awful lot o
progress In Foggy Bottom, ]
we're left alone, the area is 60
ing to be renewed completely q
q natural course Of eventsa 10
faster than II this renewal prof
ect goes through.
We're afraid that II We ge
into q lot Of planning and talk
Ing so many things win get In
volved that everything will b
slowed down.
Evening star., 1955-10-23

nifty. In December. they hired .
city planner TO lay out q Develop
Iment plan for the several blocks
just south of K street and west
LOT Washington Circle. where
most Of the lemodeline has
taken place.
Evening star., 1955-10-23

the proving ground for "urbar
renewal" the new Federal
District program to reclaim de-
teriorating neighborhoods al
over the city.
This entrance Of Government
into Foggy Bottoms development
has become q major issue. Of
far-reaching importance to all Of
Washington.
Some Foggy Bottom property
owners are vociferous opponents
Of the newly designated Foggy
Bottom "nrban renewal" project.
Others, q large number. are
enthusiastic supporters. The
largest group is confused about
what the project means.
For decades. Foggy Bottom.
bordered ON the north by Penn
sylvania avenue NV. and on the
west and south by the Potomac
river, lay slowly stagnating as
one Of Washington's most neg
lected areas.
These are the activities which
already have given 1t a new look
and which soon win push 1t
further ahead:
i. The renovation or rebuild-
ing of old slum row houses into
compact, attractive Georgetown
type homes selling for between
$4,000 and $22. 900.
Already. Of the 3T5-odd dwell
ings In the small area bounded
BY Pennsylvania avenue on the
north, Twenty-seventh street on
the West. Washington circle on
the east and New Hampshire
and Virginia avenues on the
south, about $50 houses have
been made over or are under
construction. Most have been
sold or rented.
3. Just to the south Of this
area, on four blocks Of the old
Washington Gas Light property.
the gigantic 500 million '.Poto-
mac Plaza development Of
apartments and ONCE buildings
Is slated to break ground within
90 days.
8. A lumber Of parcels Of land
have been assembled for other
once building or apartment prof.
ects.
Evening star., 1955-10-23
Planners View

The planners. however, argue
that the fact that considerable
development Is going on Is the
strongest point for an immediate
orderly development plan--be-
fore it's too late to do any good.
Highway of1cials said the inner-
loop expressway Is several years
on. But its alignment, especially
in the Washington circle area. Ia
pretty well fixed.
MIR. Nolan conceded that the
project may slow up further pri-
rate development. During any
such planning period. he said. q
sort OF hidden freeze. goes into
effect. But he contended any
delay would be Of small import.
Evening star., 1955-10-23
Georgetown Appeal

A majority Of the newcomers
are single persons or childless
couples. drawn by the conveni-
lence, location and same Sin
town" way Of life which made
the Georgetown renovation q
success.
without being snobbish.'
Ione resident put 1t. II think we
have the same general outlook
1.-THE people who live In George
town have. and about the same
things attracted us that ut.
ltracted them"
From the first, the Foggy Bot.
tom residents were an active
militant group. They organizet
effectively a year ago to hell
tkill moves to ban rebuilt allel
dwellings which fully met health
Isanitation and good housing
standards.
Last year. a number Of th'
Igroup felt that there might b.
defects In the rapid. uncon
;ltrolled growth Of their comniu
Evening star., 1955-10-23
Luid Out in 1853
Here's how it came about:

Foggy Bottom was laid out
about 1853 as q rival seaport To
Georgetown. In the old days,
when Washington citizens had q
vote, it was the 1st Ward, an
area Of some prominence ex-
tending southwark from Penn
Isylvania avenue to the Potomac
land eastward all the way 10 the
White House.
BY the time the gas works
moved In more than hall a
century ago. the decline was
well under way. It became an
area OF sluns, industrial plants
and vacant land--iiot helped at
IAN by the .miasfnic clouds
which emerged from the river
land the smokestacks.
In 1889, Edwin Shelton. . law
lyer who with his sister. U. s
District Court Judge Burnita 8
Matthews, is stin active in the
Iarea, rebuilt several homes al
Twenty fifth and ] streets. Thi'
Twas the first Of several sporadic
improvement moves. Later, OF.
ltractiye, modern apartments
went up In the blocks between Z
street and Pennsylvania avenue
| But the real beginning Of th'
dramatic remodsling OF Fogg,
Bottom began only three year.
lago when Benjamin D. Burcf
land his wife. Dorothy. remodeles
three homes in the ,230O block O
Virginia avenue.
| The Burches had remodeled
number Of Georgetown homes
They turned to Foggy Bottom
when sites In Georgetown 60
Evening star., 1955-10-23

And oiiicials listed these ad-
mittedly general benefits" they
expect to result:
!. Special financing to help ex-
| isting property owners nix up
their houses and to help develop
ers carry, out bigger projects.
Thus far. financing has been "a
struggle every step Of the way
ibecause OF the slum stigma still
attached TO the area. one re-
modeler said.
.. Elimination tthrough emil.
lnent domain powers) Of mon.
conforming uses, such as COM
ii1ercial and industrial structures
which stand out like sore thumbs
TN the wrong places.
8. Acquisition Of areas for such
community uses as Fairgrounds.
4. Revamping Of the street
| system to enable better use Of
certain land and TO keep out
major trafiic.
/ 5. Use Of land acquisition pow
ers to induce" recalcitrant
property owners to AK up or sell
rundown structures.
l John Nolen. jr.. Planning Com
mission director, said there were
4 three main reasons the commits
! sion made the project area 50
j large.
4 One was that o new express
way. part Of the proposed inner
.lloop system around the down.
J. town section, will rip directly
,Itilrough Foggy Bottom blocks be-
.Itween Twenty-third and Twen-
lty-fourth streets. An extensive
Reconstruction Of X street near
q WASHINGTON Circle also is
planned.
Evening star., 1955-10-23
Formed

Because the renewal" project
lis 50 complex and so new. "hard-
lly any one In the area quite
knows what It means" " said John
u. Gunther. president Of the
newly formed Foggy Bottom
Restoration Association.
Mr.. Gunther, Q SHOWS Court
resident. said his l50-member
ORGANIZATION. which represents
both resident and nonresident
property owners. has been unable
to take . position on the govern
mental approach.
An example OF the aroused
feeling, however, was evidenced
Iat one Of the associations first
meetings two weeks ago. RIA
and Planning Commission ON
jcials had been invited to speak.
but weren't able TO until q mo-
tion not 10 hear them was
defeated.
The Ultimate citizen reaction
and the degree Of success Of the
lFoggy Bottom project Is bound
to have o major impact on other
moves In other rundown areas
lof the Capital.
Evening star., 1955-10-23
Citys Foggy Bottom
Seen | est Ground
OF Urbon RenewoI
Neglected Section BIossoming
With Home Renovation Projects
BY GEORGE BEyERIDGE

surge Of activity is blossomng historic old Foggy
Bottom into the Capitals newest and most striking
community.
Most Of the activity generated within the last three
years, Is entirely nom governmental
But recent developments indicate it also will become
Evening star., 1955-10-23

scarce, carrying on the same
kind of development which
began In Georgetown slums three
decades ago.
More and more private devel-
operssome with no prior build
ing experience followed the
Burches' lead.
One Of the earliest, Jean and
Jonas Robitscher. who live In
Georgetown, bought and rebuilt
|26 ramshaclxle row houses In
Shows Court, a slum and crime
ridden alley in the block between
Twenty-fourtn and Twenty fifth
and I and X streets.
Others have been built Il,
Hughes and Greens Courts.
alleys in blocks Immediately west
of the Shows Court block.
Others Of the $50 remodeled
homes are spotted on streets In
that immediate area.
Some are in groups Of six or
seven remodeled homes. Others
|are hemmed in by still-remain-
ing siums. Nearly all are within
10 stones throw Of slum houses.
occupied by low-income fam
lilies. most Of whom are colored.
Most Of the rebuilt homes are
marrow tsoriae as narrow as. 10
|feet) two-story. two-bedroom
structures. Most have air-condi-
tioning and nearly all have gar
den patios In the rear.
Evening star., 1955-10-23

5. Finally. availability OF Fed
srai funds to help carry out
whatever is called for by the
plan. through the RIA.
As OF nov. the pan represents
only . line on 4 map. What it
win show. no one can say. But
oficials do emphasize that there
lis no intention to destroy the
good priRate development which
already has taken place. Moth
ing so drastic as the Southwest
|redevelOpmeTt areas - where
everything II razed and rebuilt
is contemplated.
Evening star., 1955-10-23

X
Maybe only Q single house that
lis marrfng q good block should
be torn down. Elsewhere, per-
|haps streets should be closed to
discourage heavy trafiic. Per-
haps land should be acquired for
q park or space for q library.
The plan spells out all these
things. including the useexist-
ing or new-to which each parcel
|of land In the area should be put.
To do the job. the Government
provides special powers of con-
demnation and special money
grants. It permits new types Of
financing LONG term with low
cash requirements-to stimulate
private development.
Consultants James Rouse and
IN. s. Keith mapped out about 4
dozen such areas In which the
District intends to set up projects
within the next 10 years. Foggy
Bottom was included.
Dropping Slum Stigma
Unlike most Of the others.
Foggy Bottom already ID NOV
ing swiftly away from the sium
stigma. pulling itself up by Its
own bootstraps.
urban renewal" advocates ar
que that this Is o great advant-
age. They say the existing I'M
proyements win be the heart Of
the renewal plan. They con-
tend Government win be called
upon to provide only q few Of the
powers unavailable to private en-
terprise to perfect the area.
Opponents. however. say they
want to be left alone and that.
with the kind Of private enter
prise which already has improved
the area. Foggy Bottom win be
renewed" naturally within q
few years.
Two concerns. Q check by The
Star indicated. ara chiefly re-
sponsible for this opposition:
/. A feeling that Government
Intervention win depress and de.
lay the renovation and improve
ment BY spreading confusion
and uncertainty among private
developers and financing sources.
Q. A fear that the renewal
plan may require different uses
Of land from those already IN
tended by investors who have
assembled tracts. This Is par
ticuiarly true among those who
have assembled land for big
commercial or apartment prof.
ects.
The original impetus for
urban renewal. In Foggy
Bottom. however. actually came
from the new residents of the
area itself. And the whole de-
Iyelopment cf the present state
OF general confusion is tied
closely to the dramatic change
that has taken place there.
Luid Out in 1863
Here's how 1t came about:
Fcggy Bottom was laid out
Evening star., 1955-10-23

ance compared to the eventual
dement's that would result.
John r. Searles. jr.. RIA al
rector. agreed. But he urged
that the Planning Commission
speed its planning as much as
possible.
Technically, he = explained.
there Is no freeze whatsoever on
amy development until the final
detailed renewal plan is adopted
Iby the Commissioners step
certainly several months away In
|Fosgy Bottom.
Mr.. Searles said he was conf
dent that q "very desirable plan
can be developed without dis
lturbing any Of the homes that
already have been restored"
Mr.. searles said his agency
ALSO felt there was o place In the
lFoggy Bottom residential area
for both singie-family homes and
apartments. The location Of
specific apartment sites In the
lplan, however, is the burning
question to developers who have
assembled land for that purpose.
Evening star., 1955-04-18
Crash Hurts II,
One Driver jailed

CAMDEN, N. j., April 18 (P).
The driver of a car which col
lided with a Baltimore-bound
bus on the Black Horse Pike at
nearby Mt. Ephrain was in jail
today on a charge OF atrocious
assault and battery.
The driver, Jack Woturski, SO.
of Philadelphia. was to be ar
raigned later today.
Seventeen persons were in
jured, two critically. in the COL
lision yesterday. Woturski, one
Of the injured, was arrested last
night when he reported at the
West Jersey Hospital for further
treatment. He had been exam
ined there earlier in the day and
discharged.
Reported in critical condition
today at West Jersey Hospital
were Thomas Giblin. IS. of San
Francisco, and Andrew Puska of
Philadelphia. They were pas
sengers In a car driven by Wor-
tuski, which police said collided
with the oncoming bus while
trying to pass another vehicle.
The bus was one of four in
q Catholic religious pilgrimage
that was returning from Phil
adelphia. Others injured were
Wortuski and Is women and a
7-year-old girl on the bus. All
were taken to Hospitals and
later DISCHARGED.
Evening star., 1955-04-18
Girl Kills Two Bulls
At Scene of Gorinq

CIUDAD ACUNA, Mexico.
April 18 (P.-The ring where
she was critically gored last year
apparently casts no spell on
Patricia Mccormick, girl bull
fighter.
She strobe fearlessly into it
yesterday and killed two bulls
to a tremendous ovation from a
capacity crowd. She fought and
dispatched the first with such
skill she won both ears and tail.
It was the second fight in the
comeback of the trim 24-year-
old Big Spring, Tex. girl--and
the first appearance in the arena
here since she was gored last
September 5.
Near death several weeks in
q hospital at Del Rio, Tex,
across the Rio Grande, she
vowed to return to the bullring.
Evening star., 1955-04-18
Democrats Act
On Delegation
Polling Rules
BY GOULD LINCOLN

Determined that the great
mass Of delegates to the party's
national convention shall suffer
wrong no more at the hands Of
TV-hungry colleagues. a Special
Advisory Committee has recon-
mended to the Democratic Ma
tional Committee changes in the
convention rules for polling
State delegations.
The abuse Of the polling priv
ilege In the 1852 Democratic
National Convention - which
forced roll call after roll call of
separate State delegations and
consumed hours of the conven-
tion's time, the committee found
indicates change in the rule
is desirable
The committee recommended
the adoption of a rule authoriz-
ing the chairman of the national
convention to send a represen-
tative to the delegation-where a
poll is demanded-to conduct
the poll. In the discretion Of the
chairman, the roll cali votes Of
the national convention are to
be continued instead of being
delayed by the polling of State
delegations, under the proposed
procedure, The practice in the
past Is to have q State delegation
polled-when . demand is made
by a delegate-by the chairman
Of the convention. thereby de-
laying a roll call Of the whole
body.
Third Can Ask Open Poll
Further. the Advisory Com
mittee recommended that "the
determination of the chairman's
49, - = l.
Evening star., 1955-04-18

to permit short addresses to
the convention by candidates
whose names are placed in nomi-
nation.
The Advisory Committee also
recommended changes in the
rules to speed up the considera-
ton Of credentials and contests
for delegate seats. and to speed
up the writing of the party's ma
tional platform for submission
to the national convention.
1t proposed. too, that the inn
portant committees of the con-
vention-on resolutions and plat
Evening star., 1955-04-18
COP. BristIes in Reply
To Attack by Truman

or the Reds across the Formoss
Strait.
THE Republican administra-
tion must have known MIR
Truman said. that the picture
Of an unleashed Chang Kali
shek invading China was q bare
faced political fraud"
Representative Judd, Republic
can, Of Minnesota. accused MIR.
Truman of speaking with the
facts concealed behind his own
nisstatements." Representative
Keating, Republican, of New
York called the speech q "most
unfortunate" setback to bipar-
tisanship in foreign policy.
Hall Raps "Peashooters"
Mr.. Hall. said in q separate
statement "the New Deal pea
shooters viii get nowhere" and
predicted efforts by the opposi-
ton ITO tear down President
Eisenhower would fail because
the public have learned. above
all. he is a man we can trust =
Senator Bridges. Republican,
of New Hampshire, said Mr.. Tru-
man had made o "vitriolic, par
tisan and unfounded attack on
Mr.. Eisenhower'S management
Of foreign policy. He attributed
to Mr.. Truman and Mr.. Steven
son partisan political pickering
:. to stir up something for
political profit for their hopes for
1856"
In a speech at indianapolis,
Senator Knowland. Republican.
of California. called upon Mr..
Truman to explain the order to
the 7th Fleet. which the Senator
declared made it possible for
the Chinese Communists TO move
their troops to Manchuria and
down to Korea"
Evening star., 1955-04-18
By the Associates Press

Former President Trurnan,s
accusation that the Eisenhower
administration is guilty Of politi-
cal trickery with serious foreign
and domestic issues brought
heated retorts yesterday from
G. o. P. ranks.
Neither vicious personal at
tacks on the President nor the
ridiculous efforts to undermine
his outstanding record in ONCE
will succeed" Chairman Leonard
w. Hall Of the Republican Ma
tional Committee said.
Mr.. Truman did not mention
Mr.. Eisenhower by name, but
delivered Q blistering attack on
his administration Saturday
night at a Democratic dinner
honoring House Speaker Sam
Rayhurn.
In q speech reminiscent of his
1948 give 'em hell' campaign
efforts, he charged the Eisen-
hover administration with bad
management. hlunders and with
trying political tricks with the
grave and serious issues of both
foreign and domestic policies"
Stevenson StiIl Silent
The $lo0- q plate dinner,
which attracted some $500
Democrats from all over the
country. climaxed a two-day
party rally during which the
national committee discussed
plans for the 1856 campaign.
The sessions produced no new
word on the intentions of Adlai
e. Stevenson. the former Illinois
Governor who lost to Mr.. Eisen-
hover in 1852. Mr.. Stevenson
has made it clear it will be sew
eral months before he decides.
He leaves from New York today
on months business trip to
Africa.
Mr.. Truman. lauding Rayburn
as "a great American, I. asked
his hearers not to forget how
soundly and securely we have
built this country so that it has
even been able to Withstand some
pretty bad management of the
country during the last two
years."
Assails Chang "Unleashing"
He said the present admins
tration ''has been playing politics
with our security, our foreign
policy, with our civil service and
with our Nations resources"
He assailed handling Of Mr..
Eisenhower's announcement in
1858 that the United States 7th
Fleet would no longer be as
signed to prevent any raids on
the Communist mainland by
Chang Kai-shek. That cam
celed a portion OF Mr.. Tru-
mans order. issued at the start
of the Korean war, designed to
prevent attacks by either Chang