Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-12-04
Glass PoIoce' Ruin Seen
As Little Pentoeon' Site
BY GEORGE KENNEDY


On the eve of decision as to
whether the Central Intelligence
Agency is to move from Foggy
Bottom to a bluff on the Virginia
side of the Potomac, this corre-
spondent and photographer ex-
plored the site.
The route is across Chain
Bridge and UP the hill on the
road to the right. After about 2
miles there is sign on the right,
Public Roads Research Station. "
We drove in on a park-like road
that, after about a half mile
loops around two large brick
buildings in which road mate
rails are tested.
This installation will not be
changed if CHA locates on the
property, we learned. CHA will
use the wooded area on the right
of the entrance road, the ole
Letter tract.
Endeavoring to get to the river
we went into the woods beyond
the Public Roads Buildings anc
came upon a farmhouse anc
huge dairy barn that apparently
had not been used for years. A
man there told us the best view
Of the river was from the ruin;
Of the mansion and showed US 9
road through the woods in the
downstream direction along thu
river bank which would take III
there.
Pile Of Steel and Stone
After going through a little
hollow in the woods we came
upon the old entrance road. still
in good condition. and turned to
the left. In a minute We came
upon twisted steel and toppled
stone. Thus pass the glories OF
this world, as the Latin poet
said. This was all that was left
of Joe Letters Glass Palace.
once the finest home on the Po-
tomac. Here the heir to millions
and his beautiful wife. the
former Juliette Williams. enter
tanned in the days when an
automobile trip to the palisades
of the Potomac was something
of an adventure.
Joseph Letter, who died in
1882. inherited many Of the
millions amassed by his father,
Levi z. Letter. a Chicago con-
temporary and occasional aSso-
ciate of Marshall Field in bust
ness deals. Levi Letter built the
big house on Dupont circle, now
the site of the Dupont Plaza
apartments.
His son, Joseph. who was
president of the Washington Gas
Light Co. for a time. was very
interested in the possibilities OF
the Potomac Gorge. He was a
member Of a syndicate that
bought the Washington q Old
Dominion Railroad and the
Great Falls (Va.D amusement
park, connecting them with a
spur line and running picnic ex-
cursions from Georgetown across
the old Aqueduct bridge.
The Glass Palace was aban-
doned after Joseph Letters
death and in 1886. in acquiring
land for the George Washington
Memorial Parkway. the govern
ment took 1t over for taxes.
There were 1877 acres in the tract,
which the Government has since
expanded to more than TOO acres
by buying the Reid farm to the
west (the property used by the
Public Roads Bureau.
House Burned in AS
The house burned in February
l945, providing one OF the most
spectacular blaZes ever seen in
the Potomac Valley.
In the % years since Mr.
Letters death, the property has
become a dense woodland. The
Glass Palace once had a beauti-
full view of the river but 1t is
marred by underground and
saplings today something that
can easily be corrected in re-
handspring the place..
In the controversy that has
arisen since Mary Lou Werner,
The Stars Fairfax reporter, first
revealed that CHA was planning
to move into the county, Allen
w. Dulles, director of the agency
has been accused of aestheticism
This much is true: He certainly
has selected a beautiful site.
Tomorrow the National Capt.
tai Regional Planning Council
will meet to decide on a report
on this matter to the National
Capital Planning Commission
That body in turn will meet or
December Is and approve or dis
approve the site selected by the
agency.
Even If NCPC disapproves, the
decision Is up to Mr.. Dulles ano
he Is In a strong position to make
it. He has an authorization Il
construct a group Of building.
to cost about $50 million. He has
an appropriation of SIS million
as good as a like balance in Q
checking account, to begir
works. million for preliminary
studies or whatever Is necessary
to get going.