Evening star., 1955-04-27
By JOHN w. STEPP

0g oOIIAN = Ia
The bid of National Capital
Parks for funds to build a road
through Battery Kemble Park
has triggered the biggest battle
this 95-year-old Civil War fort
has ever seen.
NCP has requested Congress
to appropriate $344. 1000 for grad
ing a proposed dual-lane park
way of 1.1-mile length of the
park between Macarthur boule-
ward and Nebraska avenue.
Another S312,500 is sought to
construct a highway bridge just
inside the park below the inter-
section of Nebraska avenue and
Foxhall road NV. to facilitate
traffic movements at that point.
Both these items occur in the
budget requests of the Interior
Department for the fiscal year
beginning July l. They would
provide a start to the long
planned 23-mile Fort Drive belt
route just inside the perimeter
Of the District line.
The House, after hearings,
approved both proposals. They
now are pending before the In
terror subcommittee of the Sem
ate Appropriations Committee.
The Senate subcommittee report
is due early next week.
Residents Wrathful
Residents of the area, one of
Washington'S wealthiest, have
risen in wrathful opposition to
the road improvement plan.
I'VE need the road through
the park like a hole in the
head" declared Richard Eng
land, a businessman, who lives
at 1882 Chain Bridge road, over
looking the 56-acre wooded park.
Mr.. England, an official of the
Palisades Park Citizens Associa-
ton, is a leader in the opposition
move.
Battery Kemble, one Of the 81
Civil War forts ringing the city,
was simply a convenient hill
for placing a couple of guns" to
protect the approaches to the
city from the neighborhood of
Chain Bridge, Mr.. England said.
There was never any action
there, and it would be just as
appropriate today to construct
q superhighway connecting the
various anti aircraft stations
which defended Washington dur
ing World War H." he added.
For the Districts part, the
proposed road-building does not
figure in the city's 10-year public
works improvement program.
Spencer Doubtful
Commissioner Samuel Spen-
Ger, who lives in the vicinity of
the park and who said he re-
ceived a number of calls from
irate neighbors yesterday, as
serted his belief that the NCP
construction funds request
"seems rather premature"
Mr.. Spencer said he conferred
with District Highway Director
John N. Robertson and with the
NCP Office yesterday to gain in
formation on the subject.
Highway Director Robertson
explained that the Battery KEN.
BILE section OF Fort Drive is un.
necessary for handling traffic
until such time as a bridge across
the Potomac River between tht
outlet of the park and the Vir.
ginia shore-a Nebraska Avenue
Bridges built.
A bridge in this vicinity Is thl
most logical Of upriver sites, h
said. But, he added. citing
recent engineering consultant'
report, such q span has onl.
third priority. after Potoma'
crossing in the downtown ares
and the proposed Jones Poin
Bridge between Alexandria ant
the opposite Maryland shore.
Not in 1852 List
The Regional Highway Plan
ming Committee. in 1852. recon-
mended that parts of Fort Driv
be built, but not in the immedi
ate future. And none of thes
included Battery Kemble Park
National Capital Parks seem
unruffied by any Of these reac
lions and recommendations.
Harry T. Thompson, assistan
superintendent, takes this view
supported all along the line b.
the National Capital PLANNING
Commission, National Parl
Service and the Interior Depart
ment:
The Mcmillan Commission o
1901, named by Congress to de
sign a park program for tn
Nations Capital, urged roa
linking the Civil War forts.
Since 1926, the National Cap
ltal Planning Commission. unde
congressional authority, has &C
quired all but couple Of sma
parcels necessary to complet
roadway ring around the cit
through the forts.
Fort Drive is in line with on
of the basic concepts Of recap
turing the spirit of L'Enfan
clearing the Mall and providin
a proper setting for the. gres
memorials of this city" M
Thompson said. THE Batter
Kemble park area is the fy'
part of it,"
The drive would serve dou
BILE purpose: Offering a mean