Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-06-16
70 Irate Citizens
Defend Plan for
Old Stencil
Plead Against Bill
To Ruze Structure
In Georgetown

Citizens and representatives Of
civic and professional groups
fiocked to the defense of the
Interior Departments plans for
renovating Georgetown's Old
Stone House yesterday at a
House subcommittee hearing.
The irate group-numberiug
at times some 20 defenders-met
In the New House Office Build
ing to testify before the Interior
Public Lands Subcommittee.
Their pleading was against q
bill introduced by Representative
Rogers, Democrat Of Texas,
which would prevent the Interior
Department from spending &c.,
400 to turn the Old Stone House,
at 305l M street NV. into a
museum with a small garden
about it.
$4,000 ON Purchase
Already the department has
spent $4,000 to acquire the
property. Mr.. Rogers bill would
force the Government to sell
the structure in an effort to re-
cover most Of that.
In 1850 Congress authorized
the purchase of the building,
which is said to be the only COM
plete example of mid-18th
Century architecture lett in the
District.
Mr.. Rogers said he regards
the matter as a raid on the
Federal Treasury but that he is
definitely not opposed to the
restoration. He feels, he added,
that such a job should be done
by private organizations.
Representing interested groups
against the Rogers proposal,
however, were persons from the
Progressive Citizens Associa-
ton Of Georgetown, the George
town Citizens Association, the
National Society of the Colonial
Danes in the District of Column
bia, the National Trust for His
toric Preservation, the District
Of Columbia Federation of
Women's Clubs, the Daughters
Of the American Revolution, the
American Institute of Architects,
the Historic Georgetown, Inc,
and others.
Not all of the delegates testi-
fed. Some rose to favor a pre-
vious bit of testimony. Others,
who couldn't be heard yesterday
morning. never returned after
lunch.
Verbal Exchanges
Representative Rogers engaged
In verbal battles with most of
them over the question of Fed
eral financing.
Mrs. Harold B. Hinton, presi-
dent of the Progressive Citizens
Association, declared the Gov
eminent had a duty to protect
buildings in the District which
are related to its history.
She declared its educational
value would be great and that
1t would show the future how the
craftsman in the mid l7OOs lived.
Mr.. Rogers declared that one
OF the interested groups could
have picked up the check. Mrs.
Hinton, however, declared they
didn't have enough money.
Authenticity Verified
Richard H. Rowland, president
Of the National Trust for His
toric Preservation, testified as to
the authenticity of the structure
and declared his group-if asked
would do its best to help
finance its maintenance after
renovation.
Armistead Peter III, a vice
president of the Progressive Cit
liens Association Of Georgetown,
declared this Nation is behind
other countries in the preserva-
ton Of landmarks and structures
Of architectural and historical
importance.
Col. William E. Shepherd, pres
tdent Of the Georgetown Citizens
Association and a retired archi-
tect, said the building is the only
single. standing structure in the
District which is an example of
architecture from the pre-Rev-
olutionary period