Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-10-25

held at Chincoteague, Va.
The speakers cited the al
most impossible costs Of pro-
Fiyt Of Two orioles based On a
recent panel discussion On Assa-
teasus lsload.
viding safe and adequate
drinking water, sewerage facili-
ties and protection from storms
should the Maryland portion Of
AsSateague be left to private
development.
Speakers included E. winton
Perkins, chief Of the Planning
and Survey Division Of the In
terror Departments Bureau of
Outdoor Recreation; Walter A.
Gresh, regional director Of the
United States Fish and Wildlife
Service; Roy Tolbert, secre-
tary-treasurer Of the Chin
colleague ASsateague Bridge
and Beach Authority, who took
part In q panel discussion on
the island; and Louis L. Gold
stein, Maryland controller, who
spoke at an evening session.
Subdivision Called Folly
The Bureau Of Outdoor Re-
creations studies showed the
folly Of trying to have q subdi-
vision type Of development on
the island, Perkins told the
group.
The two alternatives for use
Of AsSateague are private real
estate development and dual
development by Maryland and
the Federal government, he
said.
The studies concentrated
principally on water supply, its
safety and amount; problems
Of sewage disposal; cost Of pro-
tecting the island from storms
by dune construction; and the
relative economic benefits to
Worcester County, Nd, by pri-
vate development.
Shallow Wells Dangerous
As far as water is concerned,
investigation showed that shall
low wells on Assateague are
subject to contamination by
septic tanks and by salt water,
Perkins said.
Lesser storms than the 1862
hurricane have contaminated
wells on the island, he pointed
out.
Good water can be reached
by deep well digging which
would not be economically fea-
Sible for private ownership and
any such developments proba-
bly, would have to rely on COM
munal wells, Perkins said.
Some parts Of the island are
high enough for septic tanks to
work satisfactorily. the plan
ming chief declared, but inves-
tigation by Maryland sanitary
engineers showed that only 16
per cent Of the island available
for private development is
above the 7-foot elevation-the
minimum at which septic tanks
could be used satisfactorily.
Dunes Are Expensive
As for dune protection of the
island from storms, Perkins
said studies by the Army Eng
ineer Corps and experts hired
by Maryland agreed that
dunes IA feet high, so feet
across the top and a seaward
slope of / to 20 would be re-
quired -and that 16 feet
would be greatly preferable.
There are various estimates
to the costs Of such dunes, he
said, but similar dunes at Fire
Island National Seashore cost
81 million per mile.
Maryland Highway engineers
estimated the cost Of a 14-foot
dune at 100000 per mile. TAX
ing this lower figure, building
the dunes would cost SIS mil
lion, based on an estimate of Is
miles requiring such protection.
Perkins said the cost of this
type Of program to private in
terestS would make it very diff
ficult to provide proper protec-
ton.
WiIdlife Refuge Stays
Should the plan for public
ownership materialize, the por-
ton Of AsSateague envisioned
by Maryland as a State park
would be one devoted to inten-
sive use. There would be park
ing lots, beach houses, SWIM
ming, games and the other fea-
lures found in a public park.
The Chincoteague Wildlife
Refuge. which occupies the
Virginia end Of the island
would stay, and its recreational
opportunities would remain
much as they are now, Perkins
said. This means they would be
primarily Of the walk in type"
- FAIR ]