Place of proposed event: An area west of 17th Street, N.W. and north of westbound Independence Avenue to be agreed upon by the staffs of the applicant and the National Park Service. Estimate of number of persons expected to attend: 2,000–3,000. Statement of equipment and facilities to be installed by applicant for use in connection therewith: Pre-fabricated shelters; sanitary facilities; water; eleetricity; telephone, connection to existing sewers for waste disposal; etc. We shall be available to furnish such additional information as you may require in the processing of this application. Very truly yours, FRANK D. REEVES, Chairman, Legal Services Committee. Of the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc., as Chief Counsel for the Poor People's Campaign of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. OTHER PERMITS GRANTED Mr. Dowdy. Mr. Castro, there is another thing that came up recently about other permits and the committee has had complaints about the Park Service issuing permits for these demonstrators. whether hippies or whatever they are, to set up a tent on "P" Street. Mr. CASTRO. Yes, sir. Mr. DOWDY. It was indicated that the group wanted to set up a tent along the Mall like Resurrection City, but this was refused and a permit was granted for them to set up a tent on "P" Street. Is this correct? Mr. CASTRO. A permit was granted to an organization for a demonstration last Saturday afternoon on "P" Street. This is an area open for demonstrations in the Park System. This permit was issued in accordance with our policy and regulations. Mr. DOWDY. Can you tell me when a policy was established to open up areas for purposes of demonstrations? Mr. CASTRO. I don't know how far back this goes but we have certain areas in the Park System that are closed to demonstrators and certain areas that are open. The "P" Street area happens to be one that is open. Mr. DowDY. Is there something in the Federal regulations to that effect that has been published in the Federal Register? Mr. CASTRO. It is a part of the Code of Federal Regulations, Part 50, Section 36. Mr. DOWDY. Part 50? Mr. CASTRO. Part 50, Section 36. I am sorry, it is CFR 36, Part 50. Mr. DowDY. You gave them a permit to set up a tent, is that right? Mr. CASTRO. Our Superintendent of the Central National Parks did that but I take the responsibility for it. Mr. DowDY. I understand they plan to hold other meetings at Dupont Circle. Mr. CASTRO. Permits are not required there. Dupont Circle is an open area. If they wanted to have a demonstration in Lafayette Park they would need a permit, and many times we have refused to issue permits for Lafayette Park and for other closed areas as well. Mr. Dowdy. Are there any rules and regulations at all as to what kind of demonstrations they can hold in these open places you referred to? Mr. CASTRO. All the regulations prescribed for the administration of the parks obtain in regard to any demonstration permit that is issued. The regulations are pretty extensive. They cover practically every situation. For example, they cannot under permit or otherwise do things that could be irregular or immoral or otherwise out of character, but demonstrations within the Park System have been authorized long before I appeared on the scene, sir. Mr. Dowdy. Information has come to me that at Dupont Circle they have marijuana parties on occasion. Mr. CASTRO. I don't know about that. I know on occasion our police have made a number of arrests for drug traffic at Dupont Circle, as they have in other places. Mr. DOWDY. Mr. Nelsen. Mr. NELSEN. I notice that the site of Resurrection City has not been restored. It looks like a part of my farm. When will you start restoring that area? Mr. CASTRO. The work was started on restoring the area the afternoon the people of Resurrection City were evicted. Within two hours after their eviction the work on restoration was begun. We have resodded 12 acres of that area and we have quite good looking turf there now. I believe the part you are referring to is the part close to Independence Avenue, and there we are taking advantage of the availability of top soil to fill in the area. We have had a problem there for years. During heavy rains, bogs develop there and we are taking advantage of the availability of top soil to fill that in. COSTS OF RESTORING CAMP SITE Mr. NELSEN. Is there any estimate of the cost of restoring the area which was occupied by Resurrection City? Mr. CASTRO. We spent $35,000 restoring the turf. We spent $71,795 dismantling the structures and hauling them out and storing them. We recovered $5,500 from the sale of lumber. We have the $5,000 they deposited in lieu of bond. We have asked the Southern Christian Leadership Conference to reimburse us for our $71,795. They have not responded and as of September 25 I turned the matter over to the Department Solicitor for action. Mr. NELSEN. Did the government buy that lumber? Mr. CASTRO. No, they furnished that lumber themselves. We merely dismantled the structures built with it and stored it at Fort Belvoir until it was sold. We recovered $5,500 from the sale of the lumber and are holding that amount in a trust fund. Mr. NELSEN. How did you happen to sell the lumber, if it wasn't yours? Mr. CASTRO. It was sold with the concurrence of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, and it is on deposit in a trust fund pending the settlement of the whole issue. Mr. NELSEN. Where was the lumber purchased? Mr. CASTRO. Mr. Nelsen, I would judge some of it was purchased locally. I honestly don't know. They hauled it in themselves and constructed the structures with it. Mr. NELSEN. That is all. Mr. DowDY. I read something in the newspapers of course I don't know the facts of the matter that the Southern Christian Leadership Conference is planning to sue the government for the recovery of the money the lumber was sold for and also for their $5,000 deposit. Is that correct? Mr. CASTRO. Mr. Chairman, I have no way of knowing what they plan because we have had no communication with them in respect to that. We have asked them to reimburse us for the cost of dismantling the structures and hauling away and storing the lumber. Mr. DowDY. Have you asked them for reimbursement for restoring the turf? Mr. CASTRO. We have not. Our lawyers felt that came within the provision of the permit covering normal wear and tear. Mr. DOWDY. $35.000 worth of normal wear and tear? Mr. CASTRO. Yes, sir. Mr. DowDY. There is a statue in the area that was damaged, was there not? Mr. CASTRO. The D.C. War Memorial was defaced by some of the participants in the exercise and it cost $200 to restore it. Mr. DOWDY. Have you asked them to reimburse you for that? Mr. CASTRO. Yes. That represents part of the $71,795 claim we have against them. Mr. DowDY. Could you furnish us a statement of the expenses incurred in connection with this Resurrection City exercise? Mr. CASTRO. I will be delighted to, sir. Mr. Dowdy. And the amount of reimbursement, if any, so far. That would be at most $10,500. Mr. CASTRO. We will be glad to, Mr. Chairman. (The information follows:) Hon. JOHN L. MCMILLAN, UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, NATIONAL PARK SERVICE, Washington, D.C., October 8, 1968. Chairman, Committee on the District of Columbia, DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: During the continuation of hearings by your Committee on H.R. 14430 and 14448, "To establish a Commissioner of Police for the District of Columbia," National Park Service Regional Director Nash Castro, the witness for the Department of the Interior, was asked to supply certain information to the Committee for the record. Mr. Castro was first asked to provide a copy of the permit which was granted by the Interior Department to the Southern Christian Leadership Conference for the Poor Peoples' Campaign. We understand that Mr. Castro supplied a copy of this document on October 1. Mr. Castro was also requested to provide a statement of expenses incurred by the Government as a result of the demonstration. including costs incurred by the District of Columbia Department of Traffic and Highways and by the General Services Administration. That statement is enclosed herewith. During the hearing, Mr. Castro referred to authority for the granting of such a permit by the Department, and for the regulation of the activities of the permittee. A copy of Title 36 of the Code of Federal Regulations was requested by Mr. Dowdy. Section 50 of that title is enclosed and, as you have noted, reflects a revision of the regulations since the Committee copy of CFR was issued.1 We hope this information will assist the Committee, and we appreciate the opportunity to supplement our testimony. Please inform us if any further information is required. Sincerely yours, Enclosures (Sgd) FRANK E. HARRISON, Assistant to the Director. 1 These regulations are reprinted in the Appendix, pp. -. NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION TOTAL EXPENDITURES INCURRED IN CONNECTION WITH Poor People'S CAMPAIGN 5/11-7/31/68 (FINAL) Mr. Dowdy. We also have some figures from the District of Columbia Government, of their costs, and other pertinent information, which we will insert into the record at this point. (The material referred to follows:) COSTS TO THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA OF THE POOR PEOPLE'S CAMPAIGN [As summarized by the Government of the District of Columbia, Finance Office, July 8, 1968] 1 Cost related to the death of 1 of the Poor People at the Department of Agriculture. 2 In addition it is estimated that $106,516 in Federal funds have been spent to date. This does represent the major cost to the District of Columbia for the Poor People's Campaign. However, we have estimated that there will be some additional cost as follows: Department of Corrections. $3,600 120, 333 1 Also it is estimated that they will need additional Federal funds amounting to $40,667. The following indicates the types of expenses incurred through June 29, 1968: 1 Represents payment to Travelers' Aid for transportation of indigent nonresidents to their homes. The Department will be reimbursed for this expense from private sources. The following Agencies and Departments did not report any cost either direct or indirect for the Poor People's Campaign: Alcoholic Beverage Control Board Administration of Parole Laws Administration of Wage, Safety and Hour Laws Filing and Recording of Property and Corporation Papers Public Service Commission Planning and Zoning Metropolitan Area Transit Commission Board of Appeals and Review Commissioner's Youth Council Office of Community Renewal Commissioner's Council on Human Relations Metropolitan Area Transit Authority Board of Elections Occupations and Professions Public Library Veteran's Affairs Office of the Surveyor D.C. Court of Appeals D.C. Tax Court U.S. Courts Legal Aid Agency National Guard Public Schools Washington Technical Institute Federal City College Recreation National Zoological Park Vocational Rehabilitation No attempt has been made to pro-rate the cost to the Executive Office or the City Council for the Poor People's Campaign. This is the sixth report. Since the Poor People's Campaign has ended we will consider this to be the final report relative to the cost of the Campaign. |