Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-11-17
CITY AND DISTRICT.
GRAND NATIONAL PARK.
The Beautiful Valley of Rock Creek,
IT'S ADVANTAGES ski FORTH AZ A SITE poR . prR.
Lie PARK

The committee Of prominent citizens which
waited on the District Com nisSonsrs last week in
relation II the plan for grant PARK In the valley
OF Rock Creek, to-day submitted through ex-Com-
missioner Dent the following statement In writing,
as suggested By the commissioners
ITO The Honorable The Commissioners orthe District
uf Columbia.
The undersigned. acting for themselves, AM. rs
they believe. representing the wishes of very
large portion or the citizens OF Washington. y
ieNe TO submit the following for your favorable
conSi leration:
on the 18Th day of July, 1885, on motion OF the
non MI Hendricks, the Senate OF the United
sites unanimously adopted a resolution In
and grounds to Inquire for a suitable site
lor pubic park and also a suit lbie
convenience OF Access and Seaifh e',l'oi III
water ana capao'ilty OF adjournment, ami empower
make the necessary Investigations
In pursuance or this direction and authority the
committee selected Major \. Mirh!er. OF TN. coros
OF engineers, who was detailed for the purpose lbs
the Chief OF engineers, with the consent the gen
eral in chief Major Michler entered upon lnA dis
CHI urge OF the duty asst nei TO hin. and on the 10Th
or January. 1851, submitted hts report 10 the COIN
mittee.
The report is on file Mis- Doc No q of the sec
ont session Of the 39th Congress-, the whoe NJ
which we commend 10 your consideration. together
with the map accompanying IL. The committee
approved Major Mchler's report, and presented a
bill for the purchase condemnation OF the Ian Is
surveyed and delineatei on the man. park. hut
no action taken upon the bin. iScnate bli $40.
BY examining the bill and The report you VI Oh
serve Ihat IL proposed and strongly recommended
for the park the Lands along Rock creek and Its
branches. Including the valley Of the creek an the
adjacent hills ana pla:eauS each side Thereof,
tending distance uD the creek OF between TWO and
three miles. The quantity OF land proposed 10 he
taken Major Michler estimated AT about two thou
sand hve hundred ana forty acres. But he also
marked second series OF lines for grounds
OF more moderate dimensions, including about
one thousand eight hundred acres; The
the remarkable adaptation Of the grounds
for a public park: in their great natural beauty,
their capabty OF adornment. and their accessible
ity 10 both Washington and GEORGETOWN
The undersigned are profoundly impressed by the
desirabiity and policy OF securing these grounds for
| public park without needless delay. Washington
Is now, and IL Is ever to be- city OF residences 1t T.
already inviting to the best class OF citizens
in all parts OF the country. who are flock
Ing hither in considerable numbers 10 make
TINS their permanent home. Everything that
adds TO the citys attractions. that renders life
attent1 on and to be secured If practicable. That a
large park, including Rock creek and It's adjacent
hills and woods, would be great additional attrac
tion-alforiing, as il would, charming drives ard
walks, with constantly varying and beautiful
scenery-no one can doubt The experience OF
Park done for New York. Faimount Park toi
Philadelphia, and Druid HUI for Baltimore.
Ihey have greatly Increased the value OF property
IN those cities, and stimulated the influx OF wealth
| ana population. We believe that the procurement
OF the proposed Rock Creek park would have like
Oeucnclal influence upon the future or our city
greater even In degree, when IL be considered thai
this Is TO be city OF homes
IL would doubtless add to the value OF property
In all parts or the city, and immensely the value
or the rural property adjacent to near the eA
terror lines or the park. We do not, however, pro
pose TO describe at length the benefits that would
result from the aclul iltlon and establishment
| the park. They must be apparent to your honor
able body, sufficiently tO demonstrate the wis
dom OF making one early effort to secure them.
IL Is believed that the title to the lands needed
| can now be obtained at a reasonable cost, much
less than would he required some three years hence
ana In the aggregate imposing no considerable
| burden upon the city'S resources A large part al
the grounds needed, though admirable for a pub
lie park, Is worthless for agricultural or building
uses, ana most Oh IL Il und .srabe for residences IN
Its present condition. Bu the establishment or the
park would add greatly u the value OF the land,
surrounding it; would make them very desirable
Tor rural Residences, AMI, In fact. would
prove a bonus the owners of such
surroundings IL may be presumed. there
tore, they would sell to the city such portions
the ir lands may be Included in the park ior a
very moderate price or even donate them. has
been done In some elsewhere. IL is also con
sheraton OF much weight that whatever money Is
needed for the acquisition of the title read
ily DE obtained at very low rate OF interest rate
not exceeding three per cent. and N not
mistaken In our convictions the increased value u
property In the city caused ny the establishment Ol
The PARK. and the consequent Increase OF revenue
VIII more than counLerbllance the interest the
cost.
In view OF these considerations the undersigned
respectfully request your honorable board TO IN Ike
application to Congress at Its coming session for
authority TO acquire the title to the land, de-
scribed, for puolc national park, and they Will
ever pray, &c.
lSigneds W. W. CoRCoRAN.
w. STRONG.
JOSIAH DENT.