Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-10-04

| 1883. although in 1880 Capt Hoxie in a report
| had suggested turning the whole Rock Creek
valley into park with an ornamental lake and
reservoir by system of dams. November IL,
1883, W. w. Corcoran, W. Strong and Josiah
Dent Joined in letter to the District Commits
| sioners calling attention to the abandoned
project and urging 1.-The desirability and policy
| OF securing these grounds for q public park
without needless delay" Washington" they
| wrote, is now and is ever to be "a city of resi-
dences 1t is already inviting to the best
classes OF citizens in all parts of the country,
who are focking hither in considerable num-
6ers t. make this their permanent home.
| Everything thatadds to the city's attractions,
that renders life here more agreeable, seems
70 Is to be worthy of attention and to be Sc
cured, II practicable; that large park includ-
ing Rock creek and its adjacent hills and
woods. would be great additional attraction,
| afording, as 1t would charming drives and
| walks with constantly varying and beautiful
| scenery, n" one can doubt. The experience of
other cities has shown this. What has not
Central Park done for New York, Paramount
Park for Philadelphia, and Druid Hill for
Baltimore? They have greatly increased the
value Of property in those cities and stimulated
the influx of wealth and population. We be-
leve that the procurement of the proposed
Rock Creek Park would have like beneficial
I influence upon the future of our city, greater
even In degree, when it be considered that this
| Is to be a city of homes
| Nothing, however, was then done in the way
OF attempted legislation. Attention was called
10 the project again in January, 1886, by the
announcement OF an offer by Judge Ord to do
| nate twenty-five acres Of mis- land on Rock
| creek for the location Of a geological park and
pubic baths, but Congress did not avail itself
, OF the offer.
ANOTHER PARK BILL.
In the 49th Congress bill was offered in the
Senate authorizing the District Commissioners
to plat for condemnation a tract Of land not
exceeding one Thousand feet in width on both
sides OF Rock Creek, beginning at the intersec-
tlon OF Massachusetts avenue extended and the
Creek and extending to the boundary line of
the District. No appropriation was made the
bill requiring the Commissioners to report to
Congress the results Of their negotiations and
condemnation proceedings. On this bill, in
June, 1886, at the request of the Senate District
committee, the District Commissioners made
report stating that the plat Of the proposed
! park, as drawn, shows park one thousand feet
in width, from Lyons mills to the boundary of
the District The quantity of land included
was nine hundred and nineteen acres. Should
Congress desire to proceed further in the mat
| ter, they suggested, important notifications
would be made in the plan by a careful consid-
Grafton Of the topography Of the several por-
tions OF the proposed park. No uniform width
need be adhered to. Where the banks are
steep only such acreage would be required as
would suffice to control the crest and slopes
and provide for the construction of suitable
| drives. Where the elevations lie more remote
| from the banks OF the streem greater width
would be requisite.
favorable report was made on the bill to
the House January 81, 1887, by Mr.. Rowell
| from the District committee. The report said:
| The rapidly increasing population of the Dis
trlct OF Columbia, as well the constantly in
creasing value Of real estate, admonishes us
that If this tract Of country is to be reserved
for park purposes the quicker it is done the
better. That this section of the District, now
largely in primitive condition, ought to be
reserved for the use Of the public, in the inter-
est of health and Of making the national capital
as attractive as possible, your committee do
not doubt"
ALI the strong logic, whose force has since
been recognized, did not prevail then and the
Dill tailed. MIR. Ingalls, reintroduced the same
bill in the Senate December Is, 1887. January
9, 1888, Mr.. Rowell introduced it again in the
House. and 1t got 80 far this time as to have an
amendment attached to it declaring that in the
event the government failed to provide for the
payment for the land condemned within two
years then all proceedings under this act
should be void. A favorable report was made
on the bill by the District Commissioners and
also by the House District committee.
THE BIOLOGICAL PARK.
Meanwhile bills were introduced to establish
geological park along Rock creek-one by
Mr.. Beck April %, 1888, and which subse-
quently was attached to the sundry civil bill
and became a law. Another, introduced by
Senator Morrill, December 81 1888, was sub.
stantially the same, only il limited the choice
OF location to the region between the Woodley
road and the Klingle road, and considered the
possibility Of the creation OF q public park on
the creek, as it provided for cooperation Of the
regents OF the Smithsonian with tho commits
sioners Of the public park, in the event of the
establishment OF the latter, in the matter Of
laying out roadways through the two tracts.
While there was no antagonism between the
Geological Park project and the National Park
project, there was much confusion caused by
the appearance Of the Geological Park bill in
the minds Of legislators who did not ex-
anime the details Of the two measures. At
times members in debate would refer to the
greater park as menagerie. Undoubtedly
the work that had been done to create a senti-
ment for the Rock Creek Park fastened the
legislation resulting in the establishment Of
the Geological Park. When it was proposed to
attach the Rock Creek Park bill as an amend
ment to the sundry civil bill, members who
opposed it accepted the Geological Park bill
with its much smaller appropriation as an al
Tentative, and in this way il became q law.
During the discussion of the park project in
the House, August IS 1888, the proposal was
made in amendments offered by Messrs Can
non and Hopkins to assess the adjacent prop
erty and to charge half OF the cost of the park
to the District. The bill was then recommitted
and got no further consideration atthat time.
The EVENING star then urged editorially that
haste should be made to secure the land for the
park. No further steps were taken until late
in the fall OF the year, when the new movement
was begun in the manner already described.
The persistent efforts OF TIE STAR awoke the
community TO Q realizing sense Of the danger
Of losing the park. The new movement was
carried on by the committee Of citizens to
success.
THE HEHPHILL BILL.
The bill drawn up and approved by the citi-
Gems committee was introduced in the House
BY Mr.. Hemphill January IA, 1885, This bill
provided for purchase of tract Of land not
exceeding 500 acres, following the course Of the
creek, beginning at Woodley Lane bridge, Of
width not less at any point than 400 feet. The
chief Of engineers, the secretary of the Smith
sonian Institution and the Engineer Commits
sioner to the District were named a. the COM
mission to locate and purchase the park, with
the assistant Of the Engineer Commissioner 40
executive officer Of the commission. One-half |
of the cost Of the park, according to the bill, |
was charged to the District and the park when |
purchased was to be. under the control Of the |
District Commissioners.
The tenor Of debates In the House had con-
vinced those who we're urging the park pro-
ject that it would be quite impossib.e to get |
any measure through that did not propose TO
make the District pay one-hah of the cost
While this was considered unjust the citizens |
committee deemed IL wisest to secure the park |
ON the best terms possible and leave IL 70 Con. |
grsss in the future to mako amends for the !