Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-10-13

OF THE APPROPRIATION.
The Rock Greek Park commission will meet
again this afternoon and it is expected the pre-
liminary work of the commission will be 20 far
advanced whom the meeting 10 over that the
commissioners will be prepared to 20 out into
the field and begin to lay out their
lines Col Robert was unable to attend
the first meeting two weeks ago on
account Of illness, and his continued indisposi-
ton will prevent his being present today. The
other members of the commission, Gen. Casey,
Gen. Boynton, Prof. Langley and Mr.. R. Ross
Perry, will probably begin at once the investi-
cation Of the subject on the field.
Capt. Rossell, who by law is the executive
officer OF the commission, was requested at
| the last meeting to lay down tentative or ex-
perimental lines for the proposed park to form
basis for the work of tho commission. Ac-
cordinR to law the ground to be taken
MUST NOT EXCEED TWO THOUSAND ACRES,
and between Klingle Ford bridge, the southern
limit Of the park, and the Blagden mill road,
which is about a mile away along the tortuous
creek, the width of the park is to be at no
point greater than l, 200 feet nor less than 600,
Of which not less than 200 feet shall be on either
side of the creek.
Capt. Rossell has laid out two sets Of lines
which he will submit to the commission, both
OF which, 80 far as area is concerned, meet the
requirements Of the law. He provides in both
Ford bridge and the Blagden Mill road
by laying out two hundred feet
on the east side or left bank of the creek and
1000 feet on the west side. This preference is
given to the west side, both on account Of the
topography and the fact that the ground can,
Capt Rossell thinks, be purchased for less
money
!, Looking on the map one can see that from
the point of the northern limit of this narrow
strip the Blagden Mill road and the Broad
creek and extending in northcasterly
direction, while the Broad Branch
road extends northwestcrly. Capt Ros-
sell proposes as one tentative plan
to follow these roads out in Zach direction to
points that will be about five thousand feet
apart Then this plan proposes to run two
lines parallel with each other and with the line
OF the creek, out the Distric, line.
THE PROPOSED BOUNDARIES.
In other words, the proposed park will have
the District line as its northern boundary and
two parallel lines, 5000 feet apart for the east
and west boundaries, the southern bounda-
ries being the Broad Branch and BlaGden
Mill road down to the point where the
narrow strip extending from the Blagden Mill
road 20 Klingle Ford bridge begins This plan
covers l. 80 acres OF ground leaving a margin
of 20 acres for necessary changes that might 10
made. The park from DlaGden Mill road TO the
District line would lie about mile wide and
three miles long Capt Rosse!l, speaking to a
STAR reporter today. expressed the opinion
that this was all the plan tho commission W ould
need in its experimental work. OF course
there may be many canscs that will lead them
to change the lines at different points.
The second plan lald down does not so by
straight lines Of course. the little strip at
the south end of the park remains the same.
Then the line spreads out along the Broad
Branch road to the Rock Creek Ford road on
the west and along the Bagden Mill
road on the east. South of Brghtwood the
park according TO this plan lies chiefly OH the
west side Of the creek. above north of
Brightwood. the lines on the east side extend
out toward the 7th street road and there is a
corresponding decrease i'll the width of the
ground taken in on the west side of
tho park. This variation is made because in
the southern part the ground east of the creek
is already held Mt such figures that there is
doubt whether il could be obtained within the
figures justified by the law, while above
Brightwood the region east OF the creek is not
only well adapted for park purposes, but, Capt
Roesell thinks. can be bou.
WITHIN THE LIMITS OF THE APPROPRIATION.
The park, as laid out, includes the old fort
near the junction OF the Military road and the
Daniels road. Capt. Rossell, speaking of this,
said he thought the old fort. which was one of
about the city, should DC preserved.
/ 1t would. he thought. become an interesting
feature of the park. The other old earth forts
have nearly all disappeared before the
march of improvement Capt. Rossell
has had prepared for the members OF
the commission field maps OF the
park region. mounted so that they can be car
ried in their pockets He thinks the next step
will be Reconnaissance of the region by the
commissioners in person. either on horseback
or aioot. Much OF the region Is inaccessible to
carriages there being no roads.
GEN. BcYNToN WILL BE PRESENT.
Gen. Boynton, who nearly ever since the first
meeting of the commission has been
absent from the city on business
connected with his duties as COM
missioner OF the Chickamauga park has
returned. and viii be present at the meeting
this afternoon.
Gen. Boynton laughingly remarked today
that he did not think the business of condo mn
ing other people $ properly was likely to make
man very popular.
Mr. II. Ross Perry since the last meeting has
consulted the treasury officials and will be able
20 report to his colleagues today a satisfactory
understanding as to the financial matters of
the commission. the forms to be- followed &c
Mr. Perry said today that he thought the
commission would be ready after today's meet
ing to go at once into the field. He
expected all appointment would be maj de
this afternoon for meeting Of the
commissioners on the ground. 1t was his
opinion that they would explore the region,
pick out as they went along tho most pictur-
esque parts and then try 20 lay the lines 20 as
to include these parts.
The commission will be aided somewhat
ia its preliminary examination by stakes that
were driven along the banks Of the creek in
the lower portion of the proposed park by Mr.
Biagden. These stakes mark tho distances
from the creek at different points
THE LAW PROVIDES
that when the commission has mapped out the
park and filed the map with the recorder of
deeds the ground included within the lines
shall be held as condemned.
1t is claimed. however, that the title of the
ground will not finally be vested in tho United
States until the owners have been compensated.
The commission AZ they 60 along will get
the best advice possible as to tho value of the
land and include within their lines only 80
they can get, can be purchased for the 81 ,2OO,-
600 appropriated.
In case o jury Of condemnation makes awards
exceeding their estimates the area of the park
will have to be cut down unless Congress makes
further provision. 1t is thought that much of
the land will be acquired through condemnation
proceedings in court, although there are some
pieces which may be purchased by agreement
with the owners.
Accident to Prof. BischofE:
Prof. Bischoff the well-known organist, was
run over on Saturday night and badly injured.
He was taken to the music rooms of the Con-
prepatiopol Cburcb and tban ro,,orod - H.,