Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-05-18

BE Bought-HistOry of the Struggle for the
Park-A Good Work Crowned with Sue
cess.
The National Rock Greek Park now extend
on both sides Of the creek to the District line,
President Cleveland yesterday having approved
the purchase Of ITO acres of wha: was known as
tract II. At a meeting Of the park commits
sion this afternoon the approval Of the Presi-
dent will be received and the few formal steps
required to complete the transfer will at once
be taken. This will probably occupy . week.
when the park will run from the northern
boundary of the Zoo to the Maryland line.
The new tract Of ITO acres will form the ex-
treme northern boundary Of the park. 1t is q
part Of the old Carroll estate and
will be purchased from Mrs. Aida Catherine
Brown, the daughter Of the lste William
Carroll, formerly clerk of the United States
Supreme Court, the price to be paid
being S375 acre, the price fixed
by the three appraisers appointed by the court.
On the eastern side Of Rock creek from tract
10 q strip Of land $50 feet wide has been
donated to the park commission by the Van
Riswick heirs and the Rock Creek Company,
thereby placing the stream entirely within the
boundaries Of the park.
The action Of the President yesterday in ap-
proving the new map Of the Rock Greek Park
commission renders it certain that the original
plan Of extending the park to the District line
will be carried out. The fight to obtain the
Rock creek region for the use OF .
public park has been . long one. and the
project has been bitterly opposed by line Of
opposition, not the least formidable Of which
has been the Iukewarmness Of Congressman and
Senator'S Energetic citizens in the District have,
however, continued to peg away at the project,
and the action of the President today assures
the carrying out Of the original plan, which
contemplated park along Rock creek
from the Zoo to the District line. The
greater portion of this had already been OBJ
tanned. although it was thought at one time
in order to get within the appropriation it
would be necessary to give up the
section at the extreme end Of the selected
tract This land was actually dropped from
the final map as approved by the
President. 1t has. however, since been
found possible to buy this property
in and still keep within the appropriation The
commission therefore, submitted the new map
to the President few days ago, and today the
President approved it. thus assuring park on
the FIRST considered lines.
LONG FIoHr.
As has been said, the action Of today IL only
the elimination of a long and arduous fight.
The first effort for Rock Greek Park was
made in the Thirty fifth Congress. when q bill
was introduced, and since that time each
Congress has seen one or more measures to the
same effect. In 1866 Maj. n. Michlsr, who had
been selected for the purpose. made an elabo-
rate report to the Senate on the beauties of
Rock creek and its adaptability for park pur-
poses. A bill was prepared on the lines Of this
report, providing for . park OF 100 acres,
but the affair lapsed and not re-
vived to any extent until November, 1888.
when W. ". Corcoran, VIM. Strong and Josiah
Dent Joined in q letter to the Commissioners
urging that the project be revived. This pub
lic-spirited letter, however, did not re-
suit in any good, and not until 1856
was the next step taken. Then the Com
on one Of the bills before Congress, providing
for a park. This bill only provided for the
plating Of q narrow strip on each side of the
creek and was favorabiv reported by commit
tees in 1856. 1887 and 1883. Meanwhile in the
latter year the Geological Park was provided
for.
Az tnlB tune. however. through the vigorous
advocacy Of The STAR. District citizens were
awaking to the fact that the park region was
being rapidly invaded by real estate
syndicates and that an early choice
was necessary as to whether tine wild beauty Of
the region was to be retained or the creek al
lowed to become a reeking open sewer. The cit
liens were not long in coming to a decision on
this point, and An irresistible popular move
ment in favor of the park at once in
4ad FL NJ Chavla
be given the credit of the first practical
work in the desired direction. Mr.. Glover i'll
terested other gentlemen and q bill was drawn
up and on January IL. 1889. public meeting
was attended at the Atlantic building bv many
of the most prominent OF the Districts citizens.
At this meeting the proposed park project WAS
enthusiastically Endorsed and an executive COM
mittee. consisting of &. S. Moves. B. II. Warner,
C. c. Glover. A. T. Britton, +. A. Richardson
and George E. Lemon, appointed. This COM
mittee went vigorously to work on the task of
educating Congress on the subject of
the advantages and needs Of the park.
The bill drawn up by the COMMITTEES was
introduced in the House in January 1889,
and was reported favorab!y by the District
committee on the Goth. The bill provided an
appropriation of 81, SOC. 900 10 purchase not to
exceed $500 acres. Vigorous efforts were made
to have this bill enacted in the Fiftieth Con-
gress. The citizens committee did able mis-
sionary work at the Capitol and were assisted
materially by MANY members of both the House
and Senate. Congress, however, while becom-
ing educated. had not vet reached the proper
point, and it was found impossible to enact the
law.
Promptly at the opening Of the Fifty-frst
Congress the fight was renewed and several
bills of varying character appeared. On Janu-
airy %. 1890. the Senate passed park bill intro
d1ced by Senator Sherman, which provided for
the issue OF $1,000, 900 OF District bonds
for the park. This bill was
modified by the House committee by which the
tract was limited to 1000 acres and the direct
appropriation of 200 COO made. ope-half TO
be paid BY the District This bill u vgor
ouslv debated in the House. AZ amend
ment assessing benefits to adjacent land
was adopted. and after the bill had
been once defeated it was finally passed on May
&c. In September both bodies agreed to the
conference report and on the 9th Of Septem-
Der the bill became a Law, having been signed
by the President.
FURTHER WORE
By the bill it was prov ided that the commits
sion for the park should consist Of the chief of
engineers, tine engineer commission and three
citizens, to By appointed by the Presi-
dent. At this time Gen. Thomas l..
Casey was chief of engineers and Col H. NJ.
Roberts Engineer Commissioner. The Presi-
dent promptly completed the board by ap-
pointing Gen. II. V. Bovnton, Prof. s. i.
Tor nd Nv