Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-12-05
Vandalism I'm Rock Creek Park.

To the Editor of The Evening STAR
Now that we have tract of land rich
in every natural advantage necessary to
constitute a perfect park, and as IT Is ap-
parent that money cannot be obtained for
the purpose of making 1t available. much
less for providing artificial attractions
every effort should, beyond doubt, be made
to protect the property and the admirable
natural features and advantages thereof.
l refer, of course, to Rock Greek Park.
regret to be obliged to report from my
personal observation some serious damage
which has been done, but not by and with
the consent of the commissioners in charge
thereof, 1 hope Yet the trespass has been
serious, from my standpoint, and so alb
solutely wrong that 1 cannot but think
that they must have permitted the COM
mission thereof The OLD Blagden MILL
built of stone in a substantial manner
more that hundred years ago, is now
being destroyed and one of the buildings
was pulled to pieces purely for the pur-
pose OF using the material for the founda-
ton OF a bridge near at hand. Is this
right? Ought this to be permitted? With
in the recollection of some OF the older
people now living large and profitable
business was transacted at this point. The
mill was propelled by the extensive water
power provided at this point by the rapidly
flowing Rock creek stream. Then our flour
was made here IN that way and sold IN
Washington; now IT is made in Minnesota
and sold here.
Steam has taken the place of the water
power, and these old substantial, and, /
might say, everlasting, stone buildings are
actual illustrations of the great stride and
change of our mode, manner and places In
the manufacture of our staple article of
food. and apart from that, these old build
ings are quaint, curious and interesting to
lit -. 81
mire so much all that is natural in this
park, and these features are so old that
they appear to have been created when the
beautiful rocks were made to protrude
from the hillsides VIII any one say that
these "reminiscences ought to be destroyed?
Formerly, in many places through the
park handsome powders of flint rock
could be found, which are certainly one of
the striking features of rural park. These
have, L may say, been removed, broken up
and crushed, and L now find thousands OF
cubic yards of this broken flint stone pre-
pared therefrom for the various roadways
of the District outside of this park. And
now these natural diamonds which were so
ornamental to the steep hillsides, and
which We're so evident of benefcent nature,
can no longer be seen. / am only one of
many thousands who appreciate such
things. The beautiful Broad branch
stream, can be seen Immediately bordering
upon Broad Branch road for a distance
of mile, and admired for the ra-
putty with "nlcn the water nOWS over the
great rocks which were then forming ed
dies and cascades all along the line
And yet l am obliged to say that many
OF the large and some of the hanlsoineSt
rocks have been removed from the bed If
this stream, thereby materially reducing
its natural beauty, ana these rocks can be
found In some wall or foundation in the
Zoo Park. Who will say that material for
this purpose ought not to have been pro-
cured from some quarry. and that every
stone, every natural feature of this beau
tiful stream should not have been pro-
tected?
In my estimation, it would be bad enough
If the material, which is all that IL seems
to be to the park commission, was being
used for the artificial purpose Of improy-
Ing this park, making roads, etc, but to
destroy these great natural advantages,
remove natural beauties and ornaments
which men and the wealth of the world
cannot replace, and cart them away to
merely improve the great highway of the
District, seems to me to be a serious reck-
less and fnexcusable injustice to the pub
lie. In whose interest this park has been
established. Resi- ectfully,
LOUIS p. SHOEMAKER.