Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-06-04
ARTIFICIAL LAKES
Further Purchase Of, Land for Rock
Greek Park.
THE PRESIDENT APPROVES THE PLAN
A Dam and a Body of Water Con-
tempIated.
SEW ENTY-EIG ACRES

With the purchase Of 1915 acres Of land
Park commission disposes of about all the
money which Congress intrusted to It to
disburse and secures possession of territory
needed forsthe making of a great ARTIFICIAL
lake-a feature of the park for which the
commission have been looking out ever
since they made their first survey of the
land needed. At this time Rock creek is the
only aqueous feature of the park, but when
the dam which Is planned has been built,
EVEN the oldest inhabitant would find ii
next to impossible to recognize the country
round about the lake that will then be
formed. This latest purchase also provides
sufficiency of land for an avenue around
the borders of the big sheet of water: a
most desirable accession to the reservation.
On Friday last Mr. C. c. Glover presented
to President Cleveland the following docu-
ment for his consideration:
The commission to select the land for
Rock Creek Park find that for the sum of
Twenty-Five thousand, nine hundred and
seventy-six dollars and fifty cents (s29
St6.JO) they can acquire enough land on
the east side Of Rock creek 20 provide for
an artificial lake, the banks of which will
follow the land contours shown by the ac-
accompanying map and on the west side
enough to include within the park lines
some very desirable high lands which can
now be purchased at the appraised price.
"All of this land is included within the
lines of the park as originally surveyed and
condemned. 1t has not hitherto been pur-
chased because the commission has not,
until now been assured that the amount CT
money at its disposal would be adequate.
1t has now such assurance. These lands
can be purchased, at present, at their con-
demped values. In few years a much
larger sum would be required.
The act of Congress virtually directs that
so many acres be bought as can be acquired
for the sum appropriated, and In asking
these 1916 acres, according to the accom-
panying maps We are discharging the last
duty in the acquisition of the park imposed
upon us by law.
We respectfully ask, the act in Ques-
ton provides, that you approve the pur-
chase by us of fourteen QD acres of tract
sixteen Q6) on the park map at ;he price
Of four hundred and two dollars ($+O9 rer
acre: of 62.66 acres of tract seventeen 40
at the price of three hundred and seventy
five dollars GSI5) per acre. and of IL acres
of tract eighteen QS) at the price OF four
hundred and ten dollars ($41W per acre: in
all, IS. 16 acres. for the sum of twenty nine
thousand. rine hundred and seventy-siX
dollars and fifty cents S29. .9765U). Il
The President Approves.
On Saturday the document Wss returned
with the following Endorsement sswrit zen
thereon by the President:
THE purchase of the lands within referred
to and more particularly indicated on the
map accompanying this application, at the
prices specified, is hereby approved
GROVER CLEVELAND" .
With this authorize ton. which is the sec
ond one by President Cleveland. the COM
mission gets nearly all the land 1t deemed
necessary to make the park worthy of the
city. In the original plan the idea was to
secure an appropriation sufficient to pur-
chase not less than two thousand acres.
but many obsta cles were thrown in the
way that the commission found 1t impos-
sible to buy more than seventeen hundred
acres. which. however is regarded as be-
ing a satisfactory quantity. The commits
sion has been fortunate in having the SYM
pathetic Interest of the two Presidents un-
der wnom it has been engaged In its work
President Harrison was quite enthusiastic
in doing everything he possibly could to
make the park a certainty, and President
Cleveland developed no less interest than
was apparent in his predecessor. Private
Secretary Thurber. too, has been anxious
to help the good cause along.
Washingtonians who have been much
concerned over the condition Of lower Rock
creek and who have feared that virulent
disease would result from the efiiuvia that
much-befouled stream emits. will doubtless
be pleased to learn that the construction
of the artificial lake referred to will result
in frequent flushing of the bed of the
stream-now nothing more than nor less
than sewer-and a certain improvement
In sanitary conditions in that vicinity.