The evening times., 1896-03-28
FROM CEMETERY 10 PARK
Proposed Change in Georgetown
Presbyterian Burial Ground.
N'''''f'' t.f' -'-'. --f.-
NEARLY. A CENTURY OLD
Citizens of West washington VIII Ask
COnGre~s To Appropriate Money TO
Purchase the Site-NO Park West OF
Rock Creek, Yet Taxpayers Turn
$20O,OOO Into Treasury Annually.

Many publiC-spirited citizens. OF George
town have under consideration the question
If asking Congress for an appropriation
for a public park west OF ROCK Creek.
The proposed location is the old burial
ground OF the GeVrgetown Presbyterian
Church.
The cemetery was established nearly a
century ago, when the village was first
laid out. The plat of ground was donatedb by
Dr. Beatty. enc of the original Settlers VINO
lived in the West End when that part the
district contained fully as many people
as the then newly Incorporated city "r
Washington. Ii Comprised a portion OF
what was known as Beatty X Hawkins
aiGitlon 40 Inc corporation OF GeorSeto Nn
The old doctor, wEo was one OF the leading
priy'Iit ioners oil his day. donated the iail,i,
consisting OF about 10000 square lett
on Imrt y-foGrth street, between and L
streets. 10 the church society, OF which he
was Il nleUIper,---
Many oI the early inhabitants VINO were
cOEspicgujs III local affairs during the lorc
part Of the century were laid 10 rest in
the old churclyard. Their graves, some
oI which have mol Yet been disturbed, were
marked with the old-fl sliloned marble
slabs. now crumblinS into decay.
NO. .INTERMENTS THERE NOW.
For the past twelve or fifteen years the
cemetery has not been used as Il bur ing
ground. The spot Gow remains not only an
.NpeIis. 10 thc church, ii is CANNED, Dut
an eyesore IL. the community. The vicinity
of tie pace is not well lighted at nient
and Tor "a number of years past H. has been
especially after dark IL resort lOr dangerous
Characters.
TIE matter OF disposing of the property
has been under atVlscment by the churcu
hoar rd Ior some time. 4 large number OF
bodies, some 800 or geo, have been removed
by friends TO other locations. There s'lii
remains, however, CONSIDERABLE nnhihtrol
graves, which have not yet been altered.
The trUS SteCS nav given noucc tlat
they will give until September l, 1896,
for the removal OF the remaining bodies.
II they are not r. moved by that time the
church, AT its own expense, Will bc com
PEELED to make the removals. Many or
iLuSc whose bones lie Inferred there have
no friends or relatives in Washington to
attend lp the matter, their families either
having died out or moved far away.
OLD RECORDS DESTROYED.
The records OF the century up TO SCI :.
were all destroyed during the war, and the
matter OF tracing the owncrs of the various
lots, previous 10 that time, is difficult
one. Some OF them cannot Ice found at all.
There We're at one time several imposing
monuments in m ground but II is SAM ti.aU
ipany ut these lave bee n destroyed ,andp1rtS
of the stones carried AWAY.
Property -no.iers within radius of sew
erai blocks claim that the value OF their
real estate is materially iesSencd by the
presence OF the burial ground. They are
i anxious to have the change. Taxpayers
mg into Lne trea sury c:cn year over S.CO,-
UUU III taxes, very little OF which ever
comes back to them i'll the way of improve
mcnts. There is great desire on the
part OF every resident to see the old Pres
byteriau church yard turned into public
square. The fact is pointed TO that every
other section OF the city has its public parks.
while Georgetown has not even village
common.
Inasmuch as the growth can only he In the
northwesterly direction, they say. the fmc-
terry is the proper site for such park. The
citizens say their portion OF the city should
be treated as fairly as other sections ID the
matter OF public grounds.
Besides, il is noted. there Is no other suit
able spot which can be had as cheaply for
such a purpose. The church has no use
for il and will be subject to taxation upon
| it, the same as any other private property.
| when the bodies OF the dead are removed
! II is claimed that the location could be had
| at a merely nominal figure, and Congress.
through the District Commissioners. VIII
be asked to appropriate sufficient funds for
| its purchase.
InaSmuch as the Commissioners condemn
ed the place for burial purposes, the citi-
Zens allcge, they should be willing to allow
the ground To be made into 4 beautiful
parE which would he an ornament TO the
west end and a source of pride To the people
of Georgetown.