Evening star., 1897-02-02
WnshingtOn's Prospective Parks.
he. AZ Ero

"aShfnRtOnS Prospective PRHk9.
To the Editor of The Evening Star:
In order to perfect it's grand system OF
sectional parks such action should be taken
by Congress will lead to the early de-
velopment with this object in view, of the
100 acres comprising the Potomac flats
When this is attained there remains for
treatment the unsanitary morass of the
Anacostia. The reclamation Of this waste
is of comparatively easy accomplishment
and would form the site for a magnificent
| park for that section of the city. The work
necessary to bring about such results
should be entered upon at once, even If the
Improvement of the Rock Creek Park
should thereby be held in allegiance.
These proposed parks would become more
directly available as health h-giving spaces to
residents of the older portions of the city
The Smithsonian grounds, between these
two embryo parks, must in anticipation of
the country's increasing educational re-
quirements. be yielded UP as sites for new
government institutions. The proposed Ma
tfonal University would (httingly be located
tere, where it would haye the present sci
entific equipment as itstkatellites
geographically. the proposed river park
suggests Chicag go's jackson Park before the
latter's transformation into a site for the
great ternationaf exposition, ana ythe DOE
slbijties in its development. when the time
comes for great exposition at the rationa
capital, should be steadily kept in view. Tree
planting, the locating of drivcways, ETC.,
should be directed by the most capable
landscape engineer with such reference. If
some time in the future. say when the grea.
national bridge, such as has been designed
by Smithmyer & Pelz, to spar the Potomac
near this point, has been realized. it were
practicable to assemble here the salient
architectural features of jackson Park
what an opportunity would here be offered
for the erection of another "peristyle,'' OF
some enduring material, and a court CT
fn ,lnve IL
direction at present is evolving air castles,
In Xanadu did kubla Khan
A stately pleasure dome decree"
There has been some discussion in
Inc Star as to appropriate naming
OF the river park. With due defer
gestions Of Riverside" and Potomac
as appropriate names, l would suggest that
1t be nominated "Analostan" 1t being mu.
sical in sound and appropriate as, inferen.
tlaiiy. the earlier name for the river, as
well as the island. The Indians. like the
French, were addicted to instability IN their
nomenclature. as every one knows The
first name. Riverside is somewhat trite
! and POTOMAC is not euphoEious The
| names "Analostan" and "Anacostia" as
| applied to the two streams doubtless had q
relative significance. The names are the
prettiest IN any vocabulary. With these
! names adopted. a variation is sug.
! gested. in the last syllable Of Anacostia &c
| ''Anacostan' 1t is further suggested thai
| the Soldiers Home be called '"The High.
| ls nds" or "Farview.'' Rock creek is wei
| named.
| 1t Is to be hoped that in the not distan,
| future Washington will have these fou
| great parks. two in the highlands at the
north and two in the lowlands at the south
| eventually to constitute under aesthetic de-
| Velopnent a well-distributed system ot
| places for recreation anj instruction. com
| porting with the grandeur of the nationa
| capital. d. w. G. r.