Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-08-14

This section, he said provides for divid-
Ing the expense of the cost of laying out
and opening highways between the land
owners benefited and the District of CO.
lumbia. He questioned the ability of
jury to rightly determine which land is
benefited and which is not. He declared it
to be an absolute impossibility.
He said also, that this section is in d.
rect violation of the spirit and intent of
the law Of 1873. If Congress had been
aware of this. and the fact that it has al
ready cruelty Disseminated against the
county, the section would not have been
enacted.
When the fact that the whole assessed
value Of real estate in the county is less
than $25,OOO,0OO is taken into considera-
tion, said Mr.. Brown, lit will readily be
seen that the assessment of from 10 to 15
per cent of the amount of this valuation,
IN addition to the assessment for special
Dement'S, as provided in section II of said
act, upon small portion of the area of
the county-that portion within subdivi-
stons-would result in the confiscation of
a very large amount of property, and out
side of subdivisions the operation of the
law would be even more cruel, for practi-
cally nothing will be allowed for the land
in this section, and yet SO per cent of the
cost of laying out and opening the streets
will be assessed against it.
Wants Equal Justice.
"All that the county asks is to be placed
upOil the SAME lOOlhS WIFI OtIeT PORTIONS
of the District as to the payment of taxes,
and we have right to demand that this
be done, and that this unjust discrimination
cease. The population Of the county at the
present time is nearly $1,000. which is
10000 more than was. possessed by the
state of Illinois when 1t was admitted to
statehood in 1918 and nearly 5000 more
than the population of the state of Nevada
in 1890. When you bring all these facts
and many more to the attention of Con-
gress I have no doubtiit will repeal this
Objectionable section and divide the ex-
pense, after the assessment of special ben
efts between the United States and the
District, as is provided by the law of 1878
ard as recommended by the District Com
missioners, and that it will also provide
the money through the issue OF bonds, as
recommended by them.I a..
Another fact that is not generally
known said Mr.. Brown lis. that our rate
of taxation Notwithstanding the aid we
have received from the government, Is
greater than it Is in two-thirds of the
principal cities of the United States"
Defects Pointed Out.
There are some; defects in the first sec
ton plan of the highway act that in my
opinion should be changed. 1 think there
should be an avenue laid out in that sec
ton, even SURPRISING the celebrated Eu-
cid avenue Of Cleveland with lots 600 feet
deep, upon which the numerous million
aires who are locating. here can erect
palatial homes. By eliminating 18th street
from the plan 10th street can be converted
into such an avenue, with lots of the de-
sired depth. Its name should be changed
to Executive avenue, and the proposed new
Executive Mansion should be erected there
on, and the large property owners along
that avenue should donate several acres
for that purpose.
Another important change which should
be made in the combined plan is that
f0lI0 ha Nctv,
be laid out from the Potomac on the north
to the Potomac on the south, and made
the most beautiful and best driveway in
the world, and streets should be opened
to 1t from the different sections of the city
and thoroughly improved.
Rock Creek Park.
"Anotbei matter that think it to be the
duty of the association to advocate. is the
improvement of the Rock Creek National
Park, and being a national park. it should
outstrip in plan beauty, grandeur and
magnifcence every other park in the
world. This park, consisting of about 1000
acres was purchased nearly seven years
ago at the small cost of a little more than
a million dollars. and not one dollar has
yet been expended upon it's Improvement
while millions have been expended upon
parks in other cities.
1.-The city OF Buffalo had expended upon
it's parks up to January l, 1885, the sum
of 81, IT'S, 626.S9. Brooklyn has expended up
to the present time about ST., 900, 600 Bal
timore has expended to the present time
$1O,9OOOGO. New York has expended in the
purchase of parks alone up to 1889 some
thing over $SOOO,0OO, and although l have
not been able to get the official figures of
the cost of the improvements l have no
doubt that more than SIC, OO0, 600 have been
expended for that purpose, say $5O,OOO,OOO
in all. Boston has expended up to the
present time about $14.00O,OOO.
"Ali of these cities have a parking COM
mission a department of parks, and,
with all due respect to the District Com
missioners, think it is time that the city
of Washington had such a commission or
department.
Acreage of Parks.
I'VE have in all over 5000 acres in
parks, exclusive of the Soldiers Home, to
wit: Rock Creek National, about 1000
acres; Potomac andf Riverside about 500
acres; public grounds. tsquares and small
parks, about 405 acres7 making a total OF
about 3,2O5.
Although this average Is small, as COM
pared to Vienna which has 1000 acres. or
Toxic, which has 5000 or Berlin, which
has 5000. IT is sufficient to keep such a
commission busy for several years One
million dollars at least should at once be
provided for the Improvement of Rock
Creek Park and another million for the
Potomac OF Riverside. Park. The two
should be connected, by a beautiful drive
way, and 81 OO0,OOO for this purpose should
be added to the bond bin"