Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-03-01
BOARD OF CONTROL OBJECTS
Serious Objections to State Buildings in Rock
Greek Park.
District OmmissiOners Comment
In Bill Pointed Out.

In reporting to Chairman Babcock Of the
House District committee on the bill to au-
thorize the establishment in Rock Creek
Park Of state exhibition buildings, the Dis
trict Commissioners, to whom the measure
was referred, call attention to the fact that
the subject comes within the Jurisdiction of
the board of control of Rock Creek Park,
comprising the chief of engineers of the
army and the Commissioners of the Dis
trict. The opinion Of that board. the Com
missioners explain, is that there are serious
objections to the proposed legislation.
A report recently adopted by the board in
the matter is transiu...ed by the Commits
sioners with their report, in which the
members say:
Objections Stated.
1T is the opinion Of the board that there
are serious objections to this proposed
legislation. The topography Of Rock Creek
Park is such that there are comparatively
few level or reasonably smooth spaces
within it's boundaries, and it is believed
that these should be reserved for park pur-
poses. To permit the construction OF build
ings entitled to anywhere from one to six
acres of ground each would interfere ma
terially with the use Of the ground for the
benefit Of the general public and the pur-
poses for which the park was designed.
Concerning the general object of the bill,
1t should be stated that it is believed If the
proposed buildings were situated in Rock
Creek Park large majority Of the visitors
TO Washington would never see them, nor
could they obtain convenient access to them
without a large expenditure of time. II
separate buildings are, therefore, to be
erected for this purpose, it would seem that
their proper location would be within the
EtyIrt har
Is believed that the object for which it Is
proposed to erect these buildings would be
much better accomplished by attaching
their exhibits to the National Museum in
stead OF placing them in a remote corner
OF the District. Another serious defect in
the proposed legislation Is that the gov
ernor OF any state can make application for
tract OF ground, which must then be re-
served Tor that state but that as the cree
ton OF buildings upon 1t must await appro-
Iriations by the legislature for the purpose
the tract in question may be rendered I'M
available for park purposes, and yet re-
man unimproved for several years, and In
some cases Indefinitely.
Should Congress, however, consider 1t
desirable to enact the proposed bill into
law, there are several defects in it as it
row stands, to which attention is respect
fully invited"
Might Cause Confusion.
Referring to these defects In the BILL the
Commissioners point out that the measure
speaks of the Rock Creek Park Commits
sioners." instead of the board of control, a
designation which might cause confusion.
The bill also provides to make the Presi-
dent an advisory member Of the board. and
or that the Commissioners say that while
IT is believed no harm could come from hav-
ing the President as an advisory member
OF the board, yet Congress has already es-
tabiished a definite board and defined its
personnel, and the addition Of such a dis
tinguished member as the President for q
special purpose they believe could only
work confusion.
The bill provides that the buildings shall
De subject in all respects to the general
jurisdiction and police control of the United
States, while the board believes 1t would
De much better to have the buildings under
park.