Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-07-04
How the Reclaimed Flats May Be
Beauti6ed.
COLONEL BINGHAM'S SUGGESTIONS
A Stone Sea Wall and Plenty of
Trees.
ROADS AND SPEEDWAY

Col Theodore A. Bingham Corps of En-
s1neers VINO has charge OF public buildings
ana grounds is an enthusiast in the matter
OF physical improvement OF the national
capital Consequently he takes a deep per
onai interes, in the Improvement of he river
'front.' now that the United States Supreme
CRIT has settled for all time the absolute
and supreme title OF the government 70 the
recisimed area opposite the city and the
! river front proper. Probably no one I'm the
city has had better opportunities than Col.
Bingham for Intelligent study and observa-
uon Of the methods employed In the cities
| OF Paris. London. Berlin and other Euro
! pean capitals for the Improvement of their
public parks. boulevards and waterways.
He has elevated ideas about the improve
ment OF the capital OF the United States
but Is seriously crippled in their execution
within his own field of authority ny the
comparatively small amount OF money at
his disposal
improvements Suggerted.
Although he has no supervision over the
reclaimed area Of the Potomac he has an
abiding faith in its ultimate transformation
into a beautiful park. and has yiven some
thought as to how the much-desired result
might be accomplished without too great
an outlay OF money. In a recent conyersa-
uon with Star reporter on the subject he
expressed his views offhand as follows:
Regarding the business part of the river
front. on Water street the most frnnortant
improvements consist of two things-clean-
Illness ana systematic arrangement These
uninss Mouiu make any river front look
well Inc residents of Washington cat
nave them. They can have the river front
clean and they can have IL systematically
arranged These things will not cost them
any money, and are essential to any COM
prehensive sgstem of Improvement.
A Stone Wall With Coming.
Nor is ornamentation even here impos-
sible. l should have a stone river wall.
with coping that viii give it a fine finish.
1t is hoped that that part of the river front
which belongs to the government includ-
ing the space between the north wall OF
the arsenal and the southern curb of n
street. Will be provided with a handsome
river wall OF granite. arranged with slips
OF convenient size. and that the wharyes
proper shall be solid embankments, thus
providing everlasting and capacious leyees
1t would add greatly to the appearance and
aitractiveness of the river wall TO have
stone benches at certain points. Ii would
also be quite possible TO work in on the CITY
edge OF the ievee. west of the street car
tracks on 18th and Water streets a double
row oil trees, a certain number of flower
peus ana other horticultural attractions
As regards the river front of what will
some day be Potomac Park the first de-
sideratum would be river wall of stone
with a handsome coping. just behind which
should be foot walk and a thirty-fnat car
rlase drive. The improvements already
mentioned are ACCEPTED as a mailer of
course In any general plan of operations
Ior the Improvement Of the riverside of The
city. But the area included n the so-caIl-
ed Potomac flats is one susceptible of an
extraordinary display of the landscape gar
deners art. 1t is large enough to warrant
considerable play of the ina gination Pro-
vision should be made for play grounds and
outdoor sports of all kinds. 1t will be
possible. L thirk, to work in a couple of
base Dan diamonds. polo ground, two or
three tennis courts and at the same time
assign special areas for babies and little
children with piles of sand for them to dig
in Neat pagodas for newspaper stands.
night refreshments. etc. might also be To-
caOed at convenient points Upon the reser-
Nauon- Upon the water basins already *
listing or which may be constructed provi-
sion could be made for row boats naDn.ha
launches and similar craft
A Beautiful Speedway,
In the part OF the park south of the rail-
road track is a very suitable place for a
beautiful speedway. For instance. 1t would
be possible to arrange in this part of the
park a sidewalk. a carriage drive bride
path bicycle path and a speedway These
would ali form good-sized ellipse with a
perimeter between three and four miles ia
length Inside of this quintuple roadway
d.
ium. suitable for races and field SPORTS
OF course. it is intended that the whole
area should be laid out in shady roads
twining gracefully in all directions and az
tording beautiful vistas of land and water
If these roads are accompanied by brIdls
paths Potomac Park will undoubtedly be-
come one of the most famous fashionable
drives In the world. 1t must not be for
gotten that the future beauties of Potomac
Park proper will be closely connected with
the prospective development and orna-
mentatlon OF the Monument Park the So
called White Lot. or Presidents Park and
the entire mall up to the very steps Of the
Capitol In my opinion, II is high time
that this whole subject should be carefully
and thoroughly considered by an official of
the government of sufficient experience TO
plan broadly for the future of the national
capital 1t is certainly not too early 20
consider how the park shall be drained and
how its upper three feet may be composed
Of soil to furnish food for the trees. shrub
berry and flowers with which II is eventually
destined to be decorated. OF course when
the railroad tracks across the park have
been raised with view to the elevated
station which. IT is understood, is 70 re-
place the present structure at the corner of
9Th and B streets all the roads and walks
north and south of the present tracks
across the reclaimed area will pass under
the tracks and the entire park win form a
continuous and harmonious whole.
Fountains a Feature.
Fountains would also form a very agree
able feature of the new park. and here the
hackneyed objection OF no water to spare
can be easily obyiated by pumping the wa
ter from the river from wells driven for
the purpose.
lone Of the principal features that at
tract the lover OF parks In the great cities
of Europe is the handsome manner in which
the waterways through those cities are
embarked. Take. for instance, the Thames
embankment in London. the embankment
Of the Spree and canal In Berlin and the
Seine in Paris. and a good general idea is
obtained of the vast possibilities in the way
OF improving and identifying the water
front of the capital of the United States"
Middle States Tennis Tomorrow.
The opening matches In the middle states
championship lawn tennis tournament at