Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-03-05
Secretary Wilson Denounces the
Boulevard Proposition.
THE MALL SHOULD Be BEAUTIFIED
Characteristic Expressions From an
Eminent Authority.
PARKS AND BUILDINGS S

II would just as soon cut down all the
shade trees in Washington and sell them
for cord wood as to run a boulevard
through the mail. I would just as soon de-
prive growing child Of part of one of it's
lungs as to take an inch of a public park
for public building purposes
Sitting in characteristic attitude in his
big chair at the Agricultural Department
this morning Secretary James Wilson
spoke the foregoing words with unmis-
taxable emphasis to a reporter for The
Evening Star. The latter had requested
the Secretary of Agriculture to express his
views on the proposition to extend a boule-
ward through the entire length of the mall
from the United States Capitol building to
the point where New York avenue, if eX-
tended, would meet the Potomac river.
The Proposition Sacrilegious.
1.-The proposition" said Mr.. Wilson,
STRIKES me as being nothing short of sacri-
legious. The mall should be improved and
beautif1ed instead of Being ruined, and this
would be the result of such a boulevard.
1t is a beauty spct now, but 1t could be
made eminently more There We're many
trees planted in the magnificent park COM
prising 1t in the early days, which were
placed there largely for nursery purposes,
so to speak; that We're intended for trans
planting elsewhere, and they have grown
up like weeds. This condition could be easily
remedied and the original theme for
grand park. which would afford a great
bre eathing place for the greater Washington
to come could be carried out all the way
from the Capitol to the river
''To run avenue or boulevard or any
thing of the sort through it would be fol-
lowed undoubtedly by the erection of pub
lie buildings along it. Thus the commercial
idea would take the place of the esthetic
idea which was the original inspiration of
the park system of Washington. Not an
inch of a public park should be utilized for
public building sites. There is plenty of
room for them elsewhere.
A National Example.
washington today is an example to the
entire country when it comes to municipal
perfection in sense of beauty. Every citi-
zen who comes here carries away lasting
impressions of Its tree-lined streets and
avenues and it's lovely parks. l would Just
as soon cut down all the shade trees in
Washington and sell them for cord wood as
to run a boulevard through the mall. l
would just soon deprive a growing child
of part of one of Its lungs jas to take an
inch of public park for public building
purposes.
Government Should own 1t.
Il am heartily in favor continued Sec
retary Wilson, 'of the government secur-
ing the ownership of the property lying be-
tween the mall and Pennsylvania avenue,
and utilizing it for the public buildings of
the future. There are no business interests
in that section that could not be easily re-
moved elsewhere without injury to them,
and the improvement would be admirable
In every respect. Public buildings erected
there too, would be convenient, stretching
along they would from the Capitol to
the White House.