Evening star., 1900-09-18

munication, transportation and accessibll-
ity of the departments to each other and
the public as well as to the railroads and
wharves
The year 1900 is the one hundredth an
niversary of the establishment of the seat
of the federal government in Washington
city. In taking suitable measures to COM
memorate this event committee from each
state held meeting in Washington in the
spring of 1900 and determined to advocate
boulevard through the mall.
The plans which were favored appear to
be most unfortunate. 1t is proposed to run
the boulevard diagonally through the mall
to the proposed site of the memorial bridge,
which is to cross the river to Arlington on
the line Of New York avenue. This plan
would cut the mall in most unfortunate
manner Far worse, it appears to be the
idea that the government buildings should
in future be located along this boulevard
in the park, destroying the beauty of the
park and making practically another street
without balance, symmetry or good vistas.
A few of the unfortunate effects produced
by the thoughtless location and character
of the structures placed in the parks may
be mentioned.
The Army Medical Museum, with the rear
and utiitarian portions of the building di-
rectly on the principal driveway, suggests
the back yard of machine shop or factory,
diagreeable in outline and color, marring
permanently this beautiful portion of the
park. 1t has been the habit the depart
ments have grown, in many instances, to
which, in fact, remain permanent OBJ
jects in discord with their surroundings. If
such structures are necessary they should
be designed to be in keeping and form parts
of the parks in which they are placed. In
many instances they are brick structures
of a permanent character.
We may mention in this connection the
new post office at an angle to Pennsylvania
avenue, a permanent object of regret.
A Suggested Plan.
I have sketched out a general plan with
the idea of simply calling attention to the
fact that scheme for boulevard will not
necessarily destroy the park. but enhance
the effect and bring into harmony many Of
the beautiful structures already in exist
ence. This plan contemplates the purchase
of the property between the mall and Penn
sylvania avenue on the north Of the park,
and the purchase of the squares facing the
park on the south. On this purchased prop
erty buidings could be erected facing the
mall on the north and south and fac
Ing Pennsylvania avenue on the south.
Then a boulevard could run through
the mall from the Capitol grounds
to the monument, with the Capitol
as the vista the east and the Washing
ton monument the western vista Leav
ing the monument, the boulevard could ex-
tend to the river and cross on the new
memorial bridge to Arlington.
The monument not being on the central
axis of the mall when the property on the
north and south sides Of the park had been
acquired by the government, 1t would be
necessary to change the lines of street
on the north and south, so as to make the
buildings each side of the mall equally
distant from and parallel to the principal
axis, thus making the streets parked drive
ways.
Beginning at the foot of the Capitol
grounds, first are proposed two groups of
monumental fountains, then two squares
are devoted to statuary and monuments
within formal gardens. The boulevard is
to have a gradual rise and pass
over the railroad tracks on 9Th street and
the portion of Armory lot of which the
railroad has possession. Over 9th street
and the adjoining park / would propose a
colonnade of detached columns, together
with thick planting, so as to screen the
railroad and traffic from visitors in the
park or upon the boulevard. Groups of
statuary and commemorative columns along
the boulevard would form appropriate or
naments on stately avenue
COIOnnade for the Monument.
The monument at present, although an
object of beauty in size color and proper
ton, when seen in connection with the
changing aspects of the sky lacks ornamen-
tation and interest. as we'll as something to
give 1t scale when viewed from a near
standpoint.
1 would propose a grand circular colon
but detached therefrom, leaving
a PIAZZA between the colonnade and monu-
ment of more than 700 feet in diameter
The colonnade contemplates seats around
its whole circumference overlooking the
plaza which surrounds the monument In
this plaza formal parades, presentations
presidential reviews, games and other spec
ia acular events could be viewed by the pop
ulace. The colonnade would seat from
10000 to 25.ooO people. At the four road
ways through the colonnade to the plaza
triumphal arches are placed, decorat ted with
groups of statuary and emblematic carving.
F.anking the triumphal arches on the
east and west are placed two columns with
figures on top. After passing
the monument the scheme proposes to con-
tinue the boulevard with it's statuary on
either side to q point near the Potomac
river where another circular plaza sur
rounded by groups of statuary would form
the entrance to the memorial bridge which
1t is contemplated will be built across the
river to Arlington. This scheme changes
slightly the proposed location Of the bridge
so as to bring II on the axis of the boule-
ward. The location selected by the commits
sion in charge of the proposed bridge was
approved because the starting point was on
higher ground. / think all will agree that
the bridge starting from a lower level, as
proposed In my plan. will be improved in
as in this way 1T can gradual
ly rise until it reaches its highest point
near the center. By this treatment a grace
ful curved line to the top of the bridge
will be obtained, the straight line being one
of the deficiencies of the proposed design.
The length of the bridge and the point from
which it would start will give an ample
opportunity for a gradual rise to its high
est point. The vista down the boulevard
with the monument in the foreground and
the Capitol with its beautiful dome as the
end Of the vista, flanked on either side by
green trees and shrubbery, monuments and
statuary, could not but give a charming
view. The shrubbery and trees Immediate
ly on the boulevard should be low, SO as
not to cut off the view Of the objects Of art
along the parkway, but so placed as to
give the color value which it might be con-
sidered desirable to obtain. The grounds
Of the Smithsonian Institution and the
north portion Of the Agricultural grounds
with their beautiful trees and shrubs, would
not be tampered with except where the
boulevard ran through the center thus
of these grounds. In other portions Of the
mall which have not been planted, except
to limited extent, it would be proper to
lay out the grounds in a more formal man.
ner.
The Government Buildings.
The government buildings located as pro-
posed would each be in a park detached
from the others, surrounded by grounds,
thus giving an opportunity for all to view
them and their approaches. This method
would also give light and air to the occu-
re at he offo