Evening star., 1901-06-06
A Costly Vista.

Another phase of the tentative plan of
Mall treatment, its character as vista,
remains to be considered apart from any
purpose to develop it into a boulevard or
to lead to the utilization of the park for
future building sites This is repre- sented
to he the latest thought of the commission
under whose auspices the white flags have
been staked out in the park. 1t is eX-
planned that they conceive the scheme OF
clearing away stretch from the Capitol
to the monument so that these two noble
structures may be seen at either end OF
an impressive space This means to pro-
vide lawn 350 feet wide for a distance of
Approximately 7,173 feet. total area of
2.5Ii,2Jo square feet, or, eliminating the
space coinciding with the street crossings,
in round numbers two millions and a half
square feet or 90 acres. This is a larger
area than judiciary, Franklin, Lafayette
and Lincoln parks combined
The PROPOSED vista of $50 feet will be
more than twice as wide as Pennsylvania
avenue which is only 100 feet between
buildings. 1t will be far wider than the
prime considerations of a vista demand.
The dome of the Capitol at the base is 81
feet in diameter, while the base of the
monument is only % feet wide. These two
structures are the objective points of the
proposed opening and the extreme width
proposed leads to the suspicion that the
tentative plan involves more than the
mere clearing away of trees and shrubs to
permit the eye to include the proportions
of the dome and the shaft from a mid
point in the Mall or from either end.
AS far as explained the vista is to con-
sist of an undisturbed stretch of green
sward. devoid of shrubs and, Of course, of
trees. This plan will involve the sacrifice
of scores of noble growths. The Smith
sonian grove includes some of the finest
specimens in the District many of them of
rare value and of fame among scientists.
The vista would sweep through the heart
of these. 1t would destroy the shade which
is now the salvation in summer Of hum
dreds of people. By cutting these trees
and converting a beneficial grove into a
lawn the value of the park to the people
will be one-fourth diminished. Acres of
grass will not refresh them as do now the
grove of trees
To what end is this sacrifice to be made,
not to speak of possibly greater ones in the
time to come? There is no lack Of vistas
of the Capitol. There are now eleven
streets and avenues closed by this impress
sive spectacle, while in the Soldiers Home
park two woodland vistas charm the visi-
tors. The monument stands conspicuous
from every point of view. 1t is the domi-
nant note of the city's western aspect and
requires no denuded space to afford view
The spectator at either end of the stretch
in question is able to see the structure at
the other end today. without the removal
OF trees The man on the ground between
the two would not be able to utilize the
vista to its full effect unless he were per-
mitted to trespass upon the grass to the
center of the space, save when he might
chance to stand upon some intersecting
road or street.
The vista plan does not justify itself
The sacrifice Is very heavy. The advan-
tage is very slight. A single tree in the
Smithsonian park is today worth more to
the capital city than any possible esthetic
benefit which may be derived from this de-
structive enterprise.