New-York tribune., 1901-03-20
N REAUTLFY WASHINGTON
,,pK SYSTEM TO COST MANY MILL
IONS PLANNED.
tnr TELEGRAPH 10 THE rRIBuNE.l ]

Tn-T TELEGRAPH 10 ltiES lhlbANt-l
-, March l9.-At a meeting to-day of
4 "esrDr-conrittee Of the Senate Committee on the
se sue - columbia. composed of Mr.. Mcmillan.
1esu1,...aer and Mr.. Gallinger. of New -Hamp
" ~ - FIRST step was taken in a far-reaching
cle' a-,nrehensive movement for beautifying
TON The scheme contemplates a system
asH-,s ss.o,e Improvement which when completed
:. IKE washington IN that particular the most
Is.snt capital in the world. The work is to
'As-a AZ the expense of the Federal government
III cost many millions of dollars OF course,
% me w., will be appropriated in comparatively
- ar,ounts in order to avoid the usual dangers
,,e-ed by all such appropriation bills, but the
.gate eventually will be high up in the mill
81 senator Mcmillan, chairman of the District
, Columbia Committee. is a man of large affairs
> :, big ideas. and since he has been at the
"a ~ that committee has followed a broad and
=, nolicy toward the Improvement OF the ma
- capital The central idea OF the big enter
- rrornoted by Senators Mcmillan and CALM
= bv special instruction of Congress, is a grand
- of parks completely surrounding the city
.ssition 10 the parks, big and small, that now
-. .bs older part of Washington. All the parks
:. :. 70 be connected by magnificent roadways and
,.vards the purpose being 10 make these the
...,est driveways in the world.
a. ,,s meeting to-day the subcommittee had be-
= 4, some of the best known architects and land
80 artists in the United States Among them
-s William a. Boring. Of New-York: Glenn
oroxr of Washington: Robert 5. Peabody, pres-
,.r, of the American Institute of Architects: f.
Green of Buffalo; George b. Post, of New
ro,k. G. F. Shepley. OF Boston; Frank Mills Day,
philadelphia: Frederick Law Olmsted. jr. of
aston. and James c. Hornblower and James G.
'rm a, Washington. They heartily approved the
.-js,ic character and the practicability of the
rbeme and offered many valuable suggestions for
ne future guidance Of Congress. At the request
Nessrs Mcmillan and Gallinger to choose a
umuittee of three architects TO prepare plans for
ne work in hand they selected Frederick Law
0msted jr and n. S Burnham. of Chicago. with
no suggestion that these two select the third MEM
~ of the committee. Mr. Olmsted has had much
a IA with the Improvement of the metropolitan
,ark system Of Boston. and Mr. BurnhaT was
me chief architect of the Worlds Fair at Chicago
!, lss As soon as Messrs. Olmsted and Burnham
decide on the third member of the committee they
win begin active work the plan which the Sen
ste had in mind when Messrs. Mcmillan and Gal
uneer we're authorized TO project this huge enter
Prise 1t is believed that the plans will be sufii-
ceuly advanced by December 10 be submitted for
spuroyal 10 the committees of both houses Of Con-
gre on the District OF Columbia, that the real
work Of park Improvement can be begun on an
As in all such enterprises it is expected that the
principal difficulties viii be encountered at the
start 1t is supposed that considerable opposition
% the scheme will develop in the next Congress,
.ented 10 undertake the work Senators Mcmillan
md Gallinger received assurances Of support from
he leaders in Congress After the work is once
rel begun il is believed that the government
Ssl permit il 10 lag wait the parsimony Of
he professional economists in either the Senate
i House.
There Is involved in the scheme the reclamation
4 large areas OF swamp lands along the Potomac
nd several islands in that stream. the titles 10
which vested IN the government. a consider
ble portion Of this property is now occupied by
Tivate citizens, who already have been dspOs-
essed by a recent decision Of the courts. This
ecamstion viii also prove Of sanitary value to the
ity, which is one OF the most maariOus points
n the country because Of the vast stretches of
gamp land along the Potomac River front. The
oyeTnment already has reclaimed much of this
and and converted 1t into a park that stretches
rom the Capitol west past the White House and
institutes the Mail. where the Smithsonian In
utution, the National Museum, the Agricultural
department and the Bureau of Engraving and
'rinring are situated. When the projected park
ystem is completed broad 5oulevards will be cur
through the Mall and the Botanical Garden, pass
he Capitol and sweep around the newly terraced |
.ank OF the Potomac the heights of Anacosta. |
rom this elevated point the park system with its
ouevards, VIII be extended norThward, skirting |
ne city: 10 The Maryland line. and then around |
ne semi-circle 20 Cieor getown
The length Of time required TO carry out this |
roject will denend entirely on the lberality of
congress. although Senators Mcmillan and Gal
niger hope they will live TO see il completed. AS
ne enterprise is national, very little of the cost
I'll fall on the citizens of Washington except In
ne way OF the increased taxation that will follow
be enhanced value of their property