Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-02-28
USE OF PARKS AND SPACES
CITIZENS, ASSOCIATION TRANSMITS
VIEWS TO CONGRESS.
Opposition to Diminishing Area by
Lexislation as PropOsed-In-
crease Urged.

The East Washington Citizens Associa-
ton has transmitted to the District COM
mittees of the Senate and House OF repre-
sentatives a report. prepared by MT. ). y.
Croissant, urging that the area OF Puoiic
parks and spaces in the District Of Column
bia be increased, and protesting against the
use of any such spaces within the city OF
Washington as sites for federal or munich
pal buildings Accompanying the report Is
a statement prepared by Thomas w. Smith.
president of the association, In which he
says, in part:
The association favors the purchase OF
small areas outside of the city limits for
future school buildings.
To the end that the public schools OF the
future may have breathing room, ana not
be crowded against the private residences
and stores as at present, small areas OF not
less than five acres each-hundreds In num-
ber-should be purchased at the present
time the association believes. and the areas
held as small parks until that time IN tne
future when they can be used for pubic
schools.
The statement continues:
"a few MISTAKES may be made In Locating
such areas. They may not be In the future
Just the proper place for a public school.
Their increase in value, however, from year
to year from real estate standpoint VIII
be such that when the time comes In the
future that sites will be necessary for pub
lie schools the sites now purchased can be
sold at relatively the same price that would
have to be paid for a site more eligible in
the vicinity of the ineligible SITE.
MIR. Croissant's Statement.
The report of Mr.. Croissant, which has
been transmitted to the District committees
Of Congress, recites that, while Washington
is a beautiful city when compared with
other American cities, it suffers by COM
parison with certain capitals in Europe.
THE age and size of London Paris and
Berlin would give them an unfalr adVan-
tage," this report sets forth. although the
contributing constituency of Washington Is
three-fifths large and her area OF con-
tributing territory more than nve times
greater than all three combined. But iet Us
choose something more nearly our own
size, and so take the city of Munich, the
capital of Bavaria a country less IN area
than West Virginia, and see now our Doasted
capital of the great republic will stand the
comparison. Through the liberality of her
chamber, aided by her king. she stands only
third among the art centers of the world
Florence and Madrid only SURPRISING her
in the extent and value of her collections
Many of her streets are broader than our
avenues and she has a single city park
larger than all our parks together, If We
except Rock Creek.
What an opportunity our Congress has
to be the first to establish an art and music
center In the United States, that will keep
at home our 1900 students who 90 every
year to the old world.
Take BUDAPEST. the capital of Hungary,
a country the size of New Mexico. The
chamber has spent million dollars on her
Academy of Science alone and has appro-
priated 100000 for pictures for her nurler-
Gus galleries since 1870, and she IS now
spending millions of dollars on a palace for
her king who under the compromise of
1867, passes but fifteen days each year in
this old capital. We cannot get money to
build our President a suitable permanent
residence, and he Is obliged to live on the
second floor in a house nearly given Up to
public Offices
Let US look at Prague the capital of
Bohemia, with about half the population of
Washington, and country smaller than
Montana. That city has system of city
the size of ours. and proportionate park
area ten times that Of ours, and they are
well cared for and much used
Conditions in Vienna.
But the greatest liberality on the part
of any of the countries of Europe has been
shown to Vienna, by Austria. Those who
visited the worlds fair in 1873 were aston
fshed to find in this inland eastern capital
such broad streets, extensive parks and
magnificent public buildings, and yet there
is as marked a contrast between the Vienna
of 1873 and the Vienna of today as there is
In the Washington of Lincolns time and
the Washington of today. And yet we have
greater possibilities right here in Washing
ton than Vienna ever had. We have river
plain and hills to give variety, convenience
and beauty. The symmetry of our original
plan, which was wisely adopted by our
present Commissioners in their comprehen-
sfve plan Of street extension. Is the sub :ect
of most favorable comment by the stranger
from abroad who is familiar with the old
and crowded condition of the planess cities
of the east, which must be moderniZed at
such an immense outlay of both time and
money.
LiberaIity Needed Here.
"All we need Is that same liberality and
public and local pride that Austrias rulers
have shown toward their capital Congress
could soon place us side by side with the
greatest and most powerful capitals of the
world, In An aesthetic and scenic point of
view. All We need is money to transform
the quagmires of the Eastern branch into
healthy public park and to build a wall
along the ma.arfous river front that would
reclaim this eyesore and which would then
be occupied by large commercial houses
and private residences, just as London
Paris and Vienna have done with unhealthy
flats along their rivers. All we lack is
money to beautify and embellish our Rock
Creek Park, which has been so magnifi-
Gently endowed by nature, to make 1t vie
with the Prater of Vienna the Thiergarten
of Berlin, the Bots de Bolougnc of
Paris