The suburban citizen., 1901-07-13


doned as a cemetery furnish abundant
shade, and, fortunately, are so arranged
as to make but few changes necessary
About six years ago Congress forced
the cemetery company to remove the
bodies buried there, and since then the
tract has remained in idleness, the con-
ditons set forth in the act being such
as to prevent the company from utiliz-
ing it.
AS above stated, bill was introduced
about a year ago Senator Cockrell, OF
Missouri being its patron providing
for the purchase Of a portion of the
cemetery tract for parking purposes.
This bill simply directed the District
Commissioners to institute condemna-
ton proceedings to acquire in the
neighborhood of 100000 square feet
of ground for public reservation,
including certain highways. The terri
tory provided for is described in the
bill as follows: Beginning at the inter-
section OF the Bladensburg road and the
north line of a thirty foot strip pur-
chased from the Graceland Cemetery
Association by the Columbia Railway
Company; thence four hundred and
fifty feet along the east line OF the Bla
densburg road; thence east FIVE hun
dred and twenty-five feet; thence in
southwest direction to the said thirty
foot strip to a point five hundred feet
east from the beginning" Maryland
avenue. il opened all the way through
this reservation, would enter it at Fif-
teenth street and pursue a northeasterly
course. The bill also provided for
streets sixty feet wide on the north and
east sides of the park. The location Of
this contemplated reservation will, per-
haps be better understood from the
statement that it is bounded on the
south by the Benning road, on the west
by the Bladensburg road, and on the
north by highway which would prob
ably correspond to | street, while the
extension Of Sixteenth street would
form the eastern boundary.
No more desirable place for a park
could be selected than this. The inn
provement would at once put an end to
the complaint, which is evidently well
founded that the northeast section OF
the city has not been fairly treated
.Nnd it would. as above remarked beau-
tify this portion OF the city. 1t can not
be doubted that the opening Of a park
at this point would be speedily followed
by a big building boom and fine resi-
dences would soon be seen far beyond
the reservation. The trustees of the
cemetery company it is said, have
agreed to sell the property to the Gov
ernment at a reasonable price and also
donate ground through the remaining
portion OF the tract for the opening OF
Maryland avenue and other streets As
the avenue runs obliquely through the
tract number of triangular strips
which could not be utilized, would be
made by the opening of additional
streets, so that at least 65 per cent Of
the ground lying outside of the reser-
vation would be required for highways.
This, it seems to the Suburban Citizen,
is liberal offer upon the part OF the
cemetery company In fact, it is an
offer which should be promptly accept
ed because every years delay means
that the Government will have to pay a
much higher price for the property, not
to mention the Inconvenience to which
the people are put by reason of the fall
ure to provide for them a northeast
park.
There is no risk in saying that a park
at this point would accommodate as
large a number OF people as any in the
city, and that during the hot season it
would be the means OF saving scores Of
lives. There should be some conven-
lent out-of-door spot for the bene-
fit OF the residents of this Sec
ton and there should be no delay
in providing it. Here much has
been done to make a pretty park, and
- . v,It AF I'D
dollars improvements could be added
which would make it worth hundreds
of thousands to the people, especially
the poor, who, as already said cannot
leave the city for an outing at the sum-
mer resorts 1t is therefore manifestly
the duty of the District Commissioners
to use their influence with the members
OF Congress to secure sufficient ap-
preparation to purchase this tract and
transform it into a park at the earliest
day possible. The next session should
not be allowed to pass without such an
appropriation.
The northeast section has but one
park-that known as Stanton Square
but the northwest has a dozen. In the
southeast there are several very pretty
parks, all OF which are we'll cared for,
while the people OF the southwest have
the Arsenal, in itself one of the most
delightful reservations in the city, and
large part OF the Mall Thus it will
be seen every section has been literally
provided for except the northeast,
section which is rapidly growing in
population and importance and which is
destined to vie with any OF its neigh
bors in point of beauty. Taking into
consideration the rapidity OF urban
growth-or rather, suburban growth
the day is not far in the future when the
ground which it is now proposed to
turn into a health-giving park will be
surrounded by the homes OF a multitude
OF people 1t will be but one Of many
other parks in a territory densely built
up extending to the District line and
containing, besides factories and other
industrial establishments, perhaps nu-
merous public buildings and the homes
OF hundreds OF men Of wealth and in