Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-10-01
ENGINEERS REPORT
The improvements Made in
Rock Greek Park.
REVIEW OF THE YEAR
COST OF WORK ENSUING YEAR
PLACED AT $1o4, 225.
First Official Document Covering the
Expenditures and the Amount Ac-
complished-Interesting Data.
REVIEW OF THE YEAR

park improvements prior to 1901 and by es-
Inmates for carrying forward this work
next year. The report is the first official
document covering the work done in the
park, and gives an excellent idea of condi-
tions in this wonderfully beautiful national
reservation.
1.-THE work Of the year." says Mr.. Rich
ards. may be said briefly to have consisted
In the building Of two masonry bridges and
In the grading and matchmaking of three
miles of park roads. At the beginning of
the year there existed drive along the
banks of Rock creek from the Klingle road
to the northern limit of the park, about
five miles in length, having about 1000
lineal feet of macadam and the rest Of
dirt or gravel surface. Another drive,
known as the Ridge road, had been opened
from the mouth Of Broad branch north
ward to the Military road, distance Of
one and one-half miles. but was not in a
finished state complete macadam drive
connected the Daniels road with the Mill
tary road and Broad branch, and the Mill
tary road had been macadamized from
Rock creek to the Daniels road. Thus the
park had isolated pieces of macadam roads,
which the work Of the past year has con-
nected so that continuous drive can be
had over macadam roadway along the creek
from Klingle road to the Military road and
thence. in way of return, by the Military
and Ridge roads. The road along the creek
A New Entrance.
"a new entrance has been opened into
the park by the way of Blagden avenue,
considerable grading having been required
for distance of 800 feet in order to make
this entrance possible. A temporary bridge
has been constructed over Rock creek, in
the lire of this avenue. as to connect the
same with Beach driveway and the Broad
Branch road.
"AH macadam on Beach driveway was
placed during the summer and fall, and ad-
ditional grading was done between Klingle
road and Pierce Mill during the spring, in
order to widen the old road from it's old
width Of fifteen feet to its present width of
thirty feet. A part of this widening was
through rock-for a distance Of about 200
feet-and this added considerable to the
driveway between Pierce Mil and the site
Of the Argyle Mill was improved under the
superintendent OF county roads, as 1t was
a part Of an old highway.
general statement of expenses incurred
during the past year is included in the re-
port. showing that all Of the $37, 800 appro-
priated was used.
Damaged by Floods.
Some damage was done by two floods
during the year, it Is stated, the dam at
Pierce Mill being washed out on one occa-
sion, and the dirt road above the Military
road being washed in number of places
These floods exceeded any high waters dur
ing the last seven years, but were six or
seven feet lower than the greatest floods at
Rock creek.
In addition to the above outline of work
for the past year, Mr.. Richards submits the
following history Of opera tons in the park
from the beginning of same until the pres
ent time:
THE first work toward improving Rock
Creek Park was begun in 1897, under the
direction Of Captain Lansing H. Beach,
Corps of Engineers, u. 8. A., who was
and secretary to the board Of control of
the park. There was no appropriation at
that time, and work was carried on with
the help of the chain gang, and consisted
merely in making more passable the exist
ing roads or in opening up old roads which
had been partly abandoned. The first ap-
preparation made for work in the park was
one making available for this purpose the
unexpended balance of the appropriation
made for the purchase Of land for the park;
this balance amounted to about $4, $50.
The Work Begun.
Work was begun in May, 1899, by open
ing up road along the creek between
Blagden Mill and the Military road. An
appropriation was made during the follow
ing year, amounting to $4,000, and for the
fiscal year 1902 there was appropriated
$Ot NeIC was dioo opPi OpA idlco oul
ing 1899 the sum of $1,000 to be expended
within the park limits for a roadway lead
ing from Brightwood avenue across the
north end Of the park. Up to the LIST Of
November 1902, or during all the time that
Captain Beach had been in charge, there
had been expended out Of park funds for
construction and repair Of roads about
$4,000. and there has resulted from this
expenditure four miles of completed ma
cadam roadWays and three miles of dirt
roads. One and one-half miles Of roadway
within the park limits have been macada-
mixed out of county road funds, the road
ways improved being direct highways
through the park and connecting on either
side of the park with some Of the princi-
pal county thoroughfares.
History of Road Construction.
beginning at the southern boundary of
the park and running northward along the
banks of the creek, work has progressed
in the following manner:
1.-The road along the east bank of Rock
Creek between Klingle road and the Pierce
Mill road, $500 feet in length, was first
made passable over Its entire length by
grading done during the summer of 1899
Additional grading was done In 1900 and the
road was finally macadamiZed In the sum-
mer of 1901 and widened during the spring
OF 1902. A part of this road. for distance
o. thousand feet below Pierce Mill, was
an old highway, but considerable grading
was done in order to make it OF easy grade.
The part below Piney branch was first
caused to be opened by the building Of
sewer in 1896, dirt road being constructed
over the top Of the sewer. The road on the
west side of Rock creek between Pierce Mill
and Blagden Mill was graded and macadam-
lied during the fall of 1901. out of funds
for the repair of county roads
On Bank Of the Creek.
1.-THE road along the bank of the creek
from Blagden Mill to the Military road
was opened and macadamized from May to
December, 1899. Additional macadam was
put on the road during the following year.
The construction of this road required
some heavy grading, there being cuts of
over thirty feet and number Of fills aver
aging ten feet. A great deal of blasting
was necessary at two or three points. and
enough rock was obtained out of the line
of the road to macadamize three-fourths
of its length. Great care was taken to Go
as little damage to the topography as pos
sible outside of the limits of the road, and
considerable dirt was hauled from points
at the two ends Of the roads in order to
prevent any DETACHMENT of the banks on
either side. The cost of this road has been
about $4,000 and was paid out of the first
appropriation made for the care and i'm