Evening star., 1902-03-01
lily were permitted to add to their titles that

lily were permitted to add to their titles that
OF Ross of Bladensburg.
Ii Is many decades since the meanest
wood scow went up with the tide to the
wharveS of Bladensburg and Of late years
the sewage polluted flats OF the Anacostia
nave been menace to the health Of the
people OF Washington, seriously retarding
the growth OF large portion Of the Dis
triet. Subjected to the miasmai emana-
tions from these vast stretches of tide.
washed mud are more than 1900 insane
persons confined at st. Elizabeth's. besides
the prisoners In the jail and the work
house. the poor In the almshouse. the sick
IN the city hospital. hundreds of workers
IN the great gun shops at the navy yard
ana the marines In barracks-a striking ex.
ample OF the cruelty Of governmental neg.
lect
River Improvements.
The new plans contemplate dredging
these fiats to create within the area a water
park with encircling driveways and wooded
Islands. Some COO acres will thus be
changed into place for boating and swim.
mihg In summer and skating In winter:
ana. as result, sports now indulged in
but sparingly for lack OF opportunity uf,l
De encouraged. In recent years the object
seeis 10 nave been to push the river away
r,ont rnont .ne city and to deny to the people
most enjoyable forms Of recreation A
change In this particular cannot come too
soon, and those who are familiar with the
large use that Londoners make OF the
narrow names Will appreciate how well
come TO the people Of Washington must be
any iihe or Improvement that shall utilize
the lavish pleasure resources of the Poto-
mac. Wv
Where the Anacostia unites with the
Potomac are the old arsenal grounds. long
occupied as an artillery post, but recently
set apart by the Secretary Of War for the
hlgher instruction OF the officers OF the
voeps ,sars OK englnee:s; Within the next few
years II Is proposed to rebuild the post and
10 aud a war college, where the officers OF
tne United States army shall receive the
highest possible training in all subjects per-
tanning 10 their profession. When this work
Is completed the place will become a great
mliitary park. with ample parade grounds
lanked by tasteful quarters for the officers
barracks for the enlisted men of the engt-
i'eers corps, and halls OF instruction the
whole surrounded by a riverside drive con-
nected with the boulevard coming from
Anacostia Park
Potomac Park.
Directly opposite the arsenal grounds n
long, low island separates the Washington
channel OF the Potomac from the main or
Georgetown channel. The engineers have
created this island out OF the shoals and
bars on the river bottom. and have planted
willows along the waters edge. Although
the work Of sucking up river sand to en-
large the reclaimed area is still In progress
all that is necessary to turn the island into
most attractive park is a dixie to keep
back possible floods a roadway on the
raised land. and informal planting of the
rich alluviai lands of the central space The
almost immediate effect of such treatment
Will be pleasure ground that will rival in
beauty and availability the famous Marga.
rethen Island at Budapest.
BY recent decision OF the Supreme
Court the title TO the wharf property Of
Washington has been decided to be I'm the
United States as the riparian owner: and
when the courts shall have determined the
value OF the improvements thereon. the Dis
trict will enter into possession Of the prop
erty. This will afford an opportunity to re-
build the wharves as permanent structures
OF stone. with a terraced roadway carried
on masonry arches to form the connecting
parkway between the proposed war college
ana the monument grounds, thus complet-
ing the inner circle of park connections and
forming continuous drive around the city.
The Upper Potomac.
No park system for the District OF Co
lumbia would be complete that did not in
ciude ample driveways. up the Potomac not
only to the District boundary. but even to
the Great Falls. sixteen miles above the
city, whence comes the water supply. A
well-constructed roadway covers the con-
duit through which the water for the city
flows; and in one place, where deep ra-
vine is crossed, A stone arch with a span
equal to the height of Bunker Hill monu-
ment has been constructed-the longest
single span yet built OF masonry. The
river for miles Is narrowed between high
wooded banks, whose sky-lines are as wild
as they were when Captain John Smith
gazed upon them. To add to the pictur-
esqueness. a half-used canal creeps along
the rivers edge, its frequent locks, with
the whtewashed buildings for the keepers.
giving a quaint flavor to the prospect.
Down the Potomac, on the Virginia sde
1t has been proposed to build a roadway to
Mount Vernon, and in time doubtless this
project also will be carried out. The plans
already laid out however. will provide work
enough to employ the attention Of Congress
for many years to come.