Evening star., 1902-01-15
IMIPROVEDPARk SYSTEM
Senate District Committee Submits
Report.
PLANS OF SPECIAL COMMISSION
Entire District Territory Treated Artistica|y
and Scientifically
F u LII DETAILS SET FORT H

Reports on the plans of the park commits
sion were laid before the Senate today and
from to pm. Illustrations showing their
salient features will be on exhibition at
the Corcoran Art Gallery. These plans are
the result of work that has been going on
since the adjournment of the last Con-
gress The Senate District committee was
authorized to appoint a commission to
formulate plans for the Improvement of
the park system of the District and Sen
ator Mcmillan, chairman of the committee,
appointed Messrs. Burnham and Olmsted,
and they selected Mr.. McKim of New York
as the third member of the commission.
Saint Gaudens. the sculptor, being later as
sociated with them. Mr.. Charles Moore.
clerk of the Senate District committee, as
sisted the commission throughout its work.
The plans for the improvement of the
park system are very complete, there be-
ing nearly 200 illustrations to accompany
them. They not only suggest Improvements
of the parks of the District and the extern
sion of the system, but they also indicate
desirable locations for public buildings to
be erected for the future wants of the gov
ernment.
Senate Committees Report.
A preliminary report on the improve
ment of the park system in the District Of
Columbia was today laid before the Senate
by Mr.. Mcmillan, chairman of the commit
tee on the District of Columbia. The re-
port outlines the plan which has been
agreed upon by the park commission.
The report begins by referring to the
original plan of this city, which was Gre
ated the seat of government.
1.-The original plan of Washington" the
report says, having stood the test of
century, has met universal approval 1t
is the departures from that plan that are
TO be regretted and, wherever possible,
remedied''
The various parks of the District are re-
ferred TO and the report continues:
aside from the pleasure and the positive
benefits to health that the people derive
from public parks in a capital city like
Washington there is a distinct use of pub
lie spaces as the indispensable means of
giving dignity to governmental buildings,
and of making suitable connections be-
tween the great departments. When the
city of Washington was planned under the
direct and minute supervision of Washing
ton and Jefferson the relations that should
subsist between the Capitol and the Presf-
dents house were carefully studied. In
deed, the whole city was planned with
view to the reciprocal relations that should
exist among public buildings. Nistas and
axes: sites for monuments and museums;
parks and pleasure gardens; fountains and
canals; in q word. all that goes to make
city magnificent and consistent work
of art, Were regarded as essentials in the
plans prepared by L Enfant under the di-
rection of the first President and his Sec
retary of State. Nor We're these original
plans prepared without due study of great
models The stately art of landscape ar
ehitecture had been brought from over
seas by royal governors and wealthy plant
ers: and both Washington and Jefferson
were familiar with the practice of that art.
LEnfant, man of position and education,
and an engineer of ability, must have been
familiar with those great works of the
master Lenotre, which are still the admi-
ration of the traveller and the constant
pleasure of the French people. Moreover,
from his well-stocked library Jefferson sent
to L'Enfant plans 'on large and accurate
scale of Paris. Amsterdam, Frankfort,
Carlsruhe. Strasburg, Orleans, Turin, Mi
Ian and other European cities. at the same
time felicitating himself that the President
had left the planning of the town in such
good hands,
Changes Made i'm the L'Enfant Plan.
1T has so happened that the slow and
unequal development of the city during the
century of it's existence has worked
changes in the original design, and to
certain extent has prevented the realiza-
tion of the comprehensive plan of the
founders. AS a result there has been a
lack of continuity in the parks, and spaces
like the mall. that were designed for de-
velopment as a unit, have been cut into
pieces, some of which nave been improved,
some have been sold to private persons,
and some have been diverted to uses so
absolutely at variance with the original
idea as seriously to detract from the dig
nifty of the buildings these spaces Were in
tended to enhance.
Happily, however, nothing has been lost
that cannot be regained at reasonable cost.
aIr oil 1.rrf, rhA n
have passed the Capitol has been enlarged
and ennobled, and the Washington monu-
ment. wonderful alike engineering
feat and work of art. has been con-
structed on a site that may be brought
into relations with the Capitol and the
White House. Doubly fortunate, more
over, is the fact that the vast and success
ful work of the engineers in redeeming the
Potomac shores from unhealthful condi-
tions gives opportunity for enlarging the
scope of the earlier plans in a manner cor
responding to the growth Of the country.
AT the same time the development of Po-
tomac Park both provides for a connec-
tion between the parks on the west and
those on the east, and also It may readily
furnish sites for those memorials which
history has shown to be worthy a place In
vital relation to the great buildings and
monuments erected under the personal su-
pervision of the founders of the republic
The question of the development OF
these park areas forces itself upon the at
tention of Congress Either this develop
ynent may De made In q haphaZard manner
as the Official happening to be in charge OF
the work for the time may elect; or it may
be made according to q welI-studied and
well-considered plan devised by persons
whose competence has been proved beyond
question. Such a plan, adopted at this time
and carried out Congress may make
appropriations for the work, will result In
making Washington the most beautiful
capital city in the world"
The celebration of the one hundredth an
niversary of the permanent seat of govern
ment in this city is referred to as having
had for its keynote the Improvement OF
the District of Columbia in manner and
to an extent commensurate with the dig
nifty OF the American nation. At the time
this celebration wasI progress the Insti-
tute of American Architects. In session In
this city. was discussing the subject OF
beautifying the capital city. .s
As a result" the report says, "the in
etitute appointed a committee on legisla-
ton, and consultations with the Senate