Evening star., 1902-01-15
Parkway on Potomac.

way should skirt the bank of the Potomac
to the mouth of Rock creek.
"A broad. paved quay or landing place
Should extend the shore line out to the
deep main channel and present to the
river smooth. continuous wall. instead Of
jUtting piers which retard the current and
tend to cause shoaiing. This quay should
b. on level with the adjacent land which
J. likely to be occupied in the future, as
a present, by various Industries using
bulky water-borne freight-such as coal
yards. gas works, paving concerns, and the
lkg-tO which the material can be trans
1.rTed from the quay by wagons, tram
cars. belt conveyors, much as it is now
handled by the more enterprisng abutters.
The park drive and promenade should be
carried through at the landward side of
the quay proper, between 1t and the COM
merCial establishments, but at a higher
level with frequent arched openings under
ls5th for the transfer of goods, and possi-
bly,, also. for storage purposes
On the Water Front.
Separated by the difference in level from
actual conflict with the pleasure travel, the
activity of the water front would really add
40 the interest of the parkway and give a
character to it possessed by no other in
this country. In several European river
cities notably Paris, Vienna and Budapest.
there are such combinations of a CONNER
Ci1t quay with q promenade at a higher
level. and they form, in many cases, the
most popular and delightful resorts for the
people; but in no case, We believe, are the
conditions so favorable as at Washington,
1or elsewhere the abutting private land and
streets are Invariably at the higher level,
1hUs necessitating the transfer of goods up
occasional inclines and across the prone
made at grade, whereas, in this case, mer-
Chandise can be readily transferred at any
point without the least interference be-
tween business and pleasure.
This quay treatment is proposed for the
entire stretch between Potomac Park ana
the Pennsylvania avenue bridge across
Rock creek as the lower portion of the
creek is part of the Chesapeake and Ohio
canal. and is as much part of the COM
merCial water front as the Potomac itself:
hut above Pennsylvania avenue entirely
different conditions prevail, and different
treatment must be adopted. Moreover, IL
j. To be understood that the accompanying
Section for the quay is merely typical. and
would be modified at various points to
meet local cOnditiOns-at places by the
omission of the street on the inner side of
The drive. at places by different arrange
Iuauts Of the levels, at places. perhaps.
by the omission of the inner retaining wall
and the substitution of a bank. The pre-
else line. moreover, of the quay front and
OF the taking line can be fixed only after
Il detailed survey, with sOundings and foun-
dation tests. but in the main the project
here set forth is unquestiOnably practicable
and would provide at once the most con-
N"nieDt and most agreeable treatment for
the connection between the parks and for
The commercial water front.
Georgetown HarbOr.
''It would be possible, II it should ulti-
mately be thought wise, to continue q SIM
lar treatment along the whole frontage
Of Georgetown harbor, and thus to arrange
q continuous drive along the river from
Potomac Park past the Aqueduct bridge
aud by a rising grade to the upper Poto-
zaac drive. but such a construction would
b. SO costly that it has not been seriously
contemplated, the more so as the difficult
ties in the way of such an undertaking are
not likely To increase with the passage of
time.
Two radically different plans have been
suggested as alternatives In the trea tment
OF Rock creek and it's accompanying park
way between Pennsylvania avenue and
Massachusetts avenue:
First. To build large covered masonry
Cuivert or sewer for the creek, and to fill
around and over this structure IS to
obhterate the valley and raise II to the
level of the adjacent lands, constructing a
parkway or boulevard upon a portion of the
filed land and subdividing the remainder
into streets and lots for sale.
Second. To improve the present open
Channel of the creek. regrade its banks and
improve them for park purposes, and to
construct roads and paths within the park
thus formed, spanning the valley by fire.
quent street bridges to provide close con-
nection with Georgetown.
Along Massachusetts Avenue.
The Massachusetts avenue crossing over
Rock creek has been designed and is under
Construction as culvert and fill upon the
assumption that the first plan will be car
ried out. but although this fill will inter-
fere with the perfect execution Of the open
valley plan, We feel compelled to recon-
mend the definite adoption of the
latter on grounds Of economy, con-
Neuience and beauty. An explicit state
T=Ut OF the steps which led to this Conclu-
sion would burden the report needlessly and
Is therefore confined to appendix H, page
- We may point out, however, that the
park drives and paths under the open-yal-
ley plan would be separated by grade. like
those OF the Georgetown harbor quay, from
conflict with the commercial traffic of a
busy district; but while the activity OF the
water front is interesting to look down
upon, the sights of the inland region be-
tween Pennsylvania avenue and Q street
are for the most part merely shabby sor-
C'd and disagreeabie. 1t is therefore very
fortunate opportunity that permits the Sc
cIus!on of the parkway In a valley Ihe i'm
mediate sides of which can be controlled
and can be made to limit the view to a self
Cohldlnea landscape, which may be oeauti-
iul even though restricted North OF 0
street the valley becomes very attractive
and takes on something of the sylvan char
acter which II has In its upper portion A
branch drive should lead to Sheridan circle
and the main drive shsuld rise aIonx the
eastcriy side Of the valley so as to get a
plunsing view and so as to pass just lntcr
Massachusetts avenue, permitting an eusy
connection with it. From this point to the
geological Park there are no serious diff
cuiiirs. and the problem reduces itself to
one "f careful and judicious detailed ad-
JuStment OF the construction to the topogra-
phy and vegetation OF the valley
ne boundaries shown on the map are
dett riulned below q street so as to include
oh44 what IS needed for the proper regrad-
ing pi the valley sides and other essential
Instruction Above that point they are de-
termined partly for those reasons but in
PAGES 50 as TO include some exceptionally
NM hillside woods that now form an i'm
l"VlarJ part of the valley landscape and IL
cut down and replaced by houses would
utterly change It's character In so far as
IL was practicable. without essential injury
l" tie parkway, We have followed lines al
Ev"dy hxed for streets on the highway
pans and elsewhere have provided for new
boundary streets"
Geological Park.
The biological Park of IT0 acres is spe-
cldiized for the preservation and exhibit of
hE,Hg animals under agreea BILE and natural
surroundings The danger of destroying the
natural scenery in Rock Creek Park is dis
cussed and plans for ample roadways for
r~L.