The Washington times., 1902-03-11
Plans of Parking ConmiS-
sion Again Received.
EARLY SCHEME ELABORATED
Interesting Lecture on the Proposed I'm
provements by Clerk Moore, of the
Senate Committee for the District
Some Features of the Plans.

interesting lecture delivered last night,
under the auspices of the Mems Club. of
the Fourth Presbyterian Church, by Mr..
Charles Moore, Clerk of the Senate Com
mittee for the District Of Columbia
Mr. Moore was greeted by large au-
dience, and for more than an hour and
half held his hearers undivided attention
with his graphic description of the future
glories of the National Capital. The sub
feet is one in which all Washingtonians
especially, and the people at large gen.
orally, take a deep interest, and those
who listened to Mr.. Moore last night left
the hall with far better understanding
of the plans of the Parking Commission
than they could gain from a careful Pc
rusal of its voluminous report.
Illustrated With Fine Views.
In addition to vivid word pictures which
enabled his audience to grasp the nature
CT the proposed improvements with little
difficulty, MIR. Moore emphasized his lee
ture with nearly a hundred stercopticon
views, which added immensely in making
the discourse appreciated.
The views were all complete in detail,
and Mr.. Moore explained each slide in
turn. One slide, especially, proved of un-
usual interest. 1t was a reproduction OF
the proposed plan for the Department of
Justice. The plan has not been accepted
as yet, but if the architectural work that
was shown can be improved upon Wash
ingtonians will indeed have cause to be
proud of the latest addition to the Gov
ernment buildings.
Aim cf the Commission.
1.-The city of Washington, during the
century since its foundation said MIR.
Moore, has been developed, in the main,
according to the Plan made in 1871 by
Major Peter Charles L'Enfant and ap-
proved by President Washington. That
plan the commission has aimed to restore,
develop, and supplement.
The Congress House and the 'Presi-
dents Palace as L'Enfant termed them,
were the cardinal features Of his plan,
and these edifices he connected by a grand
avenue, 800 feet in width and about mile
in length, bordeTed by gardens, ending in
slope from the houses on each side.
The point of intersection CT two lines
SA-S ~ wi t2i- NNSh VI Zap
itol, and the other through the centre
CT the White House-L'Enfant fixed as
the site Of the equestrian statue of Gen
eral Washington--one Of the numerous
statues voted by the Continental Con-
gress. but never erected.
Wke; In 1873 the building of the
Washington Monument was begun, the en-
gineers despaired Of securing on the prop
er site foundation sufficient for so great
structure, and, consequently. the Mon
ument was located without regard to it's
relation to the buildings which 1t was in
tended to unite in single composition.
To restore these relations as originally
planned was one of the chief problems
of the commission.
Reclamation of the Flats.
Again the reclamation of the Potomac
Flats has added 10 the Monument Grounds
an area about one mile in length, from
east to west, so that where L'Enfant dealt
with composition one and one-half miles
in length the Commission was called upon
TO deal with an area two and one-half
miles long, with maximum breadth of
about enc mile.
BY including the space between Penn
sylvania and New York Avenues on the
hOitAg anu AdFyidIil Avenue ana lne
Potomac River on the south. the compost
tion becomes a symmetrical. lite-shaped
figure. 1t is bisected from east to west by
the axis of the Capitol and from north
10 south by the White House axis.
Regarding the Monument as the CEN
tire, the Capitol as the base and the White
House as TIE extremity of one arm of the
Latin cross. we have at the head of the
composition on TIE banks of the Potomac
memorial site Of the greatest possible
dignity, and second and only trifie less
commanding at the other extremity of the
second arm.
Early Plans Complicated.
I'm 1909 Thornton marked the boundaries
of the CAPITOL Grounds to correspond with
the rectiiinear system of streets, and these
lines were maintained until the latest ad-
dition to the grounds brought about inno-
vations, resulting in various curved projec-
tions, esIecially on the western side
This complication of the early plans
banished the Bulinch gates and fence
which so strongly emphasized the front
age OF l,600 feet that corresponds to the
width OF the Mall. The recovery of this
original feature of the Capitol design,
supplemented by the construction of a
central terrace LOCO feet in width, will
give the broadest possible support TO the
Capitol.
'on the western side of the Capitol
Grounds, where Pennsylvania and Mary
land Avenues converge, the LEnfant plan
shows a public walk, through which car
riages may ascend to the upper square of
the Federal house. Having restored the
true north and south line of the Capitol
Grounds, il is proposed to treat the space
now occupied by the Botanic Gardens
ns broad thoroughfare, so enriched with
parterres of green as TO form an organic
connection between the Capitol and the
Mall.
The Grant Memorial.
"The exceptional opportunities for mon
umental treatment OF the location Of this
area led the commission TO suggest that
the Grant Memorial, already provided for
be made the chief decoration of this
space, associated with the figures Of his
two great lieutenants-Sherman and Sher-
idan-standing independently, yet SO as to
form single composition.
Having considered the Capitol Grounds
and the areas related thereto, we come
now 10 that long stretch of territory de-
signed to furnish the park line commu-
nication between the legislative and ex-
eeutive DEPARTMENTS.
THE gradual developments Of tie city
and its growth toward the north, togeth-
or with the location on the Mall of pub
.ic buildings for scientific p,tsp0ses, have
resulted in steady i-pr6vement in the
character Of the Mall. With this has
fBfGng IN e general desire that the !. En-