The Saint Paul globe., 1902-02-16
WOULD IMPROVE EClTY
BURNHAM COMMISSION WORKING
TO BEAUTIFY THE NATION
AL CAPITAL
MODELS NOW ON EXHIBITION
Plans Contemplate the Utilizing of
Waste Lands and the InstaIla-
ton of a Magnificent Sys-
tenn Of Parks.
FROM THE GLOBE BUREAU,
WaShSmrfnu. IN r.

are nearing completion at the COrcoran
art gallery for opening to the public an
exhIbition OF the models showing the i'm
provements in this city proposed by the
Burnham commission The models are
two in number, each 17x10 feet in sur
face dimensions: one shows Washington
as 1T Is and the other Washington as It
will be when these plans of the COM
mission are fully carried out. All the
buildings, public and private, are repre-
sented with minute accuracy. the monu-
ment the highest of all. stands to about
the height Of a lead pencil. Such an OBJ
jeet lesson will doubtless be most ef-
fective in convincing congress and rhe
public Of the wisdom OF the present COM
prehensive plans.
The greatest change apparent in the
models is the development of the mall
and all that part of the city south OF
Pennsylvania avenue The present mall
was originally designed to form a park
like connection between the capitol and
the White house. The predominating
ideas in it's treatment were dignity and
beauty. The entire space was intended
as a grand setting for the two great
buildings of the nation. The new plans
aim to restore these relations and to
carry to their logical conclusion these
intentions. In outline the commission
propose, by a simple device of planting.
to bring the monument into the CAPITOL
vista so that the observer standing on
the western terrace of the capitol shall
look off over green carpet, boPdered on
each side by four rows of elms, to the
monument rising from plain. Walks
and drivewayS, shaded by the elms,
give access from east to west; while
the streets continue on the surface level
from north to south. Behind these trees
should stand the white marble buildings
devoted to the scientific work of the gov-
ernment.
The distance from the capitol to the
monument is about one and one half
miles, and the reclamation Of the PoIo-
mac fats has added nearly mile to
this space. thus giving opportunity both
for an extension of the treatment ac-
corded to the mall and also for a new
and great memorial to stand on the
axis of the capitol and the monument,
near the bank of the Potomac. Abraham
Lincoln is the one name in our national
history that the world has agreed to
couple with Washington's, and as no
adequate memorial of him exists at this
place, it seems fitting that this site
should be set apart for Lincoln monu-
ment.
Again, by placing a garden directly
west of the monument, the plans not
only give added impressiveness to that
structure, but also create an axiaI rela-
tion with the White house. In this
simple and direct manner the j. Enfalit
idea of placing the Washington memcr-
ia1 on the axis of both the capitol and
the White house is realized. Moreover,
this garden, surrounded by terraces
carrying groves of elms, becomes the
gem of the entire park syStaul.
South of the monument the space is,
according to the models, devoted to out
of-doef Sports-to gymnasiums and play
grounds, to swimming pools in summer
and skating parks in winter. Here, too,
is great rond point which fttingly may
carry some symbolic figure typical of
the republic.
In the new plans the Lincoln memorial
site becomes point Of divergence from
which proceeds the driveway leading
southwesterly to the Potomac park. the
Memorial bridge leading directly to the
mansion house at Arlington, and the en-
kankment carrying the driveway to the
mouth of Rock Creek, whence the drive
way leads through the picturesque valley
to the geological and the Rock creek
parks.
The Rock Creek Park system.
The valley of Rock Creek forms the
natcral connections between the Potomac
park and the geological and Rock creek
parks. There is no question in the minds
Of the commission or Of the senate COM
mittee that the most satisfactory way of
treating Rock creek is to improve the
banks build roadways along them, AMI
secure such control Of the apex along
the top of the banks as will allow ade-
quate policing. A stream, even a small
stream, running between picturesque
banks, in the midst of a city like Wash
ington, offers opportunities for park i'm
provement that should not be igaored.
For the section Vest of Rock creek the
plans not only contemplate improving
the rare OF crrtu1ities FOR enjoying the
BEAUTIES of The Potomac gorge. even to
the great falls, but they also provide
sui@abla d-agonaI connections, through
picturesque valleys, with Rock creek
park.
Between the parks on Rock creek and
the grounds of the Soldiers home the
connection is, first, by way of the valley
of Piney branch, a region not less beau
tiful than the Rock creek valley; and
second, along Savannah street widened
into a parkway. This treatment allows
a fine reciprocity between the proposed
Municipal hospital building and the new
structure to be erected at the Soldiers
home.
Suitable connections are planned also
between the home and the Anacostia
river, or eastern branch of the Potomac,
as it is often called, taking in certain
wooded hills that command extended
views of the city. The swamp valley of
the Anacostia becomes a park for boat
ing, swimming, and skating purposes,
with encircling drives, walks and pleas
ure grounds
The Anacostia Water Park.
A water park on the upper stretches Of
the Anacostia is also planned. It is cali
culated to furnish a much-needed variety
in the district park system. Those per-
sons who have visited the Thames on
the occasion Of a London holiday VIII
readily appreciate the enormous use
which the people make Of that narrew
stream, the surface of which at times
seems to be literally covered with Inc
different kinds of light craft The Gre
alton of water park, with a driveway
surrounding it, being the suggested treat
ment of the Anacostia above the head Of
navigation, and the lower portion of the
stream to its junction with the Potomac
may well be treated as proposed by the
engineers, namely, by the construction
of walls along the borders of the channel
and filling in the flats. The present limit
ed wharf frontage of Washington makes
it certain that as the city increases in
size that portion of me AnacOstia
frontage from its mouth to the navy
yard win be needed for business pur-
poses.
Public Buildings.
Out of this treatment of the public
grounds grows naturally a plan for the
location of public buildings which has
heretofore been at haphazard. Since
Washington is largely made up Of public
buildings their systematic arrangement
has long been earnestly sought. The
model OF the city that is to be, If pres
ent plans are carried out reveals the de-
velopment of the following rules:
Ffrst-That only public buildings should
face the grounds of the capitol.
Second-That new department buildings
may well be located so as to face La
fayette square. which Is opposite the
White house.