Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-08-12
IN ROCK CREEK PARK
Report Made Of Operations
the Past Year.
IMPROVEMENTS MADE
TENTED STATEMENT OF THE
EXPENDITURES.
Estimate Submitted for Appropriation
Needed Next Year-The Work
to Be Done.
IMPROVEMENTS MADE

assistant Engineer w. +. Richards, VINO
has immediate charge of the Improvement
of Rock Creek Park, today submitted to
Col John Biddle. secretary to the board of
control of the park, report of the opera
tons in the reservation during the fiscal
year ended June 30. 1901 Mr. Richards
reports that during the year the appropria-
ton of $4,000 was expended in improving
the reservation. For the fiscal year 1906
Mr. Richards estimates that approximately
sJo,Un will be needed in order to carry out
the improvements planned.
In his report Mr.. Richards says that the
sl2,Wo appropriation for the past year was
expended as follows: Building Pierce mill
dam. $4,000; grading Blagden avenue, 81, 100;
protecting creek banks with stone, 81. 500;
paving Milk House ford, $500; grading Ross
road, $500; footpaths $500; purchase of
stone, sprinkling, etc, 1900.
Mr.. Richards explains that the construc-
ton OF dam at Pierce mill was occa SION
ed through the loss of the old wooden dam
which had once supplied the mill with
power, and which. although old and not
or practical use. was considered an attract
i've feature of the park. It's washout
caused considerable caving of the creek
banks and converted that portion of the
creek below 1t into a barren and rather
ugly bed. The new dam is of concrete
construction, faced on the downstream
Siue Will DOulueTS, having a length OF 100
feet, with middle spillway of forty feet
and foundation of rock The height of
the dam above rock is little over twelve
feet and the height of the waterfall be-
tween six and seven feet.
Grading and Paving.
Continuing in his report, Mr.. Richards
says:
The grading of Blagden avenue was I'M
dertaken in order to connect the finished
portion of the avenue with Beach driveway
at Pierce Mill. 1t was once planned to
connect Blagden avenue with Beach drive
way and Broad Branch road by bridge
at the mouth of Broad branch, but it was
finally considered that such a connection
would be too expensive and that a bridge
at this point would. to some extent inter
iere with the beauty of the scenery at the
mouth OF Broad branch. 1t has, therefore.
been concluded to bend Blagden avenue to
the southwark, using the Pierce Mill bridge
as connection over the creek and TO make
Il connection with Broad Branch road by
means OF ford below the mouth of Broad
branch
THE only work north of the Military
road during the past year was the paving
of the Milk House ford. which was con-
sidered necessary because of its very rough
character. This was very old and natural
crossing of the creek and is the only means
of reaching Beach driveway on the west
side OF the creek north of the Military road
inches of concrete, twenty-four feet wide
and seventy-four feet long. the approaches
being paved with granite block The flow
OF water over this concrete ford does not
exceed three inches in depth during the
greater portion of the year
The grading of Ross road has proceeded
during the year through operations of the
chain gang. and it is now possible TO drive
through this road from the mouth of Broad |
branch to the Military road. although there |
Is slight amount of grading yet to be done |
on the northern portion. The chain gang |
has also been employed in grading the |
banks through other portions of the park |
and in keeping down weeds and grass |
along Beach driveway
"A rough footpath has been graded on the |
west side OF Rock creek from klingle road
to a point 500 feet south of Pierce mill |
Two sprinklers have been running during
the dry weather over the macadam roads. |
There is considerable amount of broken
stone on hand which is intended for
matchmaking or for use In concrete.
Work Recommended for Next Year.
For the care and Improvement of the
park for the coming year there is appro-
priated $4,000. to be expended follows:
For sprinkling roads and extending pipe
lines, for grading and matchmaking Blag- |
den avenue, for building wing to dam at
mouth of Broad branch, for grading Beach |
driveway north of Military road. for re-
pairs to Beach driveway over macadam |
portion, for bridge at north end OF park |
and for walks and bank protection.
In submitting any estimate for future |
work believe that most OF 1t should be APP |
piled toward opening up that portion OF |
the park above Military road, and that any |
money expended south of the Military road |
should be for ordinary care and repair |
Beach driveway Is passable north of the |
Military road only about half the year, |
and although its present condition makes !
1t an agreeable bride path | believe II
should be macadamized al soon as possible, |
as there is plenty of room along its side |
for any equestrian road. l believe too, |
of Rock creek, should be put in good order, !
as IL will afford an excellent connection |
between the Daniels road and Beach drive |
way.
The estimates for these proposed i'm |
prov ements will approximate $4,000, as fol- |
lows Completing the grading and ma
cadamizing of Beach driveway. 1000 feet
in length: Grading 10000 cubic yards, at
- cents. 81 800; macadamizing 300 cubic
yards. at 81. $1,000; cutters. 300 cubic
yards. at 30 cents. 81 $50; completing road
way leading from north end of Daniels
road to Beach driveway, 5000: grading
and macadamiz!ng Milk-house Ford road
from Rock creek to Daniels road. 5000
protecting Rock creek banks. s. 900; foot
paths and shelters, 5000; cost of running
sprinklers $50 days, s15oo; care and repair
OF present macadam roads, 5000; engineer
In, or al