Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-04-08
PARK FOR GEORGETOWN
LADIES GRANTED A HEARING
THIS MORNING.
Members of House Committee on Public
Buildings and Grounds Seem
Interested in Project.

granted hearing before the House conf
mittee on public buildings and grounds at
noon today on the Senate bill to provide
park on Georgetown Heights. The bill au-
thorizes the Commissioners of the District
to acquire by purchase or condemnation
the tract of land known as Montrose lying
Immediately north Of Road or U street and
east of Lovers lane, on Georgetown
Heights. The tract contains sixteen acres
OF land, and is to be purchased at cost
not exceeding $4,000. The bill further
provides that when acquired the tract shall
be forever held and used as a park for the
recreation and pleasure of the people. The
bill passed the Senate March II, and the
ladies Of Georgetown who have banded
themselves together to secure the improve
ment are hopeful that favorable action will
be taken by the House before the adjourn
ment of the present session of Congress
Representative Giilet of New York,
chairman of the committee, presided at
the session this morning and introduced
the ladies to the members when they ar
rived. There were present Miss Kitten
house, Mrs. Fitzhugh Magruder, Mrs.
William A. Gordon, Mrs. T. l.. Moore, Mrs.
Theodore McAboy, Mrs. George King and
Mrs. Wight. The hearing was an in
formal affair and nearly all of the ladies
present had some suggestion to make re-
garding the. necessity of a park in
Georgetown and the further necessity of
an early purchase of the ground. 1t was
stated that Montrose is the only tract In
Georgetown at this time suitable for park
purposes and that it will not long remain
unSubdivided unless bought by the gov
eminent and set aside a pleasure
ground.
The Petition.
Miss Rittenhouse read to. the committee
the petition of the ladies of Georgetown
requesting the park and other improve
ments. This petition is signed by all the
representative women of that section Of
the city, who have enthusiastically under
taken the effort to secure improvements
in a part of the national capital which
they say has been sadly neglected by the
general government. The petition rectes
that In 1895 Georgetown was incorpo-
rated part of the capital city and
continues:
Whereas the men of that portion of the
city have appealed in vain for some recog-
milton of the fact on the part of our leg
islators, we, the undersigned women. citi-
Zens of Washington, do hereby earnestly
request prompt attention to the great need
for bridge at . street and for a park on
Georgetown Heights.
The only bridges connecting the two
western portions of the city are cramped
and crowded with traffic, and for sixty
years there has been no new link. An iron
bridge spanning Rock creek at Q street,
ornamented by parking on both sides of its
pleasant for walking and driving SO great
ly needed to connect the residence sections
of the city.
IN this part of the District, containing
about 10000 inhabitants, and taxed since
1871 at equal rate with every other portion
of the city, there is park.
''On Georgetown Heights fMontrose,'
known as the Boyce tract, east of Lovers
lane, containing sixteen acres, can now be
purchased for the moderate sum of 100000.
1t consists of undulattng slopes of beauu
fully kept lawn and large grove of mag
nificent forest trees For thirty years its
owner. a nonresident, has endeavored to
preserve the place in it's beauty for this
purpose, but, owing to the great increase in
taxes, this must be sacrificed to the pillow,
and We, the undersigned, desiring to save
the beautiful sod and the primeval trees.
earnestly request favorable consideration
and prompt action in the matter.
Beside the purchase and the necessary
care, the removal of the old houses and the
placing of benches are all that will be
needed to complete the park. The land is
there, with trees and grass, ready for use
as a park; and our little children here.
Give them the grass and the trees they
need, and enhance the value of the whole
District by making public property what is
one of the most beautiful and picturesque
tracts within its boundaries"
Committee Took Interest.
Chairman Gillet also explained the park
project to the committee, all the members
seeming to take particular interest in what
was said. The ladies were piled with
questions. the principal one being as to
whether or not the sum of $50, 600 was con-
sidered in any sense excessive. In reply it
was stated that when the project was laid
before the District Commissioners the local
authorities did not think the price aVy too
high. The Senate inquired into the matter
and passed the bill, with the provision that
the cost should not exceed S150,o00.
1t was further explained to the committee
that with a driving bridge across Rock
creek at Q street the proposed park would
be directly in path of the proposed new
entrance to Rock Creek Park The park
commission plans call for the widening of
Lovers lane to an avenue some sixty feet
feet in width. 1t was claimed that when
this feature of the plan is carried out the
Georgetown route to the Geological Park
and to Rock Creek Park beyond will be one
of the most popular. if not the most popu-
lar, means of reaching the magnificent
reservation in the Rock creek valley.
Representative Gilet promised the COM
mittee would give early consideration to the
matter. The urgency OF the case
pressed by the ladies, who stated that I'M
less this tract is bought soon 1T win be sub
divided and the beautiful trees lost. If the
opportunity to secure this natural park is
lost a park project in the future would in
volve the necessity of planting trees, SOW
ing grass and an immense amount of other
work.