The Washington times., 1906-02-11

Plan 10 Build Culvert and
Fill in Stream.
NEW INTEREST AROUSED
Such Improvement Would Add Millions
to Realty Values ard Spur on
Development of Northwest.

with new Vigor the plan which has long
been talked about Of arching Rock Creek
thereby converting the stream into a
sewer and providing a splendid drive
way over its entire course from the riv-
er To the extreme northwestern section
Of the city This is poposed, of course,
as an alternative TO the project of max
ing the valley into park The only de-
torrent TO tie scheme seems TO be the
question of expense, which. il is claim
ed by its advQcates. would be extreme
" small as compared wien tae tremen-
dous benefits 20 The health of the COM
munity, increase in land values, and the
beauufication of the Capital
The argument in favor of the plan is
substantially as follows;
The effects Of such Improvement would
he felt for miles out into the suburban
locations As a sewer Rock Greek
would give an outiet TO CieVeidnd F,t. "a,
q portion OF Washington Heights, and
a broad stretch of country, which needs
just such thing
Realty an along the banks of the
creek would, it Is felt, as matter OF
course. rise in value millions OF dollars
in very brief time. while many of the
tpesOres on the Georgetown side OF the
sJTeam-shacks and III many cases IN
sanitary nOVelS-wOuld disappear beto-t
the onward march OF Improvement
valuable would almost Immediately take
2 sDurt To higher levels while an I'M
menSe area of land whCn today lies
to al appearances abandoned and pFac-
ticaHy useless and without value would
take its proper place in the market.
This property. ii rs expected, Wheh re-
deemed would not only br III demahd
with purchasers ready TO pay SUP
stantial price. but il would instantly
paFtiCipate IN the Development which Is
going on so extensively throughout lhe
entire mort thWeSt neignbOrhOOdS. me
geographical location and tOpoSraph ]
arrangement of the land on both banks or
the stream throughout its entire course
through the District are such as TO
easily make ii share in the spirit of the
times
Effect on Georgetown E
II would be hard to estimate the ex-
tent to which Georgetown and the ter
ritory beyond would be affected by the
arching of the creek. Certain it is the
development of all that splendid ground
west of the creek has been retarded for
years by the stream and the conditions
now and for a very long time prevailing
along its banks. To remove these condi-
tions and replace them by picturesque
boulevard connecting the Speedway with
the delightful drives OF Rock Creek Park
would be to make things possible Whlch
have remained untl today impossible.
The mere presence of the boulevard
and this true of course Of the project
"a make the ereek valley a park-wlth-
out reference To- the enhancement OF
values IS "A reflection of other improve
mnnts. would benefit the section TO the
extent of millions
At present there is beautiful property
worth q vast amount of money IN
Georgetown and beyond. which IS cur
eff from Washington by Rock creek
There is no driveway of any consequence e
H,estvx raf
and the beautiful PALISADES of the Poto,
mac are, in n uea sure, cut OF. \ Few
expensive homes have been built in this
superb country but the tide OF develop
ment never has turned that way in
earnest and il can hardly ever do ST
IntN the disagTeeablc conditions border
ing Rock creek are wiped out. But once
the development Of that section is given
a good start. there is 40 way of cai-
culatinE the limits to which il might go
Natural Drainage Highway.
@ DO away with the unsightly dumps
which line the stream and change its
polluted waters into their natural use
as highway for drainage, covering the
whole with landscape beauty and
Georgetown-and, for that matter. the
eastern shore Of the creek-wOuld take
on new aspect 1t would give q lovely
park that would lend beauty To the sur
rounding country and add iumeasurably
80 the hcalth Of the city
Few people realize the extent OF the
improvements which would be bound TO
follow in the train OF any action which
would redeem thiSivailey.< @ street could
be made q fine boulevard clear across
Washington aud Georgetown, uninter-
foTed by ear lines MaSsa cfllSetfE ave4
nue. would then be4-and soon will no h,
virtue of he viaduct just complete ed
one Of the grandest boulevards in the
world from the American University
INTO town rs Tar as the Union Station:
and along il woCld be represented in
eli pf0t5 buity, as much wealth as lies
along Fifth avenue in New York
PARKS and driveway would be the
natural uses for the made ground
which would, perhaps, be TI-suited to
near the weight OF heavy buildings. n,
ms connection. one has but to consideY,
the hanged conditions in Washington
since thc Potdmac Park improvements
IN order 10 understand what n benefit
he community would get from a or
version 81 the sluggish creek bed into a
vista OF terrsceC ana hOwer-coVere1
parks Gu
There are sectors here where in Tho
early S's, nets and screens were nacas-
saTy TO a comfortable nights SIeeo ana
Where today such things can be a.
easily as nor dispensed with This Is
but one Of the many ShingS the Potonoar
PARK Improvement has done
Would Benefit Thousands.
Rock Creek redeemed would. for many
thousands of our population. change
the hot summer period into DAYS and
nights OF delight. when they could seek
comfort and relaxation In a park an too
sorely needed. Ic would afford pIay-
grounds for thousands of children ara
would be a lasting step in the perna-
pent Identification of the American
Capital Not only would IL make =
chain rf parks between the Speedway
in Potomac Park and the Rock Greek
Park drives. thus opening up spacious
home sites now entirely cut off from
the city, but IL would serve "a wise COM
mercia! purpose by relieving the con-
sested traffic OF ~ and p streets. And.
remarkable as Il may seem, some men
who are familiar with the situation.
claim the cost would be less than the
expense Of grading Wisconsin avenue.
Earth has been dumped in immense
quantities along the creek from Massa-
chusetts avenue 10 the mouth of the
stream, The cost of putting this earth
where il Is would run into thousands of
dollars, ii IL had to be paid for hut,
a IL is. IL has cost nothing
The increased assessed values with
consequent increase OF taxation. grow
ing out of the Improvement Of the creek
would. in time reimburse the Govern
meut for the total expense without in