The Washington times., 1906-12-30

District In addition. the United States
! Government cxpends large sums OF
money on public buildings ana grounds.
which are not connected With the mu-
lnicipality
In the city OF Washington there are
| twenty-siY parks over one acre in cx-
tent, with total area Of 12l acres. and
OF an average size of 46S acres. There
are 30 parks under one acre IN extent.
with total area of forty-tw0 acres. OF
an average size Of 16-l00 OF IN acre
Some of the Great Parks.
These parks or reservations are
/ formed al the intersection Of streets
and avenues as laid down Oh the plans
/ OF fEnfant The larger parks in the
/ city limits are those surrounding the
/ Capitol gTounds-the Mall. which ex-
tends from the Capitol 10 the Washing
ton Monument; the Presidents PARK. or
| W hite Lot, and the grounds around the
! Government buildings The total num-
Der Of these reservations is ten. with an
average Size Of thirty-six acres ana q.
total area OF 500 acres. of which about
ten acres are occupied by public build
IhEs' Outside the city limits ars three
large public parks-ROck Creek Park.
l'05 acres Geological Park. I7O acres
/ and Potomac Park, 80 acres.
The parks inside the city limits were
laid out when the city of Washington
/ was established as the seat Of the Fed
erl Government The parks outside OF
/ the city limits were acquired by pur-
/ chase or condemnation.
The cost OF Rock Creek Park vas
. D..
! reclaiming land in the bed Of the Poto-
mac river. The Geological Park is
/ highly improved, roads winding
! throughout its length and breadth.
About one-haif Of Rock Greek Park has
/ been improved with attractive roads and
! bridges.
| Il Is proposed 10 add to this park a
! tract OF ground containing 1O4 acres. at
1 a cost of SAP, 000 There has already
| been spent in improving the park the
| sum of Sl34,0J0. Potomac Park now is
unimproyed, but plans are making for
constructing many driveways through
! 1t, one OF which already has been con-
! structed
Plans to Beautify City.
In addition 10 these existing parks.
other parks are projected under a plan
of what is known as the Park Commis-
sion, created by the Senate. This plan
includes the purchase OF small reserva-
tiOns, having a total area Of 364 acres,
and larger parks. giving an area Of 1907
acres. Including among the latter Is the
proposed Anacostia Park, which will oc-
cupy q portion OF the bed of the East
ern branch in a manner similar to that
occupied by the Potomac Park on the
d. A
ing taken to acquire the latter park by
getting Congressional legislation for the
purpose.
The Municipal office building is in
course of construction at a cost of
100000. and viii be completed in the
fall of 1897 A water pumping station
has been erected at d cost Of $4,000. in
Guiding machinery. The sewage pump
ing station is in course Of erection and
soon will be completed at a cost, in
Guiding machinery of S1,17O5S9.
The value Of private buildings con-
structed during the fiscal year ended
June 80 1905. was S12, 459. $50, and for the
preceding nscai year IL was Sl3.01L5,5.
Public school buildings are being erected
at the rate of about two each year 10
care for the increase in school popula-
are being erected at a rate of usually
one each year. In all, the Municipal
government has about 200 buildings OF
all kinds.
Bridge to Cost Million.
A large bridge constructed on mOnu-
mental design is being completed at a
cost of 81. 100000. and a number Of small
er bridges ranging in cost from $4,000
10 $4,000 are about to be constructed.
Other public improvements, consisting
OF paving and lighting streets. and the
construction Of sewers and water mains,
erection OF buildings, etc, are appro-
priated for annually. the appropriations
for the present f1scal year for munich
pal purposes amounting TO SlO.25O OOO
In the city and District there are more
than 100 miles OF asphalt streets. twenty
six miles OF granite block streets. and
seventy-seven miles of mncadam pave
ments The total length OF streets. I'm
proved and unlmproved, is 440 miles
There are thirty-seven miles OF double
track underground street railways and
ten miles OF single track also twenty
nihe miles OF overhead trolley or dou-
BILE track construction, and three miles
Of single track. BY law, no overhead
railway construction is allowed in The
city limits
Future Washington,
Tho assessed valuation OF real prop
srty In 1908 isl In the city of Washington,
slsS, 72s,s69l in the District, outside of
city, $40. 753. .12a, making a total of s73s..
46i. .9s5. The personal property is as
sessed at so, $40. SIS
Now, as 20 the Washington of the
future-what city has a brighter out