Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-03-07
Money for the Parks.

The Fifty-ninth Congress did not alto
gether neglect the government parks in the
district of Columbia, though it showed a
cautious spirit in authorizing the expendi-
ture of money and defeated the plan to
create new parks.
In the sundry civil bill there was appro-
priated for expenditure in the National
Geological Park the sum of $95, O0O one-half
of which sum is to be paid out of the reve-
nues of the District of Columbia. The
purposes for which this money is to be
expended are continuing the construction
of roads, walks. bridges, water supply.
sewerage and drainage; and for grading,
planting and otherwise improving the
grounds; erecting and repairing buildings
and Enclosures; care, subsistence. purchase
and transportation of animals; including
salaries or compensation of all necessary
employees and general Incidental expenses
not otherwise provided for" Fifteen thou
sand dollars were appropriated for recon-
structing and repairing roadways and walks
in the park.
There was appropriated for the care
and maintenance of that part Of Potomac
Park between the causeway of the rail-
road bridge, the river and the tidal reser-
voir. $4,000, and a similar sum was voted
north and west sides of the tidal reservoir.
Eighty thousand dollars were appropriated
for constructing a macadam roadway along
the west side Of Potomac Park. to extend
from the inlet of the tidal reservoir to the
foot of 18th street and for improving the
grounds by the roadside. Eight thousand
dollars were appropriated for completing
the improvement of that part of Potomac
park hotu no Of ho
bridge. the Virginia channel and the tidal
tracks and the erection of the bridge where
the tidal reservoir hassits outlet into the
Washington channel.
Five thousand dollars are to be expended
in changing about 800 feet of the river drive
in the Monument Park annex from 14th
street to the 18th street roadway, due to
the proposed change of grade on 14th
street and the opening up Of Water street
at that point
The sundry civil bill also contains the
following items under the head of improve
ment and care of public grounds in the Dis
trict of Columbia: Grounds south Of Exec
utive Mansion 81 200; greenhouses and nur-
sery. $1,000 Lafayette Park, $1,000; Frank
lin Park, 81 600; Lincoln Park, $1,000; Mon
umeut grounds, $1,000; reservation No.
II and site of old canal, 81, 500; Smithsonian
grounds (and for resurfacing asphalt road
ways $1,000: Judiciary Park, $500.
There is an appropriation of $1s.5O0 to be
spent on the various government reserva-
tons in constructing post and chain fences.
stone coping and seats, removing snow and
ice, repairing fountains, cleaning statues,
painting lodges and purchasing trees and
floral stock and for many miscellaneous
things. There is another item in the bill
of $4,000 for the Improvement, care and
maintenance of the various reservations
One-half of the appropriations enumerated
here is to be paid out of the District
moneys.
The grounds of the Executive Mansion
have allotted to them $4,000, the executive
greenhouses. $4,000; the Capitol grounds,
5000; the grounds of the Library of Con-
gress, 81 900, and the gardens of the execu-
tive departments, $1,000.
Ten thousand dollars were appropriated
for the improvement of the grounds at
Arlington, and $1,000 for improvements at
the Botanic Gardens.
The aggregate is a large sum, and much
of it is for improvements and new work. 1t
Is high standard Of civic beauty which
the city sets itself to maintain.