Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-04-19
WASHINGTON PARKS
Beauty;S Spots Where Art Aids
Nature.
BREATHING PLACES OF CITY
Improvements Begun by Work of
Alexander Shepherd.
NEW RESERVATIONS PLANNED
Identification of the Avenue by
Demolition of Buildings on South
Side Drawing Near.
improvements Begun by Work of
Alexander Shepherd.
NEW RESERVATIONS PLANNED

Now that spring is at hand. the
thoughts Of the urban resident turn from
the warm and unwholesome air of the
housed-up community to the shades OF
the country.
Few there are. indeed. at other times
who give. thought to the great blessing
enjoyed by the people of the Capital city
In it's wealth OF beautiful parks; and
fewer still. perhaps. those who lend their
interest and their efforts to preserve the
ceived by the city's founders. Not only
to the city's founders are we to look with
grateful recognition for their wise fore
thought in providing these GASES in the
sands Of civilization. but to those of latar
days. who. rescuing the original ideals
from tine dust of oblivion. in the face OF
the sharpest criticism. often embittering
of self-sacrifice to press forward. at all
cost. and make of the "city Of magnificent
distances" as it was called in its mud
hole and cObble-stone days. truly a city
and admiration of the nation itself, and
even of those beyond the seas.
City's Growth in Beauty.
Forty years ago those who came from
afar to see the city carried away with
them only feelings of deep disappoint-
ment. There were hundreds OF smaller
places throughout the land that drew the
admiring gaze away from Washington. 1t
was only after heroic efforts, with which
the name of Alexander Shepherd must
ever be inseparably connected, that the
citizens OF the United States of America
began to realize the grandeur of their
nations capital. and to feel that some
thing was due it from the nation at
large. 1t then became really type OF
the nations greatness and grandeur and
as such a boast and pride to the citizen
at large.
Note the beautiful buildings. public and
private. that have sprung into existence
in recent years. adding to her maEnifi-
cence and carving out Of stone and mar
BILE the realization of those ideals which
came to the farsighted dreamers. who
founded the city more than a century
ago.
crowded center lies Rock Creek Park.
All that nature could do in the way of
trees and rolling hills, romantic streams
and rustic beauty to adorn this most
beautiful of natures temples had been
done. But the march Of civilization with
it's bricks and mortar was trenching close
upon this spot dedicated to nature itself,
and SO, by recent bills in Congress. pro-
vision is made to stay the advance and
preserve this lovely park within lines of
beauty.
Park for Georgetown.
Southwest of this beautiful stretch of
romantic woodland lies. the park which
has been planned for parkless George
town. With all their forethought for the
future. the city's founders seem to have
overlooked. in the matter of parks. that
high and beautiful section of the nation
capital. If the bill introduced for the
purchase of this park shall. as 1t is hoped
and believed 1t will. become a law six
teen acres more of forest trees. rolling
plateau and romantic glen will be ad-
ded to the natural beauty of the nation s
home. The sum of $4,000. according to
the estimates. is needed to make This
beauty spot. The bill for it's purcha sc
passed the Senate without a single OBJ
lection March a. being the third time it
has received the sanction of this body
The hope of the section interested is
therefore centered in the House Of Rep
resentatives.
Southwark and along the banks of the
historic river lies Potomac Park In the
sundry civil act of 1908 Congress provided
$4,000 for constructing a roadway along
the river side and improving the adjacent
grounds. This improvement in our park