Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-09-17
FOR ROCK CREEK PARK
Assistant Engineer L. R. Gra-
bill Asks for $4,000.
SUBMITS ANNUAL REPORT
Presents Summary Of the Needs of
the Reservation.
ADDITIONAL ROADS AND LANES
Building of Shelters Recommended
and Provision for Another
Entrance.
SUBMITS ANNUAL REPORT
ADDITIONAL ROADS AND LANES

| For the construction of at least one
more entrance to Rock Creek Park and OF
additional roads and paths and for the
building of shelters, together with the
maintenance Of the public reservation. l..
r. Grabill, assistant engineer in charge OF
Rock Creek Park, favors an appropriation
of So, 600 at the next session Of Con-
/ gress.
For the improvement and maintenance
of the park Congress appropriated last
winter $4,000, but Engineer Grabill thinks
the larger sum is needed to carry out the
aim to make the park more popular.
Summing up the needs of the park in his
annual report, sent to the Commissioners
today, Engineer Grabill says:
1T is recommended that the opening of
an entrance to the park from 18th street
by way of Piney branch parkway, be un-
dertaken during the year ending June 80,
1911, and that a new masonry bridge be
built on the upper end OF Beach driveway.
| For these purposes and for the conStruc-
| ton of additional roads, shelters and
paths. and for the ordinary maintenance
the sum of $4,000 can be proftably ex-
pended in 1911.
The estimates for carrying out these
| several projects for making Rock Creek
| Park more accessible and more popular
have been placed in the hands of the
| Commissioners and they will consider
| them during the next two weeks, while
| they are busy in preparing the District
| budget.
New Entrance Projected.
The project for building a new entrance
| to the park along the Piney Branch park
way has been under consideration by En-
gineer Commissioner Judson. The road
will begin at the bridge which carries 10th
street over Piney Branch. Although the
valley Of Piney Branch has been added
to the park system, it is not now accessi-
BILE from 18th street and can only be
reached through Rock Creek Park. 1t is
proposed to build a road leading from 18th
street alongside the Piney Branch bridge
into the valley and to construct a new
road of the same high standard as the
| others in the park along the valley to
join the roads In Rock Creek Park
proper.
AS the 14th street car line runs within
short distance of the point on 18th street
where the road will begin, and as few
steps will place pedestrians into the beau
tiful valley of the Piney branch and close
to Rock Creek Park this entrance, it is
believed, will prove to be one of the most
popular and will make the beauties of the
reservation more accessible than ever be-
fore.
The Commissioners have all expressed
themselves as favorable to projects for
| making the park more accessible and
more popular and it Is believed that they
will give favorable consideration to the
| recommendation of the engineer in
charge and place an item in the budget
to cover the cost of the projects outlined
by him..
improvements the. Past Year.
Regarding Improvements made in the
park during the fiscal year ended June 80
last Engineer Grabill says:
Work was continued on the public golf
course throughout the year. The grading
and seeding of the tees and greens was
completed by the changing and the use
of that gang was then discontinued Cut
| ting grass the greens and hauling ma
nure for the course was continued by the
park force.
Owing to the washing out of a part of
Beach driveway and a wooden bridge,
| just about the upper ford, a new stretch
Of road about 1000 feet in length, located
on higher ground, was cleared and grad
ed and a three-foot concrete culvert about
thirty feet long was built, to take the
place Of the bridge.
IA new footpath on high ground was
cleared and graded on the east side of
| Beach drive, from the Zoo to the Military
| road, and a new bride path was cut to
the Daniels road at the upper end of the
park.
"a new floor was placed on the bridge
on Beach driveway across Rock Creek at
| the upper end of the park.
| 1.-The west and north lines of the park
! north of Military road were resurveyed
and blazed out through the timber to
make the line for the benefit of the po
| lice and employees.
by far the larger part of the appro-
| priation was expended for labor and
/ teams, for the care and maintenance Of
the roads, bride paths and open spaces,
for sprinkling roads and for cutting
! grass Most of the grass cut was turned
| over to the water department for feeding
the animals Of that department.