The Washington herald., 1909-08-02
WILL ASK MONEY
FOR GOLF LINKS
Rock Creek Appropriation to
Be Included in Estimates.
WOULD PoPULARIzE THE PARK
Senator Hepburn Adds His Approval
10 the Plan to Open Up the Park
and Make IL the Playground OF the
Common People aa Well ns of the
Rich-The Movement Praised.

An item for the completion and main
tenance OF the golf links at Rock Creek
Park will be included in the next annual
estimates for the District Of Columbia.
This will be considered by Congress for
the next District appropriation bill. and.
II allowed. viii be the first step toward
popularizing the park, as suggested by
The Washington Herald and indorsed by
hundreds OF citizens Of Washington.
A small appropriation was allowed for
the links. but this has been used IN the
work already done. The Commissioners
hope no trouble will be experienced In
getting the Appropriation Committee to
aid further IN making this park OF use
to all tho people Of Washington. as so
many persons have advocated since the
campaign began.
LinkA Near the Reservoir.
The links are near the reservoir and
lines. When completed the links VIII
AFFORD great pleasure 70 the people OF
Washington, and. no doubt, win become
a popular gathering place Tor such as
other cities Of the same size boast.
Senator Hepburn. OF Idaho. yesterday
termed the movement 20 populsrize the
park a truly humanitarian one, and as
s0rted that II was the duty OF all con-
cerned TO push II TO a speedy and sue
cessful conclusion.
4 am heartily in favor OF the project" q"
he said. Rock Creek Park should be
developed to is highest point, so it will
be Of the most use 10 the public at
large.
AT present it IS hardly more than
park Of marvellous natural woodland
scenery, inasmuch as the great majority
Of citizens do not care for that sort
OF thing to any great extent. and there
are number OF places throughout the
park suitable for athletic fields and the
like, which the people do care for and
which they really need. II would be only
logical 10 build II up along such lines
and give the park over 10 the citizens
TO whom It belongs
However. any athletic arenas that are
constructed should be confined To one
section OF the park, and not scattered
promiscuOusly ell over the grounds, thus
making II servlceable for both the pie
bians' and the 'aristocrats,' as some have
termed the poor and rich classes"
should Be Made Attractive.
S w Finch, chief OF the bureau Of IN
vestgation Of the Department Of JUS
tice. expressed himself as being decidedly
in favor OF the plan Of opening up the
park
There are many beautiful spots in
the park that are fitted well for athletic
fields" he said, and those are what
Washington now needs in the way OF
hygienic improvement.
The majority OF the citizens know
nothing Of Rock Creek Park mainly be-
cause outside Of the beautiful scenery.
there Is no incentive for them to viist
Il. Hence it is Of no real use TO them.
and with all its resources It certainly
should be-
while Washington compares favorabIv
with other cities in the number Of parks
Il possesses, it has at present none that
would draw all classes Of people 10 IT,
Rock Creek Park would do this II devel-
oped along the plans that have been
heretofore laid out. and think this
should and VIII be done
Superintendent Frank Baker. OF the
Geological Park. said yesterday that he