Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-10-28
REFLECTION ON CITY
Parts of Rock Creek Valley
Called Insanitary.
REPORT OF ENGINEER
Improvement Of Auditing Property
Urged to Commissioners.
BEAUTY OF BRIDGES MARRIED
Existing Conditions Between Massa.
chusetts Avenue and L Street
Denounced as Unsightly.

valley between Massachusetts avenue and
l. street unsightly and insanitary and a
reflection upon the city of Washington,
". j. Douglas, engineer of bridges. recon-
mends in his annual report, submitted to
the Commissioners today, that the I'M
provement Of that section of the valley
should be undertaken and finished without
delay.
The improvement Of Rock Creek from
Massa chusetts avenue to l. street should
be executed as early as possible, as the
existing conditions are unsightly. insani-
tary, retard the proper development Of the
abutting sections and are reflection
upon the entire city of Washington" Mr..
Douglas says to the Commissioners.
THE improvement OF the lower section
need not be executed until there Is an
actual demand for park connection be-
tween the Geological and Potomac parks.
Delay in carrying out this lower project
will not add anything to its cost, where
as delay In the upper section Will not
but such delay will interfere with the
proper execution Of the plans.
Should Be Done systematically.
THE improvement Of the section be-
tween Massachusetts avenue and l. street
cannot be effectively executed piecemeal.
The money should be appropriated to pur-
chase all the land necessary. and the work
should then proceed Systematically for the
attainment of the completed project.
cursory study of The building construction
in the vicinity of the proposed park will
show at once the necessity for liking as
soon as possible the final location OF the
streets In this vicinity. =
"In connection with the improvement OF
this portion OF Rock creek l have to In
yite your attention to the desirability OF
constructing the , street bridge at an
early date. The estimated cost of this
bridge is $i70.OO. 1t should not. now
ever. be constructed until such time as
Congress has definitely approved the
open-valley plans, and the necessary land
on the line of this bridge and 100 feet on
either side Of it has been acquired by the
District of Columbia. 1t would be further
advisable to grade the abutting ground
In accordance with the plans before &C
tual construction of this bridge is COM
menced.' r...
Protecting Bridges Beauty.
Fearing for the esthetic value of the
Connecticut avenue bridge to the city,
Engineer OF Bridges Douglas recommends
that prompt action be taken by the Com
missioners in the adoption OF new high
way plan ip it's vicinity to prevent the
unsightly encroachment of houses.
Your attention is called, he says In
the report, Ito the necessity of modifying
the existing layout of streets Immediately
adjacent to the Connecticut avenue
bridge, in accordance with the plan ap-
proved by the Engineer Commissioner,
so as to afford permanent protection
against the unsigntly construction OF
buildings near the bridge. The three
houses which have been recently built at
he
sufficient evidence to show that II prompt
action Is not taken to protect this expen-
stve structure from the encroachment OF
houses almost the entire esthetfc value
OF the bridge will be lost and the large
sum of money expended will fail to beau
tify this section Of the city to an extent
commensurate with the expenditure"
Need for New Bridges.
Regarding the need for new bridges.
especially to replace several old struc-
lures, Engineer Douglas SAYS:
IAN appropriation of 5000 is asked
for plans, specifications. estimates and
drawings for new bridges to replace
bridge No. go Calvert street crossing
Rock creek. and bridge No. q, Connect
cut avenue extended across Klingle Ford
road These bridges were built In 1891
by the Rock Creek Railway Company,
and were transferred to the District OF
Columbia July 20. 1891. 1t may be better
to I'LL the Klingle Ford valley on the
line OF Connecticut avenue. and 1t is sug-
gested that this procedure be given con-
sIderation.
Your attention Is particularly invited
to bridge No. 80. which v.brates excess
lively. and while 1t Is at present safe, II is
thought that the vibration Is causing ma
terial deterioration of the structure. II 1t
Is deemed inadvisable to have plans and
estimates made. with the idea of the re-
placement of this bridge within a few
years. an appropriation Of 5000 should
be asked at once for the purpose OF stiff-
ening this bridge, so as to reduce vibra-