The Washington herald., 1909-06-20
By RUpoLPH DE zAPP.

5 this city along the lines OF those cele-
brated thOroughfares n the various cspi-
, tails Of the old World where the sover-
eigns. the nobility. and aristocracy take
their airing IN The presence and IN fuH
view OF the plain people has been re-
eeived with genuine enthusiasm By tho
inhabitants OF Americas Capital
Something has been accomplished there
by. IN their opinion. 10 help make Wash
ington q great city and 70 remove from
its fair name the stigma OF being mere
ly an overgrown village" The Potomac
Drive-for so the promenade has been
christened by 8Ir- and Mrs Taft-accord-
ing to the plans Of those IN charge Of the
improvements. Is not TO be inferior in
artistic atrractIveness and popularity 70
similar driveways and prOmenades OF
foreign capitals. Regimental band con
certs by the world-renowned Marine
Band and other military organizations
= have been provided. and an opportunity
IS given 70 everybody who cares 70 90 70
''rub elbows" with the President OF the
/ United States. the members OF his family.
his Cabinet. the foreign diplomatic col
ouy. officers OF the army and navy. So
ciety's beaux and bellies and men and
women whose names are prominently
known in art and science all over the
land
Located or the north banks OF the Po-
tOulac. which has been thoroughly dredg-
ed 50 as 70 make II navigable for vessels
drawing twenty feet OF water. the espla-
made IS expected 10 attract many craft
Not many years ago this new national
.-r-a
healthfuL To-day Il Is a vast area OF
be6uty and natural attractiveness. with
many gracefully bending willows. young
naples, fountains. and flower beds, IN
addition 10 The macadamiZed speedway
over which hundreds of smart ecUipages
pass every day There Is g bride path
on which no speed limit prevails and
where scores OF spirited mounts gallOD
{ every day From the river the Potomac
Drive is most picturesque
Great Public Park.
II Is understood that the President and
Ms Taft win see 70 Il that the drive IS
developed until il VIII not sufSer from
I comparison with Hyde Park in London.
Z the Thiergarten In Berlin. the Bois ds
Boulogne in Paris. the Prater in Vienna.
the Luneta IN Manila. the AIalecon IN
! IA e-a-1r [444 4A4AEE H-Aa.-
I The best known OF the European pub
/ lie promenades is probably the Bois de
I Boulogne in Paris. which was laid ouc
I BY Napoleon III. who on returning 10
\ France after his long exile IN England
I determined 10 endOW the good CITY OF
Paris with q park similar 70 those of the
( British metropolis. u was only. how
ever. in ISIS thar the Emperor and MS
teonsort together drew Up the first plans,
which were elaborated BY the landscape
gardener Verre. The earliest drafts OF
+ the plan. in which the streams and lakes
that now exist were painted in blue by
F the hand Of the Empress Engenie herself
The lakes are entirely artificial. and the
earth which was removed from thsir
sites has been used 10 construct The so
called BUttes SIontemart
The huge rocks that adOrn the BOls IN
such q picturesque fashion were al
brought down the Seine from the forest
OF Fontaiaebleau az an enormous cost.
HIS were constructed here. valleys there.
while the rides and serpentine avenues
form a total length OF 150 kiIimeters. II
is difficult 20 realize that al this arrange
menJ Of the BOis is OF so recent date and
OF so artificial a character II al seems
50 natural 50 thoroughly haphazard. and
yet everything, down 70 the very lOca-
ton Of each tree. was carefully provided
for beforehand, and the whole Bois.
which only a few decades ago was a
royal preserve where Charles \ and
King Louis Philippe were wont 20 shoot
partridges, hsres, and pheasants. must
be regarded as a perfect triumph OF land
scape gardening on a mammoth scale
and as a lasting monument 10 Napoleon
II and Empress Engenie-
Berlin's national promenades are the
Thiergarten, Inter den Linden. and the
Sieges Alice Each OF these uagniifcent
Jhoroughfares bears the imprint OF the
Kaiser's ideaIsm OF military heroes and
achievements. however not altogsther
neglecting men whose names glory on
the pages Of scientific research OF the
German empire In all Berlin there is
no place more closely associated with the
historic past. no spot lying closer 10 the
heart OF the ''va-et-vient' OF the fash
iOnsble world than the classic corner
upon which now stands the AdlOn. Ber-
Inns most fashionable hotel and former
ly the home OF Ambassador Hill
Great German Promenade.
This corner faces the Pariser Platz. the
Brendenburger Thor, and the Thiergar-
ten. the largest and most beautiful OF all
the German parks The other side marks
the beginning Of the Inter den Linden
avenue. Berlins Avenue de TrioEphe."
as It is often called. which stretches out
in all the magnihcence OF its great width
TO the palace OF the HOhenzollerns and
the new cathedral the finest street IN all
the German empire and the greatest
promenade IN al the fatherland. Il is
there that the sDlendor OF Berlin lifs
reaches its highest point; there Il is re-
allied that kings and emperors are Iv-
ing realities: there, ranged side by side,
stand the great galleries devoted to the
arts and sciences. and there is also the
great shopping center OF the fashionable
world
II is IN the Pariser Platz where the
German capital does honor 10 her great
men and where victorious armies have
made their entry through the Branden-
burger Thor 20 be greeted by town and
people assembled in the square beyond.
Here royal brides future queens ana en-
presses. have been acclaimed By the pop-
ulace. and here onsthe occasion OF me
visits OF foreign potentates stand the
triumphal arches beneath which they re-
ceive the customary addresses OF vel
come From the windows OF the AdIon.
the home OF Beriin's most fashionable
American society and tourists, can be
seen sights uneQUaled throughout the
empire. and the Germans say throughout
the world So much for Berlin's ~na-
,ional promenade and driveway.
What Potomac Park Is 70 Washington
Courf,-.5 -, ~ 4 60,