Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-04-03
F TO TAFT PROCEEDS WITH PLAN WELCOME LADIES' AID
complaints Are COL Cosby Arranges for Po Offer Clean City Pakg
congressman. tomac Park Concerts PIeases Officials.
OF FEARS COVERED BANDsTAND SOON MOVE sRs CIVIC PRIDE
Continue Permane
PERFECT
Out
lions to
Commits BAY. AAing Cooperation
Col. Cosby Arranges for Po-
tomac Park Concerts.
COVERED BANDSTAND SOON
Music at White House and Capitol
to Continue.
USE OF SANDSTONE COLUMNS
Move to Establish an Esplanade
Meets With Popular Favor-What
Commissioners Say.

The duty OF arranging for the proposed
concerts on the speedway has been in
trusted to Col. Cosby. the officer in charge
of public buildings and grounds. He has
already prepared plans for the erection
Of a frame octagonal covered bandstand
to be placed in the oval near the new
bridge over the inlet to the tidal basin, and
expects to have 1t in position in time for
the first concert the 14th instant. In an
swer to an inquiry today Col. Cosby said
there is no intention of interfering with
the regular summer concerts OF the Ma
rine Band at the Capitol and White House
grounds. which usually begin about June
1. The concerts to be given on the Poto-
mac Park this spring are supplementary
to the summer concerts. so that instead OF
being deprived Of the concerts they have
been accustomed to in the summer. the
Washington public will have additional
music
I'VE are going to try these concerts on
Potomac Park twice week for the pres
ent." Col Cosby said. IF they prove sue
cessful we shall keep them up a little
longer. The matter of the regular sum-
mer concerts has not yet been taken up.
and anyhow they do not begin before the
LIST OF June, The present plan is to have
the Marine Band give concerts Wednesday
and Saturday afternoons. beginning at
o'clock. on the oval near the inlet bridge.
"A polo field has already been laid out on
the ~ellipse in that vicinity, and the band
stand will be put up as soon as possible"
Use Of Sandstone Columns.
Col. Cosby was asked If it was intended
to utilize the sandstone columns taken
from the Treasury Department for the or
namentation of Potomac Park. and he
said that nothing had been settled in that
respect. He added that the action of
Congress would be required to carry out
a more extensive scheme of improving
Potomac Park than IL possible with avail
able funds. 1t Is his belief that the bridge
across the inlet to the tidal basin would
be opened for travel in couple OF
months.
The plan to establish an esplanade in the
park. as announced at the White House
yesterday. has been received with enthu-
siasm. Travellers from the District to
foreign lands have often been heard to
express regret at the lack of such spot
In Washington, for there Is hardly a cap
!tal in Europe which has not some such
place where the fine weather can be
has its Hyde Park, Paris it's Bots de
Boulogne and Manila its Luneta. but
Washington has never had anything OF
the sort.
Beauty and Attractiveness.
When the arrangements are completed
the speedway is expected to present an
appearance Of beauty and attractiveness
that will insure 1t popularity. Already II
has become the most used driveway In
Washington. and when the band con-
certs become regular features of Wash.
green stretch along the basin and the
Potomac will become a veritable social
mecca.
There every afternoon will be seen rid
Ing. driving or walking. Washington g
most distinguished citizens, public OFF,
.iais and visitors. The location of the
band stand will be such that it can be
easily reached by those who wish to
walk to 1t, and the possession Of an auto
not Be a condition precedent TO enjoying
the afternoon promenade.
What Commissioner Say.
At the District building the idea. which
originated with Mrs Taft, is heartily ap-
proved.
1T seems an admirable plan to add te
the attractions of Washington" Commits
sioner Mcfarland said. " Ishall be very
glad to see Potomac Park utilized II
every possible way. for 1t Is one of thu
most beautiful parts Of our park system
and yet many OF our citizens have never
seen IT.
Engineer Commissioner Judson ant
Commissioner West also expressed theil
| annroyal of the project