Albuquerque morning journal., 1910-12-07

situation existing in regard 10 tnt
parks OF Washington The PARK sys'
tenn proper, comprising some 49, on
ferent areas. is under the Office OF
public buildings and grounds, which
however. has nothing to do with the
control OF Rock Creek park tne
Geological park, the GROUNDS OF INC
department of agriculture inc pot-
anlc garden, the grounds OF the cap-
itol and other public grounds when
are regularly open 70 the pubic ana
ought to be part Of the park system.
Exclusive OF the grounds or the
| Soldiers Home ana of Washington
barracks, the public grounds used as
parks in the District OF ColumpH
| comprise over 3.iO0 acres. uhder zen
| different controlling officials or poI-
les. This division OF jurisdiction Is
| most unfortunate.
| Large sums OF money are spent
| yearly in beautifying and Keeping IN
! good condition these parks anu w.
| grounds connected with government
! buildings and institutions. Inc Work
done on all of them is of the same
general character-work fer which
| the office of public buildings ana
| grounds has been provided by con-
| gress with a special organization ana
| euuipment, which are lacking Tor the
! grounds not under that office. There
can be no doubt that II all work or
care and Improvement upon inc
grounds belonging 10 the United
states in the District Of ColnmDla
were put, as far as possible, under
one responsible head. the result would
be not only greater efficiency ana
economy in the work itself but
greater efficiency and economy I'm the
work itself. but greater harmony IN
the development OF The pubic parks
aud gardens of the city
Congress Mt its last session provided
for two more parks. called the Meri-
dian Hin and Montrose parks, and
the district commissioners have also
included in their estimates sum TO
be used for the acquisition of much
needed park land adjoining the
Geological park. known as the kllngie
Ford tract The expense OF these
three parks. included in the estimates
OF the commissioners, aggregates
100000. think 1t would lead 10
economy il the Improvement and care
of all these parks and other pubic
grounds above described should be
transferred to the office of public
buildings and grounds, which has an
equipment well and economically
purpose in respect W Improvements
OF this kind.
TO prevent encroachments upon the
mark area it is recommended that the
erection Of any permanent structure
on any lands in the District of Colum- =
bia belonging to the United states be
prohibited except bS specific author
ty of congress.
The District of Columbia In virginia.
have already in previous COM
munications to congress referred 10
the importance of acquiring Tor the
District OF Columbia at least part
of the territory on the other side oil
the Potomac in Virginia which was
uriglnaly granted for the district by
the state of Virginia, and then Was
retft,ceded by act of congress in 1876.
II ~ very evident from conferences
that I haye4 had with the senators and
representatives from yirgipa thal
there s nos hope of q 9e-granting DN
the state eflshe land thus given back;
and | am frank to say that In SO lar
ns the tract -inplpdpsi the town OF
Alexandria and land remote from the
Potomac river .thQrc' would be no
particular advSntHHe I'm bringing that
Within national Control. But the land
which lies alopg thep Potomac river
above the railroad bridge and across
the Potomac, incMding Arlington
lcemctery, Fort Myer, the government
experiment farm, the village Of Ross
I,lyn. and the Palisades of the Potomac
reaching TO where the old district line
in,ersccts the river. is very sparselN
srttled and could be admirably util-
izcd for increasing the system Of the
parks of Washington. IL has heen
y. tNa, aHrN
senator's and representatives that II
the government were TO acquire for a
government park the land above de-
scrlbcd, which Is not of very great
value, the present law Of Virginia
would itself work the creation of ted
cral jurisdiction over IL, and " that
were not complete enough. the legls-
lature of Virginia would In all PROB
ability SO enlarge the jurisdiction os
TO enable congress TO include II within
the control of the government OF the
District of Columbia ana actueuy
make il part OF Washington.
earnestly recommend that steps be
taken to carry out this plan.
Public Utilities.
Thor. are a sufficient number al
| corporations enjoying the use OF pun
lie utilities in the District of Colunt-
bin TO Justify and require the enact
| mcnt OF a law providing for thcii
| supervision ana regulation in the pub.
| lie interest consistent with the vested
| rights secured to them by their char
| ters. \ part of these corporations
to-wit the street railways, have beer
nut under the control o1 the inter
| state commerce commission. but thiu
| commission recommends that th'
| power De taken from it, and intlmoto'
| brondIv that It's other and more i'm
portant duties make 1t impossible FOL
| IL to give the requisite SUPERVISION
| seems TO me wise To place TINS gen
eral power of supervision ana regull
| tion i'm the district commissioners
las said that their present duties arc
| now absorbing and would prevent th'
| proper discharge by them OF thcs'
| new functions, but their present lurls
diction brings them so closely an'
freuucntlN in contact with these cor
porotions and makes them 10 KNOW
i'm such detail how the corporation
lnro discharging their duties under th'
law and how they are serving th'
public interest that the commission
ers are peculiarly fitted to do thi'
work. and / hope that congress VII
limpose Il llpon them by instrustlnl
them with powers in respect 10 suef
corporntions similar to those OF th'
pubhc utilities commission OF New
YORK CITY or similar boards in Massa'
lchusctts
school system.
The cost OF education an the DIS