Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-12-06

ment, which are lacking for the grounds
not under that Office
There can be no doubt that if all work
OF care and Improvement upon the
grounds belonging to the United States in
the District of Columbia were put. as far
as possible, under one responsible head.
the result would be not only greater eff
hclency and economy in the work itself,
but greater harmony in the development
OF the public parks and gardens of the
city
Congress at its last session provided for
two more parks, called the Meridian Hill
and Montrose parks. and the District
commissioners have also included in their
estimates sum to be used for the ac-
QUESTION of much needed park land ad-
joining the Geological Park, known as
the klingle Ford tract. The expense of
these three parks. included in the esti-
S9OOO0O
l think ii would lead to economy if
the Improvement and care of all these
parks and other public grounds above
described should he transferred to the
Office of public buildings and grounds.
which has equipment well and
economically adapted to carrying out
the public purpose in respect to i'm
proveinents of this kind.
To prevent encroachments upon the
park area 1T 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 by specific authority
Of Congress.
District of Columbia in Virginia.
have already in previous communica-
tions to Congress referred to the impor-
tance of acquiring for the District of Co
lumbia at least part of the territory on
the other side of the Potomac in Virginia
which was originally granted for the Dis
trict by the state of Virginia. and then
was retroceded by act of Congress in
1916.
1t IL very evident from conferences
tkat have had with the senators and
representatives from Virginia that
the state of the land thus given
back: and am frank to saw
that in so far as the tract includes the
town of Alexandria and land remote
no particular advantage in bringing that
within national control. But the land
which lies along the Potomac river above
the railroad bridge and across the Poto-
! mac. including Arlington cemetery, Fort
Myer. the government experiment farm,
the village of Rosslyn and the Palisades
of the Potomac, reaching to where the
| old District line intersects the river. Is
very sparseiy settled and could be ad-
mirably utilized for Increasing the system
suggested TO me by the same Virginia
| senator's and representatives that II
the government were to acquire for q
| government park the land above de-
scribed, which IL not of very great
| value, the present law Of Virginia
| would itself work the creation oi
! federal Jurisdiction over 1t, and ii
| that were not complete enough, the leg
| islature of Virginia would i'm all proba
| bility enlarge the jurisdiction as tC
/ enable Congress to include 1t within the
| control of the government of the Distric,
| of Columbia and actually make 1t par,
| of Washington. l earnestly recommend
| that steps be taken TO carry out this plan
Control of Public Utilities.
| There are a sufficient number of cor
porations enjoying the use of public util
| ties in the District of Columbia to justif,
and require the enactment of a law pro
viding for their supervision and regula
I Continued on Tenth Page.)