The Washington herald., 1911-09-10
THE QUESTION OF PARKS.
Columbia Heights Section Has Been
Prominently Neglected.
Editor The Washington Herald:

Editor The Washington Herald:
Your editorial reference in wednes-
days Herald to the neglect of certain sec
tions of the city in the matter Of public
parks. and the suggestion that all sec
tions be given equal consideration, was
| timely and much appreciated by myself.
owing to the position I occupy on the
committee on parks OF the Columbia
Heights Citizens Association. You
stated the fact that there Is no park
or public reservation along Fourteenth
street north of Thomas Circle. and
there is no provision for any, as far IS
am aware. at any point out to the Dis
trict line.
The District Commissioners have been
appealed to in VAN. and our committee
has been informed that no land will be
recommended for purchase that is not
in line with the Mcmillan plan OF public
parks
The park reservations proposed for
purchase on Columbia Heights, or ada
cent thereto, comprise new entrances 20
Rock Creek Park, near the corner Of
Sixteenth street and Columbia road, and
at Sixteenth street and Piney Branch
road, as we'll as the completion Of the
purchase and Identification OF Meridian
Hill Park. do not object TO any Of
these projects. The citizens OF the
Heights have been told they have Rock
Creek Park and the Soldiers Home res
ervatIon adjacent to their locality, and
should be satisfied. But I do not accept
that solution Of what I consider the
needs of Fourteenth street in reference
to public parking.
Provision should have been made years
ago for park privileges by the authori-
ties in the new territory that has opened
up along Fourteenth street, north 1t is
too late now to accomplish any good to
refer TO the admirable location that ex-
istrd until recently at the corner of
MOnro" and Fourteenth streets, or to
the r"maining portion OF the grove OF
oak at the corner of Fourteenth street
AMI Columbia road that will soon be eff
T.. led, but 1t would be wise policy now
ITO consider the property at the corner OF
Clifton and Fourteenth streets The fact
that this property is near to the Merid-
ian Hil reservation does not set
tie the requirements OF Fourteenth street.
No property but that located along Four
teenth street will satisfy the demands of
the citizens Of the Heights as view the
situation.
The citizens association has done all
that could have been done looking to
the purchase Of the oak grove at the in
tersection Of Fourteenth street and Co.
lumbia road. and have always met with
rebuff on every hand What now re-
mains will never be purchased by the
Federal authorities, and that fact is to
be accepted. The only possible way by
which the public in that section Of the
city be secured Of the privileges Of
that corner. with its stately oaks. is by
some wealthy, public-loving citizen of
the District, or the country at large, pur-
chasing. the tract and dedicating It to the
public welfare.
The day will come when entire blocks
of buildings will be torn down and the
space devoted to parks for the good of
the people. and that, too, at great cost.
and II is a shortsighted policy that does
not now consider such matters and make
due provision therefor.
ALTON B. CARTY.
1874 Harvard street.