Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-04-25
Campaign Begun Over Ten Years
Ago in Board of Trade.
BRIGHT PROSPECTS OF SUCCESS
Congress, President, Fine Arts Com
mission, Washington and Ma
ton Enlisted for the War.

outside of Washington were never before
so interested in and enthusiastic over
projects for the capitals upbuilding.
Never before has there been SO strong
movement for such development
in which Washingtonians and men prom
inent all over the nation participate. as
at present is in evidence. Never before
has there been "a President so sympa-
thetic and practically helpful to this
project as President Taft. And only re-
Gently, in token of the interest in the
subject felt by Congress, there came into
being a fine arts commission. establishes
by law to advise the national government
in carrying out systematic plans for the
city's development.
Dreams Of wonderful park development
for the capital and practical labors on
have been in evidence in the city's his
tory from the time OF Downing. the
famous landscape gardener, over fifty
years ago, through the army officers in
charge of the government reservations
and successive boards OF Commissioners
down to the incumbents. But the present
movement is traced back to Its immediate
origin through the fine arts commission
created by Congress, the Mcmillan park
commission, with its comprehensive and
fully developed plan. and the capital cen
tennial commission of 1900, to the WASH
ington Board of Trade, in which IS
tematic plan of park development was
urged and outlined in 1899, which suggested
plan was reprinted as public document
in 1901. as the first in the series OF PARK
Improvement Papers issued for the use
of the Senate District committee, at the
instance of Senator Mcmillan. the COM
mittees chairman. and for the considera-
tion of the Mcmillan park commission
then about to be appointed
The Board of Trades declaration con-
cerning the future parking system OF
Washington as set forth in Park I'M
prOvement Papers, No. ], IS made In the
words of the report OF the president OF
the board In 1899 (Theodore W. Noyes),
as follows:
Net years campaign of the Board OF
Trade will deal with matters OF surpass-
ing Importance. Especial attention
should and doubtless will be given to q
determined, effort to- develop OH broad,
artistic and practical lines the park sys-
tenn of the city and District.
Future City of Parks.
"The parking system Of the future
Washington Will clearly be Of wonderful
attractiveness. The attention to be given
to the reservations within the present city
limits will make them health-giving
breathing places for the benefit OF that
portion Of the people who must rely for
fresh air and natural scenery upon parks
close at hand. The thousands Of trees
connecting these reservations with bands
Of shade and making Washington q forest
city will be multiplied. The reservations
themselves will be adorned with all the
resources OF the landscape gardeners art,
with Towering shrubs and plants. also
with statuary and with fountains, includ-
ing the exceedingly effective electric
toi vxy1,i In
The system of parklets Of the original
city will be extended to the suburbs. SO
that the aspirations in this direction Of
lexington, Columbia Heights and Ana
costa Heights may be gratified. and no
enterprising outlying tributary of the cap
ital may have cause to complain.
1.-The Mall of the orig nal city will be
connected with the new Potomac Park
and form an integral and important part
of an extensive park area. The blemishes
upon the appearance of the Mall through
disfguring railroad tracks will not, how
ever, be permitted by the public to be
duplicated in the case of the new reserva-
ton. The latter will. IN pursuance of the
declaration Of the law. be forever held
and used as public park for the recrea-
ton and pleasure of the people. Both Col.
Bingham and Col. Allen have taken
lively and intelligent interest in the sub
ject Of the development and adornment
of Potomac Park. If a fraction of the
public welfare will be wonderfully pro-
moted. The park will be transformed
into a thing of beauty by the landscape
gardeners art: an improved and enlarg-
ed bathing beach and bathing pool VII
contribute to the public health: for the
recreation of the people there will be pro-
vided base ball diamonds. polo grounds,
tennis courts. golf links and special areas,
including piles Of sand for the little ones.
Upon water basins will be rowboats and
,~1&k kI,o h0 1ni
in ellipse shape a sidewalk, carriage
drive bride path, a bicycle path and
speedway, and inclosed within the ellpse
will be an area suitable Tor races and
field sports. Tree-lined roads and bride
paths will afford attractive vistas of land
and water.
Boulevard Along Rock Greek.
Continuing this system will be the fu
ture boulevard along urban Rock creek,
connecting the river reservations with the
Geological and Rock Creek parks. Thence
the proposed Fort drive, or some other
great avenue across the northern part of
the District. will lead to Soldiers Home
and the -AnacOstia Park that is to be.
"Anacostia Park is capable of develop
ing and doubtless will develop along the
lines laid down for Potomac Park.
LAS a natural result of the recent SUI
preme Court decision. the river front not
only OF fOtOnaC fark, out OIL the city IL
self will be developed in usefulness and
In place of the unsightly
and d!screditable conditions which now
offend the eye along the Potomac front.
the natural results of the uncertainty
title which has prevailed,
will be substituted a handsome river wall
Of granite. broad embankments. stone
piers, asphalted streets, bits of parking
fountains, shade trees and suitable flower
beds.
Water street must conform in attrac-
tive appearance to Potomac Park on the
opposite side of the channel, with its
shade trees picturesquely overhanging the
water. The capitals water front lends
itself as readily to and is as worthy of
adornment as those Of London, Paris
and Berlin.
with the completion of the full
project Of the reclamation of tfre Poto-
mac fats the railroad will cross the deep
ened Potomac on an elevated structure,
clearing the new park from railroad OBJ
struction, as well as relieving the city
from the menace Of Long bridge dam. and
both by the reconstructed Long bridge
and by the Memorial bridge that is to be
the park system on the Maryland side of
the Potomac will be connected with the
great government reservation at Arling-
ton, rounded out by a boulevard to Mount
the survey for which was au-
thorized by Congress in 1859. and which
will assume a distinctly national and pa
kriotic character as the roadway from the