Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-12-05
NNJAL REPORT COMMISSIONERS OF DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

part OF the park system .e the District
. Of Columbia under h control.
An appropriation of 100000 was also
contained in the same act for the pur-
chase or condemnation Of Meridian Hill
Park. containing about 437 GOO square
feet of ground, lying between Euclid
street, Columbia avenue or 10Th street
w street or Florida avenue and 10Th
street extended. Condemnation proceed
ngs to acquire this park were directed to
be taken by the Secretary Of the Interior;
the commissioners understand that these
proceedings have been practically COM
pleted and that the title to this land
WI soon be vested in the United States.
The Commissioners believe that addi-
tional parks and pathways should be ac-
CURED in the District Of Columbia and
they recommended legislation to authorize
the appointment OF a commission to look
into this matter with the object Of secur-
ing information and estimates upon
based. This bill, however, failed of en-
actment. and until such legislation is en-
acted 1t is the intention of the Commits
| sioners to include in their annual esti-
mates each year provision for such parks.
The Commissioners, in their estimates
for the fiscal year 1913 will include an
item for the acquisition Of highway and
park in the Klingle Ford valley. at an
| estimated cost of $4,000, and for the
acquisition OF Mount Hamilton Park, at
an estimated cost Of $4,000.
In the Klingle Ford valley it is proposed
to condemn about 2S.5 acres Of land lying
Khngle road. from Woodley to Rock
Creek Park. The land proposed to be
taken consists of some Of the most desira-
BILE land in the District of Columbia avail
with magnificent growth of trees Of
great age, and will make a most pictur-
esque and beautiful addition to the park
system: Unless the land is acquired at
rapidly being made in this vicinity will
| require that It be graded for building pur-
poses and then this beautiful park area
will became dump until it Is filled sufh-
building lots. This would lose to the
District of Columbia most beautiful
| natural park, which could never be dupli-
Gated in this vicinity. This acquisition
is more essential than any other land pur-
chase now contemplated in the District
of Columbia. as Klngle Ford valley af-
fords the only convenient entrance to the
park system from a large portion Of the
District. and future generations may
| rightly condemn the present one if It
permits the valley to be lost to public use
Mount Hamilton Park, as proposed, is
located on the Bladensburg road north
east and contains eighty-one acres. 1t Is
| estimated that an appropriation of $4,000
will be necessary to acquire the land
| This park Is also one Of the chain Of
parks recommended by the Mcmillan park
commission. There is at present no park
in the northeastern portion of the Dis
trict, and unless land is speedily acquired
In this locality for park purposes the de-
| velopment of property is such that its
price will be prohibitive. This tract is
splendidly adapted for park purposes, be-
| ing a wooded elevation lying 21v feet
above the river and affording magnificent
views of the city and surrounding terri
/ tory.
The acquisition Of these parks will be
Of general public benefit, and also be
| particular benefit to the adjacent neigh
borhood. In each case the Commission
ers have recommended that not less than
one-quarter of the cost of obtaining the
parks should be assessed on abutting and
surrounding property as benefits, the
other three-fourths to be borne out of
the general appropriations. This practice
| of assessing one-quarter of the cost
against property benefited the Commits
sioners believe should be adopted in OBJ
! tanning all future parks for the District
Of Columbia.
The Commissioners will also give con-
| sideration in their estimates for the fiscal
year 1913 to the acquisition of land for
the following parks:
Fort Davis and Fort Dupont Park and
connecting highways. in the eastern sec
ton of the District: Piney Branch Valley
Park and highway. from 18th street to
Georgia avenue. and a park highway
along Rock Creek drive and Lovers lane
to connect Montrose Park with Rock
Creek Park
Rock Greek Park.
The appropriation for the care and
maintenance OF the park during the year
was 1880. This was used in building
shelter, oiling roads. constructing three
bridges. two on Beach drive and one on
| Military road; in the care and mainte-
nance of roads and bride paths, and in
clearing.
For the fiscal year 1912 $4,000 was ap-
propriated, and this will be expended In
grading Beach driveway above the Mill
| tary road and macadamizing It as far as
funds will permit. SO as to allow better
access to the north end of the park, and
to widen Beach driveway at the bridge
near Pierce's mill. A portion Of the
funds will also be used in oiling roads
and in their general upkeep. and also In
general care and Improvement of the
park.
The Commissioners will include in their
estimates for the fiscal year 1913 the
sum Of $4,000, the larger portion OF
which will be used in continuing the
work on Beach driveway in the upper
end Of the park.
The Commissioners believe that some
park more accessible to the general pub
lie. Recently application was made by a
local automobile company for permits
! sion to operate g. specially constructed
venice through the PARK aUu through Tue
| Geological Park, charging therefor a min
| imum fare, the route covering points OF
| interest in the park. Consideration was
given to the matter by the board Of con-
| troll of the park. and it Is hoped that
ARRANGEMENTS will soon be made to pro-
vide for this automobile service. II this
| Is successfully established that part OF
| the community which cannot afford to
hire vehicles or automobiles to visit the
| park may be given q cheap means OF
| transportation until such time as more
adequate facilities are furnished
Workhouse, 0ccoquan.
In the District appropriation act for the
fiscal year 1910 the Commissioners were
authorized to purchase two tracts of land
widely separated. of not less than 1000
| acres each, In the state Of Maryland or
the state Of Virginia. one tract to be used
| for q workhouse of sufficient capacity to
accommodate at least 500 prisoners. and
| the other to be used as a refOrmatory
with sufficient capacity to accommodate
at least 1000 inmates. They were further
authorized to build temporary structures
on each tract. and to appoint a commits
sion whose duty it should be to select
an architect to prepare plans for per-
| manent buildings on said tracts. An APP
preparation Of 100000 was made for the
purpose.
The Commissioners, after due adver-
| tisement for sites. selected as q site for
| workhouse a tract of land at Occoquan,
Fairfax county. Va, containing LISA