Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-12-31

) -erty to the government at all three ses-
sions that the bill was before Congress-
that he was responsible for the addition
of 100 acres to the park, and that ne
had worked with Representative David
B. Henderson, chairman or the appro.
priations committee. for the passage OF
ohe entire Rock creek project There was
~ trouble over the legislation. as he ex'
planned:
- There was a bill introduced just before
Z caused to be introduced the Rock Greek
= Park bill-introduoed into both houses oil
: Congress-to establish geological park
: This bill was rather an unfortunate bill
= II seemed to have very few friends. Mr.
Henderson asked me to go over to the
Senate and have that bin passed by tine
Senate, and that he would endeavor to
add the entire Rock Creek Park project
to the bill as an amendment.
II went to Senator Edmunds, to Senator
Sherman. to Senator Allison and several
others of the very first men in the Sen
ate. That bill was promptly taken from
the committee and passed.
Meets With Opposition.
When I endeavored to have the bill
amended in the House was met by
great opposition from the regents of the
Smithsonian Institution. I went to see
Professor Langley. went over It with him
and he said he had no authority to per-
nit any amendment to the geological bill
I asked him who had: he said the regents
I asked him IL he would call meeting
of the board Of regents, which he did
and after about two hours conference
they agreed to permit Mr.. Henderson to
make his amendment.
'It was defeated by few votes. but !
had arranged with Mr.. Henderson that
in the event of the failure of the Rock
Creek Park bill he would take up the
geological park as very small matter.
involving only an expenditure of 500 COO
and he would ask for the passage of that
bill. This was done. and the Geological
Park bill cut the property that I wanted
to take in the original Rock Creek Park
bill just about in half. I intended to be-
gin at Florida avenue and go to very
near the District line.
Il then went back to the Congress OF
the United States. reducing the sum that
! had originally asked for to s., 100000.
for large part, taking up the entire
Rock Creek valley. After almost in
in causing the bill to be passed by both
the House and the Senate.
Motive Attacked by Property Owners
"A number of disgruntled property own
ers began an attack on me then for hav-
ing an interest in that proposition. /
never owned foot of ground inside or
outside of Rock Creek Park-not at any
time. nor long before and until years
after the park had been established. l
had no interest. remotely, directly Or in
any shape or form.
:. THE origin of this bill was in this wise:
I was in the habit of riding several times
a week with George Bancroft. the his
torian. whose executor l was: with Ran
dali Gibson. senator from Louisiana, who
also named me as one of his executors,
and with Spofford. the then librarian of
Congress. We would very often see some
magnificent grove of trees cut down and
some wretched niisfit subdivision put in
their place We often discussed the pos
sibilfty OF park, taking in this magnifi-
cent country.
>, "A little later. out riding with another
group of gentleman. friends Of mine,
Thanksgiving day. 1888. stopped In the
midst midst of this magnificent region. and
there We entered into a solemn resolve
that we would never cease working until
the Rock Creek Park was an accom-
plished fact.
The result is you have the Rock Creek
and Geological parks.
Potomac Flats Reclamation.
AT an earlier period in 1880 I asked a
couple of my then friends 10 meet me at
my house to discuss The possibility of the
reclamation Of the Potomac flats We
We're to determine upon some plan, both
for the reclamation of the fats and the
water works extension.
I'VE determined that the method. the
one that would give the least OPPOSE
ton. was to put the whole matter in
the hands of the Engineer Corps of the
After this first meeting 1 called about
forty OF the best known citizens Of
Washington to my house. We formed
two committees Of twenty each, and
within about ninety days after the be-
ginning Of this effort to purify that
portion of the city-for Washington
was said to be the most malarial city
probably on the continent-we Sue
seeded in getting an appropriation Of
fats. and 1900. 900 to complete the
water works extension.
"The river flats plans were placed in
the hands of Gen. Haines. who most
admirably performed his duties, and
the extension of the water works was
placed in the hands OF Col. Lydecker,
who was not so fortunate.
The flats were gradually reclaimed.
II was not accused Of having profited
in any shape or form by the reclamation
OF the flats, but l have been accused Of
practically everything in connection with
Rock Creek Park. / was accused Of max
ing q million and a half dollars out Of the
Rock Creek Park scheme, that only cost
s1.2OO.OOO And then it was reduced and
reduced. until finally somebody had heard
that somebody else had said I had made
$4,000. AS matter OF fact, I never
owned q loot OF ground INSIDE or OUTSIDE
of Rock Creek Park: / never had any ar
rangement by which a dollar Of money
could be paid to me under any conceiv-
able circumstances. I have never been
placed in a position where 1 would act
as the agent of any living man.
Relating to the Profits.
Representative Johnson asked Mr..
Glover IL the land was not sold to the
government at more than it was worths
Mr.. Glover said that was entirely true.
that the 300 property owners, in his opin-
ion. profted tremendously. but that. he
had endeavored in every possible way to
get the property at fair valuation,
sand." he added, ''the result was that
through the press and other means
had the most vicious attacks made upon
me-"
Representative Johnson asked:
Have you ever heard the statement or
rumor that has been going the rounds
for some time that when the commits
sioners who were to acquire that prop
erty met they doubled the assessed
Value OF each tract Of land composing
the park, and added 1t up and found that
II would not consume the $1,2OO.OOO APP
proprtated for the purchase; that then
they continued to add and add until the
100000 was taken, and that in that way
they got to 600 per cent over and above
this first assessed value Of the property?
Il do not know what the assessed
valuA Of the properfy said Mr. Clio