Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-12-03
DISTRICT PARKS.

In the District appropriation act for
the fiscal year 1913 an appropriation was
made for the acquisition Of a park In
the southeastern section Of the city. to
include the sites of Fort Davis and Fort
Dupont, and to acquire the land neces-
sary to extend Rock Creek drive north
west from Massachusetts avenue to
Montrose Park, In order to make park
way entrance to Montrose Park from
Massachusetts avenue. Proceedings to
acquire the necessary land will be insti-
tuted during the present fiscal year.
These were two of the park projects
asked by the Commissioners in their es-
Inmates of last year, but Congress failed
to appropriate for the other parks re-
quested. namely, Klingle Ford Valley
Park Piney Branch parkway and Mount
Hamilton Park. Items for these parks
have been included in the estimates for
the next fiscal year.
In the Klingle Ford valley it is pro-
land lying on both sides of Connecticut
avenue along Klingle road, from wood
ley road to Rock Creek Park. The land
proposed to be taken consists of some OF
the most desirable land in the District
of Columbia available for park purposes.
1t Is covered with a magnificent growth
of trees of great age and will make
most picturesque and beautiful addition
to the park system. Unless the land is
acquired at an early date, improvements
which are rapidly being made in this vi
cinity will require that it be graded for
building purposes. and then this beautiful
park area will become a dump until 1t
is filled sufficiently to make it available
for sale building lots. This would
lose to the District of Columbia most
beautiful natural park which could never
be duplicated in this vicinity. This &C
QUESTION is more essential than any other
,,v,1o tod N 10
District of Columbia, as Klingle Ford
valley affords the only convenient en-
trance to the park system from large
portion of the District. and future gen
erations may rightly condemn the pres
ent 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
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
land is speedily acquired in this local
ity for park purposes the development
of property is such that it's price will
be prohibitive. This tract is splendidly
wooded elevation lying about 240 feet
above the river and affording magnifi
cent views of the city and surrounding
territory
The Piney Branch Valley Park in
cludes the valley Of Piney branch. be-.
tween 18th street and Georgia avenue.
This is well adapted for park purposes,
as it consists of we'll wooded slopes
along Piney branch. At some future
date the park should be continued from
Georgia avenue to the Soldiers Home,
in order to connect Rock Creek Park
with the Soldiers Home. The acquisi-
ton of the land proposed at present is
necessary to protect the bridge across
Piney branch at 18th street and to pre-
serve the valley. The estimated cost
of this project is $252,OOO and the
area to be condemned approximately
forty-two acres.
The Commissioners have also includ-
ed in their estimates for the next fiscal
year an item of $4,000 for the con-
demnation of small park areas at the
intersection of streets outside the
limits of the original city of Washing
ton, with the provision that one-half
the cost shall be assessed as benefits.