Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-08-06
PARKS ARE GROWING
Col. Cosby Shows Work Done
in the District.
IMPROVEMENTS ARE MADE
New System Of Lighting Adopted.
Urges More Pay for
Watchmen.
IMPROVEMENTS ARE MADE

Full Information regarding the public
parks and some of the public buildings
is contained in the annual report of Col.
Cosby, the engineer officer in charge.
submitted to the War Department today.
Considerable progress was made during
the past fiscal year in improving the va
rious public reservations. and further
work in that direction is contemplated
with the approval of Congress.
Additional park space was transferred
10 the chief of engineers by the Commits
sioners of the District of Columbia There
was also transferred to the office of pub
lie buildings and grounds the reservation
in Georgetown containing the old high
service reservoir, which is no longer
needed as a part of the system for dis
tributing the water supply OF the city. 1t
is expected that this reservation will
eventually be made a part of the park
system.
Meridian Hill Added.
Ground in Meridian Hill was also
brought into the park system under
the terms of an act of Congress pro-
viding for it's condemnation, and the
additional ground In the same tract
will also be acquired as soon as its
purchase is completed.
One unimproved reservation was i'm
proved. and one partially improved
reservation was highly improved. Con-
siderable work for the Improvement OF
the interior part of Potomac Park was
accomplished.
a new bituminouS macadam roadway
was constructed in Potomac Park annex
near the tidal basin outlet, and a similar
road was constructed In Potomac Park
just across the outlet
Eighteen hundred Japanese cherry trees.
the gift of the city of Toxic were planted
around the tidal basin in the park. Work
was started on the construction OF park
lodge in Potomac Park.
The work of filling the old fish ponds
in the Monument grounds was COM
pleted The improvement of the terraced
reservation on I'D street near street
was completed, and the reservation in
Mount Pleasant which was acquired from
the Commissioners of the District of
Columbia. was developed as an intimate
neighborhood park.
Park Section Redesigned.
The section Of Judiciary Park around
the new Court Of Appeals building was
redesigned to bring it more in harmony
with the architectural features Of that
building.
Various changes and additional land
scape improvements were made in two
bI Ine circles anu IN many OF the SmdII
triangular reservations. One of the old
gravel roads in the Smithsonian grounds
was resurfaced with bitulithic macadam.
New walks were laid out. and other
changes were made in Garfield Park.
An entirely new system of lighting has
been adopted for the public parks OF the
District. 1t involves the substitution of
incandescent electric lights and gas
lights for the arc lights. increasing the
number of gas lights in some Of the
parks.
Increased pay for the force of park
watchmcn is strongly recommended. They
Tow receive S6o month and their uni
forms. ohc allowance for which amounts
10 little less than 81 per month.
Since the Washington Monument was
orened 10 the public. October 2. 1883, the
total number of persons VINO have ascend
cd TO the top up 10 July :. last, was 3. 734,-
~. The number of Visitors during the
past fiscal year was 164.994. OF which -
go made the ascent by the stairway.
Considerable work was done at the prop
a-ating gardens and the nursery south
Of the Washington Monument.