Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-03-02

of entirely different style side by side
still, on the whole, 1 think that is a bet
ter plan than the monotOny of Paris or
some other continental cities
Then there is the very large subject
of the river and Potomac Park You
have. since the low ground along the
Potomac has been reclaimed. magnif1-
cent open space. and you have running
through it a magnificent expanse of water
that Is perhaps the strongest feature in
Washington itself for scenic purposes
Take the whole of the valley of Rock
creek, up as far as Massachusetts avenue
bridge, and then take the part between
Massachusetts avenue and Connecticut
avenue bridge. Can there be anything
more revolving and even lOathsome than
the dumps on those flats, which even
can remember We're once covered by
picturesque trees and grass and shrubs
Beauty of Virginia Cliffs.
"A reference to the Potomac leads me
to speak of the splendid ridge of rocks
running up on the Virginia side. They
have been sadly, cut into by quarries,
spelling the natural beauty Of the rock,
but. after all. nature will in time repair
those blemishes Perhaps she will not
do SO within the time of most of us, but
in the course of years, with rain and
frost and vegetation, nature will soften
the harshness of the rocks where the
stone has been taken away, and you will
again have picturesque cliffs along the
banks of the Potomac. with the high
green trees behind il. Those are very
valuable elements In our Washington
landscape
II have two little suggestions to make
which | make with diffidence. because
many of you have no doubt thought of
TINS and arrived at d conclusion. One
is that it is desirable. if possible, to
stop the quarrying, to preserve the trees
on the top of the Potomac cliffs on the
Virginia side. to make a good path.
walking path or riding path. OF pos
sibly somewhat small unObtrusive
driving road, from which you could get
views. but which would be kept back
SO as not to spoil the view from below.
On our side of the Potomac I think
1T would be desirable to make a driving
road, by continuing the road in George
town. where the station of the electric
traction line is, along to the point
where you approach the water works.
and where the road that comes up from
below to the water works to the Great
Falls road: a road seems to be badly
wanted there.
You might make a road there which
would be available for automobiles, by
which they could go out to the Great
Falls road, and you would have fine
point to look out at the river, and there
would be a beautiful view of the woods
on the Virginia side
'AlI the slope on this side of the
river from that point up deserves care
full treatment. There are many beauti
full sites, and if it is allowed to be cut
up for small. common. mean houses and
treated without any care. a good deal
of beauty there will be lost: 1t falls
in pretty slopes, wooded hills. which
run up from the wood. at the back of
which is the so-called American Uni
versity, the Ridge road. and comes down
in three parallel valleys. If those
could be kept In their natural state. so
much the better. II they cannot be
kept in their natural state. at any rate
let them be treated in such way as
not TO destroy what scenic beauty there
is on that side of the river.
Should Preserve Best Views
That leads me to observe that it is
views in Washington. l would like to
call attention to two points, however
Those who know the Ridge road and
the American University know the road
that comes down, that turns north be-
fore you come to Georgetown, north of
the university. There are a number of
points Of view on that road, toward it's
southern end, from which you see over
the city way down ten or fifteen miles
toward Maryland and Virginia They
are perhaps the most beautiful views
around Washington. and it would be
very easy to spoil those views by put
ting up rows of houses. There are ONLY
a few points from which you could get
those views, and SO it is of great value
and we'll worth keeping.
There is another point that is now
threatened and perhaps almost gone You
II infarSantian Of