Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-03-16


world and will be worthy of the Amer
lean capital"
In 1899 Mr.. Moves in his report as
president of the Washington Board of
Trade said
The Mall Of the original city will be
connected with the new Potomac Park
and form an integral and important part
of an extensive park area. The blem
ishes upon the appearance of the Mall
through disfguring railroad tracks will
not, however. be permitted by the public
TO be duplicated in the case of the new
reservation. The latter WILL in pursuance
of the declaration of the law. be forever
held and used as public park. for the
recreation and pleasure of the people.
Both Col Bingham and Col Allen have
taken a lively and intelligent interest
in the subject of the development and
adornment OF Potomac Park. If frac-
ton of the proposed uses of this area
is realized the public welfare will be
wonderfully promoted. The park will be
transformed into a thing of beauty by
the landscape gardeners art; an i'm
proved and enlarged bathing beach and
bathing pool will contribute to the pub
lie health; for the recreation of the peo-
pie there will be provided base ball dia-
monds polo grounds. tennis courts, golf
links. and special areas including piles
of sand for the little ones; upon water
basins will be rowboats and naphtha
launches; here will be laid out in elipse
shape sidewalk, a carriage drive a
bride path. bicycle path, and speed
way, and inclosed within the ellipse will
be an area suitable for races and field
sports. Tree-lined roads and bride
paths will afford attractive vistas Of land
and water.
Continuing this system will be the flu
ture boulevard along urban Rock creek,
connecting the river reservations with
the Geological and Rock Creek parks
Thence the proposed Fort Drive or some
other great avenue across the northern
part of the District, will lead to Soldiers
Home and the Anacostia Park that is to
be.
There would not be in Vienna or
Budapest or anywhere in the world a
grander ring, street or boulevard than
that which should take its start on the
westward grassy slopes of the Capitol
grounds, sweep through the Mall and
Potomac Park and up Rock creek to the
Zoo and Rock Creek National Park:
thence by boulevard to the Soldiers
Home, and finally by boulevards and
Anacostia Park back to the eastern
sward and shade trees and impressive
dome of the Capitol Its only rival
would be the boulevard drive which
should sweep from the Capitol through
the Mall and Potomac Park, across a
ton, and by a national boulevard along
the Potomac to the tomb of Washington
and Mount Vernon.
1.-THE park system which thus permeates
the original city is to pervade in like
fashion the new Washington and the
ancient park of the forefather's plans.
lying between the Capitol and the White
House and touching the Potomac, Is to
which will include. as already suggested.
both banks of the Potomac, the valley of
Rock creek and the flats and heights OF
Anacostia.
Up to 1899 the activity of most of those
persons interested in the park develop
ment of Washington was addressed large
ly toward securing means for opening up
Rock Greek Park that it might serve the
purpose for which it was established and
be made accessible to the people. Some
park history may be read in the resolu-
tons adopted at a meeting of the Board
of Trade In January, 1899, and which be-
cause of their historic interest are given
below. They follow:
Whereas under the act OF September q. $780,
authorizing the establishment of a public park
in the District of Columbia, there was acquired
es Of Roe eeet x er bridge H
the state line of MARYLAND, which under the law
is to be perpetualy dedicated and set apart as a
the people of the United States; and
Whereas the said park is inaccessible to those
for whom ii was created, for want Of proper
roads and entrances: therefore, be IT
Resolved, That the BoarG Of Trade urgently
requests the House OF Representatives to accept
the amendment TO the bill asking appropriations
TO provide for the expenses of the government of
the District Of Columbia for the fiscal year end
ing June 30 1900 which was adopted by the
Senate on January I. 1899. as follows:
- For the and Improvement of Rock Creek
Park to be expended under the direction Of the
board Of control OF said park, the unexpended
balance amounting to $23, 693.45 Of the appro-
priation made by the act approved September q,
1890, for the expenses of acquiring said park, is
hereby appropriated
Resolved That It IL the sense OF this meet
ing that the adoption Of said amendment will en-
able the legal c,istodians OF the park to begin to
carry out the provisions OF the law TOR laying