The Washington herald., 1913-01-25

Park which you referred 10 them for
,eport touching the merits of the bill
and the propriety of its passage.
A blue print is inclosed, showing, on
a large scale. the pieces and parcels
Of land proposed TO be condemned for
the addition TO Rock Creek Park. ana
also a map on a smaller scale show
ing the relation OF the proposed az
dition to Rock Creek Park and the
connection between the two.
Rock Creek Park as now established
starts at the District line. exends along
both sides of Rock Creek to the Zoologl-
cal Park, and then south of this latter
mark in a narrow strip along the east
side of Rock Creek to Massachusetts
Avenue. South of this point the United
States owns a small strip of land about
go or 6OO feet in length, bought Tor the
use of the Washington AQueduct.
The addition proposed by this bill joins
this latter part of the park. 1t will be
along the west of Rock Creek ana eH-
tends up the valley of small oranch
running about parallel to Massachusetts
Avenue The valley of this branch Is
very deep. and the tract of land aouttlhg
the creek is well wooded with large ana
beautiful trees, making it an ideal piece
OF property for park purposes. The tract
proposed to be acquired extends about
4.os0 feet along Rock Creek and north
west about 400 feet along Massachusetts
Avenue, with a width of 800 to loo rect.
The tracts included in the proposed ad-
dition have been owned by two or three
estates. which up to the present time
have not developed the property. he-
Gently however. in continuation or the
rapid development of that section, large
tract of land has been purchased by a
yndIcate and arrangementst- are being
made 10 Law off the land into lots and
blocks for the purpose of building. This
tract includes about eighty-eight acres
Of the land this bill proposes to pur-
chase for park purposes, and unless the
land is acquired by the government 1t
will undoubtedly be built upon within
a short time. All Of this section prob
ably win develop rapidly during the next
wear or two and the value be greatly en-
hanced.
In determining on the part of these
tracts TO be used for park purposes, II
was endeavored to leave what was most
suitable for building purposes and take
for park purposes such part as was best
adapted to such use. The area of the
land proposed for a park Is about 100
acres, and the price is about $500 per
acre. which is considered to be reason
able in view OF all the circumstances.
Options are left on It so that II can all
he acquired at such figures as TO bring
II within the amount appropriated in the
bill
1t is further provided in the bill that
a small piece of property belonging to
the United States lying south of Massa-
chusetts Avenue may be exchanged for
an equal amount OF land lying to the
north. The Naval Observatory grounds
ere located inNthis vicinity. The original
grounds of the observatory contain about
seventy-ive acres, irregular in shape.
The opening OF Massachusetts, Avenue
and Observatory Circle, in accordance
with the authorized system of highway
extension. leaves two strips of the origi-
nal tract-one on the north Of Massa-
chusetts Avenue, containing fourteen
acres, and one on the south side OF the
avenue, lying in the angle between Mas
sachusetts Avenue and Observatory Cir
Gle. containing about seven-tenths of an
acre. This latter strip is proposed to be
exchanged. 1t is OF little value to the
observatory or to the United States m
account of being separated from the re-
msinder of the holdings of the observa-
tory by streets. SO that it would seem