The Oskaloosa herald., 1913-05-29
MAKE BEAUTY spot
PARK PLANS FOR WASHINGTON
SHOW HIGHEST ART IN LAND
scAPE GARDENING.
UGLY BUILDINGS ARE DOOMED
Old and unsishtIy Structures Which
Stand In the Way Of Park Progress
Must eo-MemoriaI to Abraham
Lincoln. G.3@ -t..1f
BY GEORGE CLINTON.

tomac park has been selected as the
most fitting place for the proposed
Memorial to Abraham Lincoln. For.
mer Senator Shelby M. Cullom Of Hi.
nois, who has been in public life and
for the most part in public Office since
the day before Lincoln was elected
president, Is the chairman of the COM
mission which has the work Of erect
ing the memorial In charge. Senator
Cullom will stay in Washington, ex-
cept for short vacations, until he sees
completed the great structure to be
erected in honor of man whom he
knew Intimately. officially and per
mapently.
Potomac park, sometimes called Po-
tomac drive, is in part new creation.
The drive proper takes its course
along the north bank of the river The
view over the Potomac to the Virginia
hills is unbroken and some enthusiast
| tic ones have pronounced It matchless.
II certainly is appealing. ..'.E''''. /
The river is broad, and from it's
southwestern shore rise the heights
1'of Arlington, and, beyond them the
heights of the greater Virginia hills.
stiff we'll wooded in spite OF the lum-
Germans money temptation to the
owners to sacrifice their naples and
their century-old oaks. The trees Of
Arlington are under government pro-
lection, while sentiment alone guards
| the forest treasures of the farther
hills.
| From the capitol westward, south Of
Pennsylvania avenue, runs the Mall
| II is probable that in time the whole
| reservation will be known as Potomac
Park. The Washington monument,
worthy In the. magnificence of tts
height and In It's simplicity. rises
from an eminence about two-thirds Of
the way from the capitol to the west
end Of the pleasure ground, where the
Lincoln Memorial probably is to stand.
Cut Out the unsightIy. f'''.|
The experts of the forest service
have safeguarded the trees, some Of
which have lived for a, hundred years
or more within the grounds. Going
from the capitol westward, the Poto-
mac is on the left. and the unsigbtly
buildings on the south side of the. ave-
nue. are on the right. Within few
years all 'of,these buildings will have
disappeared. and where feed stores,
harness shops and lumber yards are
today there will be trees and flowers
and buildings of marble or granite
built after the manner of heart" Of
4 the best architects in the United
States.
Already several new government
structures have been erected in the
territory which one day will be given
over entirely to park purposes. 1t is
grateful to be able to write that there
will be no necessity for the destruc-
ton of these new government build
ings. They do no violence to the
beauty of the developing plan.
The new National Museum is a
noble structure and the partly built
new agricultural department building
Is worthy companion Of the museum.
| The old Smithsonian institution and
the old agricultural building still
stand. Alphabetically speaking, the
| Smithsonian has much to commend 1t.
1t Is of a type centuries tried. and with
it's UNCOVERED walls II has an abiding
attraction: It Is probable. however.
that this building must go, for its po-
sition is such as to break the parks
continuity. 20,
The agricultural building is of red
brick, warm in color and not altogether
unpleasing, but 1t stands In the way
believed to be not altogether safe.
Back of 1t are two detached marble
structures Which one day will form
the east and west wings of a central
agricultural building.
Many Buildings Must Go.
The government bureau of printing
and engraving occupies a place in the
park not far from the Washington
monument. The building Is not beau
tiful thing to look upon, and 1t must
go. and everybody is glad Of it. A
new building is being erected to be
used for the work Of printing and en-
craving. ~. r,...!.
Between the bureau and Pennsylva-
mia avenue there is first part of the
park and then part Of business
Washington. Before two years have
passed this particular business sec
ton OF the city will change it's char
acter. The buildings. some of them
residences of minor degree and others
business houses and hotels of rather
l1oyly, order, will disappear. New
homes /, for three government depart
ments will stand where commercial.
ism lie busy today, and as for the rest
| It will be q park.
East of the business houses which
are to make way for department
structures lies another business dis.
trict, or, rather, the same district ex-
tended, skirting Pennsylvania avenue
on the south until the botanical gar
dens near the capitol are reached All
this commercial section is to disap-
pear ultimately. but the day OF its go
ing is likely to be somewhat delayed.
When demolition is accomplished
there will be a park with few marble
public buildings here and there ex.
ten6sng from Pennsylvania svenus
lsouthward 70 the north bank Of the