Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-06-20
PLANS TO BEAUT|FY
THEP0T0MACPARK
Col, w, w, HartS at Work on
Map Showing Scheme of
Improvement.
Includes Golf Course, Tennis Courts,
Base Ball Diamonds and Vast
Stadium for Games.

Col. W. W. Harts, U. s. A., engineer
officer in charge Of public buildings and
grounds. announced today that he ex-
poets soon to have completed gigantic
map of the proposed improvements in low
er Potomac Park. showing the roadways.
boat landings, golf course, tennis courts,
base ball diamonds, outdoor gymnasium.
bandstand, pavilions and other means OF
recreation 1t is hoped to have construct
ed there.
The map, which is in the nature of a
preliminary sketch tracing. Col. Harris
said. is being worked out in accordance
with suggestions of memberSp Congress
and follows out their views.
It is an elaboration Of a preliminary
plan submitted to the House committee
on appropriations which was received
by the committee with considerable
favor. Before it is completed it may
contain provision for a stadium to hold
$1,000 people, in which could be played
great foot ball games. such as the
Army and Navy foot ball game, and
also. polo field and running track for
field athletics. These three features are
already sketched in on the map. not,
however, with any degree Of per-
manency.
Plans Ornamental Gateways.
The whole map is in the nature Of an
experiment, the 1anscape engineers in
Col. Harts' office being at work on the
plan to see what they can work out as
being most useful and desirable to
create for the benefit of the outdoors
loving public.
Late yesterday afternoon the committee
on parks and reservations Of the Board
of Trade met at Col. Harts' Office and
he went over the proposed plans for
beautifying and making the lower end
of Potomac Park useful as recreation
center with the members of the COM
mittee
Col. Harts explained that several en-
frances, gateways of an ornamental
character, are to be built giving access
to the lower end of the park, known as
the peninsula. In addition there are
to be a number of lighthouses on the
Potomac river side of the peninsula, and
on both the Washington channel and
Potomac river side of the peninsula
there are to be boat landings for pro-
posed ferries.
Parkways for Automobiles.
At the upper end of the peninsula
there are to be constructed. if the
plan is carried out, ten base ball dia-
monds ana twenty-five tennis courts.
with buildings suitable for shower
baths and the changing of clothes.
Near these buildings 1t is proposed to
construct parkways where large num-
bers of automobiles may be stored.
Another proposed building would be
for the benefit Of users of the golf
course, containing shower baths and
rooms in which clothing might be
changed.
A macadamized roadway is to be
constructed all along the outer edge
of the peninsula, SO that a complete
driveway around the lower end OF the
park would be possible. Work on
this roadway has already been done
and a portion of it is completed.
which is below. the War College grounds,
across the Washington channel it is
proposed to construct. pavilion and
bandstand. In addition to the macad-
amfzed roadway, it is proposed to con-
struct a dirt road or a cinder road for
saddle horses, to run parallel with the
macadamized roadway Along both OF
these it Is proposed to set out great
have already been planted, and Col.
Harts announces that he has a sufficient
number of these trees stored and on
hand to go all the way around the
QrlVeS.
Public Picnicking Grounds.
Picnicking grounds are to be inter-
spersed in the golf course, and Col
Harts hopes that it will be possible to
set out at various places in the golf
course rare and unusual trees from
various parts of the United States as
we'll as from abroad. Among these will
be lotus and lily ponds.
In addition, he hopes that it will be pos
sible to place the Botanic Gardens
which are to be moved from their pres
ent location on Pennsylvania avenue,
near tine Capitol grounds, at point
near the lower end of the peninsula.
There has been talk of putting the Bo-
tanic Gardens in Rock Creek Park, but
nothing has been settled in regard to it.
The peninsula contains 327 acres OF
this the area to be devoted to games is
a -,