Evening star., 1915-12-25
ITS ADVICE ASKED
0NPARK FEATURES
Report of Fine Arts Commits
sion Tells of Extensive
Proposals.
VAST POSSIBILITIES IN
RECLAIMED RIVER LANDS
Plans for Great Fairgrounds in East
Potomac Park-Anacosti Valley
Development Discussed.

| The commission of fine arts has been
called upon for advice in regard to the
park features of the development now
| in progress in the valley of the Ana
costa, where a water park great In
extent and having unsurpassed possi-
bilities of usefulness and beauty is be-
| ing created. In report on the SUD-
ject the commission saws that the elm
ination of malarial conditions in that
region together with the continued
growth of the city. promises to bring
into occupation one of the most at
tractive portions of the District. THE
natural beauty of the Anacostia hills.
says the report. land the commanding
jsituations afforded for building Will gall
for increasing improvements in streets
and reservations; and the reclaimed
lands will afford spaces for propa--
eating gardens which can be made to
combine usefulness with beauty
The plans prepared by Col. Harts. the
officer in charge of public Puiidlnss
and grounds, for the improvement OF
East Potomac Park containing 81!
acres) have had careful and detailed
consideration by the commission with
| a view, says the rapport, of securing
| Fairgrounds for the city generally. and
also of providing especially for that
| large section known as South W ASH
ington, which is now provided made
uuately with breathing spaces and rec
reation facilities.
Need for Swimming Facilities.
! In this connection. says the re-
port, attention is called to the urgent
need of swimming facilities with water
uncontaminated by organisms danger
of l..ac five q
out of the twelve ut-of-d door swim
ming would naturally be favorite
| sport if the requisite facilities were af-
| forded. No other sport is more con-
duciVe to health and none is more. ca
gerly sought. In Washington the great
| majority of the population is housed
under conditions to call for facilities
for out-of door pleasures; and the eli
| mate is such as to create demand
for such means of recreation. At the
present time. however, this need is met
only in small part bv the parks, which
consist mainly of driveways. AS "a re-
suit people are forced to go by rail
considerable distances to get swimming
facilities, and in the case of children
this requirement is prohibltive.''
Tentative planting studies for that
portion of Potomac Park lying between
the Washington Monument and. the
Lincoln Memorial. including the imme
diate vicinity of the lastvnamed struc-
| ture, have been considered by the art
commission at various times.
The rapid progress of the Lincoln
Memorial. says the report, has made
imperative the immediate development
| of the approaches and landscape set
ting connected Herewith. The COM
mission realizes fully the fact that the
effect of the memorial will depend
largely on the proportions and cfarac-
ter of the landscape features, on the
nature of the planting, the selection of
trees and the preparation of the soil.
Mistakes made at this time will be diff
ficult to remedy. For these reasons the
commission has giveni large amount
of consideration to the plans already
submitted and those now in progress
Harmony in Bridges Urged.
"The provision made by Congress for
physical connection between Poto-
| mac and Rock Creek parks has brought
out many considerations as to routes
and land-takings. in order to secure
the most slightly parkways without un-
due expense. When this Improvement
shall be accomplished the lower por-
tion of the valley of Rock creek will
be converted from region of squalor
TO one of positive beauty. Connected
ultimately with this development is the
character of bridges crossing Rock
creek
| THE commission advised that the
architectural possibilities of the Penn
sylvania Avenue bridge be considered
| in connection with the proposed i'm
provements of the Rock creek valley
That advice was not followed, and as
a result that particular bridge is out
| Of harmony with the Q Street bridge,
| with which it comes in contrast Then
| too. the construction of the Pennsyl-
vania Avenue bridge is such that the
| roadway underneath it must be con-
structed below the flood line. The
commission calls attention to these
| fac hat in fnfl he
authorities having in charge the build
| ing of bridges across the creek may
| be brought to work in harmony with
one another. The Connecticut Avenue
| ity and effect, although, of course, de-
signs must and should vary.
Bathing Beach and Pavilion.
"a plan for a tennis pavilion for
West Potomac Park was passed on
Suggested notifications in the design
are being carried out.
| plans for a bathing beach and pa
vilion on the Tidal Basin. prepared
and submitted by the Office of public
| buildings and grounds, were consid-
cred. Before approving such features
the commission felt that it would be
necessary to obtain complete studies of
the whole area from the proposed ath-
letic field in East Potomac Park north
ward and northwesterly to that por-
tion of West Potomac Park and the
Monument Grounds lying south of B
street north. These studies are now
| being prepared in the office of public
buildings and grounds under the di-
rect supervision of a committee of the
| commission.
Tentative plans for a rose garden,
for a swimming beach and a sketch
showing a proposed treatment of the
old lockhouse at the corner of 18th and
L sfr northwest hefnra he