Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-08-29

caring for the grounds already es'a'-
lished. ,a
Under the present arrangement ne
exnlained, persons desiring to use
tennis courts or base ball DIAMONDS
must apply to this office for permit
for a stated time and hour. fermlts ar
granted for period of a month"; al
lowing the bearer the use of the GROUND
at certain hour on certain days each
week, and for certain length OF time.
At the expiration Of the month new
permits are issued. and a change Is
usually made in the hour. This Is
necessary, as by far the larger per
centage desire the grounds at the same
time, and If some rule was not enforced
whereby an equal division could be
made one party would monopolize
court or diamond.
"As far as barring undesirable per-
sns from the privileges of any grounds,
it will be no more difficult in the care
of single large area than 1t Is with
numerous scattered ones II a set OF
boys are not making the proper use of
a base ball field, we very soon hear of
it. 1t is necessary to maintain force
of men to care for the grounds we al
ready have charge of. and they see
that the privileges of the grounds are
not abused. In the large ground now
under consideration it is probable that
a nominal fee will be charged, which,
while it will place the use OF the
grounds above no ones means. VIII
have the effect of keeping away those
who might prove undesirable. And
then, too, provision will be made to
keep out. of distance to those enjoying
the grounds persons drawn there mere
ly by curiosity. That in short time
should free the grounds of all who
have not a real desire to enjoy the
privileges. and a person coming under
this classification should hardly prove
Objectionable
Just how long 1t will take to build
this gigantic playground for grown
ups and how much money will be
needed are two questions which Col
Harris finds himself unable to answer
He makes the emphatic statement,
however that a beginning will be made
just as soon as Congress approprtates
sufficient money, and that as soon as
the next session convenes plans would
be in shape to show the appropriations
committee, together with such induce
ments as might be necessary to bring
about a speedy granting of funds.
THE length of time required is diff
cult to determine" declared Col. Harris.
The whole thing is too large to Specu-
late about or to attempt to run up over
night. l should say that ten years
would be needed to fully complete such
a recreation ground as is now contem-
plated It must be understood that such
a project builds upon itself. one thing
suggesting another. If this is to be
what we hope for it, the finest of its
kind, 1t must be a thing of gradual
growth. Hasty plans and construction
would be ruinous. Each base ball dia-
mond and tennis court will be made as
perfect in the matter Of construction
as the most critical professional could
demand. When thing is to be gone
into as painstakingly and thoroughly
as we are planning to do, it neces-
sarily takes time.
and in the matter of expense. much
the same thing holds true. What we
plan for now cannot be computed into
dollars and cents. Take. as single
example, the golf course. II It Is neces-
sary to make artificial knobs to any
considerable extent, the cost OF max
ing the course will be greatly in
creased. Yet at the present time. when
we have gone no further in the actual
work than to begin clearing the
ground. to tell whether or no this Will
Be necessary 10 out of tho question.