The Washington times., 1916-09-10
ReoreationaI Facilities More
Popular During Past Year
y Than Ever Before.
MANY PERMITS ARE ISSUED
Tennis Courts and Baseball
Diamonds Widely Used-Im.
! provements Shown.

Evidence that the Washington public
utilised recreational facilities during
me past season to. q greater extent
than ever before Is given In the annual
report Of Col. w. w. Harris, engineer
officer In charge of public buildings
and grounds. which Is made public
Colonel Harris report gives a sum-
mary OF the park improvements made
during the fiscal year ended June so
last and shows for what purposes the
park funds were expended. 80
II Is the purpose Of this office to
make parks a source OF enjoyment to
the maximum number of people %
Soionel Harris report says, land il
therefore becomes necessary for the
PARK Watchmen to enforce the park
regulations In tactful manner and
without losing the good will of those
existence
Growth In Popularity.
Listing the recreational facilities of
tne washington parks, Colonel Harris
says there are now in use sixteen
baseball diamonds. thirty-five tennis
courts. one croquet court. one practice
golf course. one hockey field. one polo
field, one soccer field one cricket
Held. one hurting field. one pole vault
and high jump and one broad jump.
The growth Of the popularity of
Harris report says. land their use by
the public are shown by the fact that
in June. 1916, the following permits
were issued: Tennis, Potomac Park.
Henry Park. $50 permits for about
2.100 players: Montrose Park, "a per-
mits for about 400 players; Garfield
Park, twelve permits for about fifty
PLAYERS; golf Potomac Park, fifteen
cricket. Potomac Park. one permit for
cricket club; baseball. White House
ellipse. eleven, permits. including
three organized department leagues;
Monument Grounds and Potomac
Park. II permits. including two or
ganized leagues. During the last
eight days Of June. 1855 players used
the tennis courts In Potomac and
Henry Parks" The report also lists
games.
Park improvements Shown.
The report shows a number of i'm
provements to the parks. including the
construction of macadam roadway
around the river and harbor sides or
East Potomac Park and the completion
of the Meridian Hi Park retaining wall.
The total park area was increased by
10000 feet or 1915 acres by the transfer
from the District Commissioners con-
troll OF the Union Station plaza.
Colonel Harris made several recon-
mendations In his report.
One suggestion was that the Tidal
Basin in West Potomac Park be named
''Twining Lake" after Major Twining,
former Engineer Commissioner of the
District, who was prominent in the
Tidal Basin project. Another recon-
mendation was that the extreme south
ern point of East. Potomac Park be
named 'Hains Point" after General
Hams. Corps of Engineers. who had
much to do with early park improve
ment projects
Colonel Harris also recommended that
park police be placed on the same status
as the metropolitan police as regards
pension funds.
An, Interesting feature Of the report
shows that ge3.s5s visitors went up 10 the
TON Of the Washington Monument during
the year, of which number 1921 climbed
the stairs. Since the monument was
opened to the public In 1888. 4,47s,1b4 have
Vfaited H.