Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1921-01-05
PARKWAY Project
FAST PROGRESSING
Much of Land Needed HAS
Already Been Acquired,
Engineer Says.
100000 FOR NEW LAND
New Sea Wall Will Confirm selec-
ton of Site for Titanic
Memorial.

Approval by Congress of the $4,000
item in the sundry- civil bill for con-
structing sea wall between Easbys
point and the foot of New Hamp-
shire avenue will confirm the present
tentative selection of a site for the
proposed Titantic Memorial and mark
the initial step in the Improvement of
the projected connecting parkway
between Geological and Potomac
parks.
The Titanic Memorial Association
has chosen the junction of +: street
and New Hampshire avenue and the
proposed park drive as the site for the
granite design it will erect to the
memory OF the Titanic victims. ac-
cording to announcement today
however. construction of a memoria !
at this point will depend upon the
building of the sea wall, as it is
feared the site would be exposed to
nigh water and ice foes without such
protection.
1t is understood the site has the
approval of the Rock Creek and Po-
tomac parkway commission This
government agency. which has been
engaged for several years in acquir-
ing land by which Geological and
fotomac parks may be connected.
Will not undertake for at least four
or hVe years more to improve the
property obtained. But its general
! building OF connecting park drive
winch Will form junction with L
street and New Hampshire avenue at
the Npolnt suggested for the Titanic
memorial
100000 to Buy Land.
The same bill, authorizing the con-
struction of the seawall. also carries
an item of 5000, 900 for continuing the
work of acquiring land between
Geological and Potomac parks along
the line of Rock creek
AT the present rate of progress, ac-
cording to J. C. Langdon. landscape
architect and engineer for the com
mission, who has conducted all of the
purchases. 1T will take about ten
years to complete the Undertaking.
Mr.. Langdon announced the most
recent purchase was that of the
Stotesbury property. comprising A.
900 square feet of ground. located on
the east side of Rock creek. in the
vicinity of Goth and Belmont streets.
The purchase price was about $4,000.
The commissions engineer point ed
out that Congress appropriated $50
600 for the purpose in 1916. 100000
1919. 100000 in 1920. and proposes
another 100000 appropriation for the
coming fiscal year.
Up to last November" said Mr.
Langdon. THE commission had eX-
pended for land $5SS.20O. and it has
enough money on hand to cover its
purchases to the beginning of the
next fiscal year, July /.
Total Area to Be 80 Acres
1.-THE total area of the parkway as
designed will be 159 acres. At the out
set the government found itself in pos
session of 113 acres of this area. That
left about ninety-three acres to be ac-
quired. OF this amount We have pur-
chased approximately forty-eight acres.
which is S per cent of the entire acre
age we will have to buy. The property
thus faf,sobtained was bought at an
average saving of 16 per cent under its
assessed value"
While Congress has made no appro-
priations for improving the connecting
parkway. and it is not expected any
money will be available for this pur-
pose until all real estate purchases have
been completed, the commissions pres
ent plans call for the construction of a
border road encircling the park on the