Evening star., 1921-08-14
NEW PARKWAY DELA YED
THROUGHLACK OF FUNDS
Connecting Link Between Rock Creek and
Potomac Drive Will Not Be Completed
for Some Time.

along this portion when the parkway
is completed Is so great as to induce
every one to do all that reasonably
can be done to facilitate completion
of the purchases for the commence
ment of the development work. The
first piece of construction work for
this parkway was initiated recently
by the commencement of work on the
of New Hampshire avenue. where
! memorial Is to be erected in the near
future for the victims of the Titanic
disaster. -
Public Inquiries Of Progress.
Frequent requests are received by
the officer in charge of public build
ings and grounds froh the public In
terested in horseback riding. driving
and motoring, as to the status of the
completion of this parkway. 1t Is
said that no piece of park develop
ment in the city will do more for the
pleasure Of the residents and visitors
in Washington than this connection
The L'Enfant plan for the develop
ment of Washington. made in 1890.
thoroughly covered the proposed de-
velopment Of the city between the
Potomac river r.. and r,ened. the eastern eastern
and Washington grew strictly In ac-
cordance with this plan for almost
a century. When it became neces,
to meet the needs of the increasing
population there was unfortunately
no thorough study made OF the or1 gi-
nal plan with view to its extension
to meet the new demands.
park areas now forming Rock Creek
Park and the Geological Gardens were
acquired, thus providing for an uit1-
mate park development In the north
nH nd
than the areas originally executed.
1t was only after the acquisition
of these areas that serious considera.
tion was given to the requirement of
valley, to form connecting link be-
tween Rock Creek Park and the Po-
tomac Park, Col. Sheriff. points OUT.
One of the first steps in this direction
Glover of certain tracts of land in
Rock Creek valley, lying between the
Connecticut avenue bridge and Massa-
chusetts avenue, to the federal gov
ernment.
Commission's Report.
In 1901 the Mcmillan Park Com
mission made a comprehensive report
| on the entire park system of the
District to the Senate, in the course Of
| which it advocated the creation of
| a parkway extending from the Zoo
| logical Park to the mouth of Rock
| creek. InlS report IN0 COInIElSSlOH
| unanimously advocated an open
| valley" treatment, although recogniz-
| ing at that time that the Massa-
chusetts avenue culvert crossing in
| terfered with the design at that
particular place. This commission
| felt that the creation of high level
parkway over Rock creek, carried
| in a conduit, would largely destroy
the possibilities Of this area for park
development, and 1t was also felt that
the city of Washington was very for
| tunate in being able to secure this
| area as a parkway. and remove the
insanitary and unsightly conditions
that had always existed therein.
The recommendations of this COM
mission were not Immediately acted
upon, and it was not until twelve
years later that Congress finally au-
| thorized the procurement of this land
| at an expenditure of $1.300.000. Even
then. however, no work could be done,
because no appropriation was made,
and it was not until March 3, 1915,
that the present Rock Creek and Po-
tomac Parkway Commission was Gre
ated, consisting Of the Secretary of
the Treasury, the Secretary of War
and the Secretary of Agriculture, with
the officer in charge of public build
1ngs and grounds as executive and
disbursing officer. In February, 1916,
| this commission reported and sub
| mitted to Congress the taking lines
| OF the proposed parkway, which were
approved by Congress. and the ac-
! QUESTION OF the land authorized.