Evening star., 1922-05-14

The great memorial to Abraham Lin
coin. at the western terminus Of the
Mall. in Potomac Park, will be dedi-
| Gated on the afternoon Of May 80.
Some history of the memorial and the
site 1t occupies, is interesting at this
| time. In 1901, together with the Grant
memorial, with which it is associated
the tribute to the martyred President
| had it's beginning. The preceding year
| marked the centennial Of the establish
ment of the seat of government in the
| District Of Columbia. and with desire
| to commemorate the event with some
great public work it was decided to in
! augurate extensive plans for the i'm
! proyement Of the National Capital. So
, by authority of the Senate there was
appointed what has ever since oeen
Known as the Senate Park Commission
| of 1901, The members of this body were
Daniel H. Burnham, chairman; Charles
If. McKim, architect; Frederick Law
| Olmstead, jr., architect, and Augustus
] Saint t-Gaudens, sculptor.
L,Enfant Plan Restored.
| The Senate Park Commission virtually
| restored the long-neglected L'En1ant
| plan and enlarged 1t so as to apply 10
\
report, published a year following us
crea ton, the commission laid down the
ba sis, for the great projects which have
been under way during the past twenty
| wears in the development OF Washng-
ton, and among them Is found the 1oi
, lowing. with reference to memorial
to Abraham Lincoln in Potomac Park.
"Crowning the rond-point, as the Arc
dc Triomphe crowns the Place de
TEtoile at Paris, should stand q mem
! orial erected to the memory OF that one
man in our history as nation VINO ID
ineton-Abraham Lincoln. Whatever
may be the exact form selected lot tne
| memorial to Lincoln, In type 1t shouid
nossess the quality Of universally. ana
also. it should have character essen
| TALLY distinct from that OF any hGIiu- J
| ments either now existing in tne Dls-
trfct or hereafter to be erected.
| shore Line Changed.
| Tn selecting the site for the Lincoln
Memorial the Senate park commits
| sion had in mind the restoration OF
| rhe Mall, according to the iEnrant
plan, but extended from the WASH
ineton Monument three-fourths OF
mile westward to the Potomac. %,
| seryation of a map OF that perl"d
Shows the shore line differs much
from what 1t is at present. as tne
great East Potomac Park of 800 acres
was still submerged. At that time
! Potomac Park was known as Poto-
mac fats. or Kidwell fats. offensive
and detrimental to the public health,
hnt rich in part in aquatic vegeta-
ton and with great possibilities for
| deyelopment There are thousands
in Washington today who recall the
time when that locality was a favor-
ite place for shooting reed birds.
when the frogs gave their spring
concerts there and mosquitoes and
malarial germs prevailed in abun-
| dance. Thus one Of the close friends
of Abraham Lincoln. Uncle Joe
| Cannon, said at the time OF that loca :
ton. "the building would shake ltseif
down with loneliness and ague
! However, the Senate park commits
sion saw wonderful opportunities in
this site, and from the Monument
| garden westward it proposed a ca
nal $500 feet long and 200 feet wide.
bordered by stretches. OF green.
walled with trees, leading to con-
| course raised to the height of the
Monument platform. Seen from the
Monument platform this canal. SINH
lar in character and general treat
ment to the canals at Versailles, in
an element of repose and great beau.
ty. At the head of tho canal = great
I rond point, where the Lincoln Nc.
mortal stands placed on the main axis
| of tho Capitol and the Monument DO
comes a gate Of approach to the park
system Of the District Of Columbia
Public Recreation Ground.
! East Potomac Park has been devel-
oped according to plans suggested by
the Senate park commission that this
Be q large public recreation ground.
| and the plans have been prepared &C
cordingly by the ONCE Of public build
ings and grounds, under supervision
Of tho Commission Of Fine Arts. A
drive. known as the Speedway. has
! been built around the entire park and
is bordered by tho japanese cherry
trees, presented to Mrs. Taft by the
mayor of Toxic. A golf course has
| been completed and is being used ex-
! tensively. Tennis courts, base ball
diamonds, foot ball fields, croquet and
roQue courts are to be developed, and
a stadium to hold at least 10000 for
tho Army and Navy games is 70 be
built. A field house has been built