Evening star., 1923-12-10
PARK TRACT APART
FROM GARDEN PLAN
Army Engineers Say Anacos-
tia Development Is Con-
sidered by Itself.

Emphasis is laid by the board of
engineers Of the Army on the claim
that there Is mo relation between the
Botanic Garden and Anacostia Park
in report which Will be presented
to Congress tomorrow. recommend
Ing continued development and rec
lamauon Of the Anacostia river and
flats.
The engineer board has been re-
quested to set aside some 2s0 acres
Of Anaco6ia Park above Bennins
road for an aquatic garden. to be
part of national arboretum and bo-
tanic garden; which i. Ia proposed
VIII also include the Mount Hamil-
ton and Hickey Hill tracts of 367
acres, by an extension of the park
boundary line, as provided for in q
oiil introduced in the Senate in tho
Sixty-sixth Congress, but not pa ssed.
Inc complete plan for this botanic
garden Is outlined in the report Of
the fine arts commission upon the
national arboretum and botanic gar.
den.
Hold Tract Too Large.
The 2s0 acres proposed to be set
aside amount to as per cent OF the
entire area above Benning road. While,
as has been previously indicated. much
OF this marsh land is already owned by
the United States, 1t is considered BY
the Army engineers that $50 acres IN
too large an area 10 be diverted from
the public recreational use.
In the codified plan proposed by the
Army engineers in this report to Con-
gress space of probably $50 acres.
which will include the famous Shaw lily
ponds, Will be made available for use
as water garden, bird sanctuary and
botanic garden However, It is not
desired at this time, the Army engineers
say. to specifically locate or limit the
area to be devoted to these features.
AS the development of the section OF
the park west of the river adjoining the
city VIII be undertaken first, 1t is there
fore proposed to locate these features
III the section east of the river
Later when development on the east
or the river is undertaken and the
plans for the water garden. bird sane
tuary and botanic garden has assumed
concrete form the necessary ALLEGATION
can be made.
The Army engineers tell Congress
they understand that the marsh land
east OF the river is suitable for the
purpose desired. 1t is believed that
this area can be set aside without
detriment to the park project. as no
expenditure need be made for pur-
chasing the land and the expense OF
development will be borne by the in
terested agencies. A saving will also
be effected by a reduction in the
amount of reclamation dredging re-
ouired.
The board of engineers tells Congress
1T fets that the proposed arboretum
and botanic garden is a purely ma
tional activity which should be paid
for entirely by the federal govern
ment, while Anacostia Park is prf-
marily a local project and is being
paid for Jointly by the federal gov
ernment and District Of Columbia.
Then, too, the Anacostia Park pro-
ject provides for the assessment OF
benefits against private property.
while there should be no such assess
ment In connection with the estah-
lishment of a national aboretum and
botanic garden.
In reaching the conclusion that
these two projects should be treated
as separate and distinct, the Army
engineers assure Congress they do
not wish to hinder in any way the
establishment of q national arborst-
um and botanic garden at Mount
Hamilton, but, on the contrary, be-
lieve it to be "a wholly worthy pro-
ject."