Evening star., 1924-03-10
PARK PURCHASE BILL
.FAVORABLY REPORTED
Klingle Valley, Piney Branch and
Patterson Tracts Acquisition
Given Committee 0. K.
GIBSON SUBMITS FINDING
Cites COMMISSIONER Stand in Re-
port to House.

Favorable report from the House
District committee on the Zihlman
bill to authorize the purchase Of the
klingle Ford Valley tract, the Piney
Branch Parkway tract and the Pat
terson tract, to be included in the
parkway system Of the National Capt.
tai, was made today by Representa-
tive Gibson, republican, Of Vermont.
This report includes a copy Of the
report made on a similar bill in the
last Congress, but calls attention that
since that time certain changes in
the bill have been found necessary as
to all three of the projects.
Regarding Klingle Ford tract, Rep
resentative Gibson reports that dur
ing the past year construction OF the
English Village on Woodley road.
occupying a portion of the former
proposed route OF the Klingle Ford
Parkway, compelled change of that
route, and the District Commission
ers. in their estimates to the budget
bureau, recommended the new route
, as shown in map adopted in the
present bill.
! Since the Commissioners esti-
mates were forwarded a prominent
builder started operations to cut the
IN the line of the new route. This
=. builder has, at great Inconvenience,
stopped operations to permit legisla-
! ton for acquiring this route.
The President, through the direc-
tor OF the budget. thereupon on Janu-
supplemental emergency estimate rec
emmending immediate acquisition OF
this tract exactly as set forth in this
bill
Discusses I'incy Branch.
! Regarding the Piney Branch tract,
! the Gibson report reads as follows:
The bill and report in the last
acquiring enough land east of the
18th street bridge to provide a park.
way to pass under the bridge and
curve northward into Arkansas ave-
nue.. This is of the utmost Importance
now to relieve traffic conditions
! The east side of the arch of the
Tiger bridge is now nearly one-third
| closed by filling. 1t will surely be
| filled and the usefulness of the s125.-
/ 600 bridge destroyed if the land on
Quired. If not acquired the cross
traffic here will climb about forty five
feet on the east side Of 18th street,
cross on grade the heavy traffic OF 18th
street. then descend forty-fiy feet on
the west side.
IF the bridge is kept open the
passenger traffic of the great terri
tory northeast from that point can
pass on grade down Piney branch and
Rock creek TO Potomac Park, passing
under nine bridges, entirely avoiding
cross traffic the entire distance. This
alone is a commanding reason for
acquiring this parkway east Of 18th
street.
"The Piney branch valley west of
10th street has been to this time an
| unbroken forest to the tops of the
hillside. The park commission plan
full width to the top of the hills, but
thus far only 400 feet in width has
been acquired, which includes only
about one-third of the hillsides.
Trees Recently Cat.
During the past two months hun
dreds Of forest trees have been cut
from the south side at 1ngleside
valley of the old I4th street is rap
cans and debris. This will shortly
destroy one of the largest springs
feeding Piney branch and Rock creek.
Ths widening sntIe proposed will also Is
Indian quarry on the north hillside,
described by Dr. Holmes of the
Smithsonian Institution as the great
est aboriginal boulder quarry known
The present bill provides for widen
ing this parkway about 200 feet on
each side and there is no need more
urgent than this in all your park
systerlsS'
Regarding the Patterson tract, the
Gibson report points out that this
is also included in the park COM
mission plan of 1901 and has in all
eighty-one acres. Heretofore there
have been innumerable recomnlenda-
tions for acquiring the entire tract
THE southern and southwestern por-
ton has. however. SO rapidly increased
in value for other purposes that this
bill provides for acquiring only fifty
nine acres. including the elevated. for
est-covered northern portion, with the
swimming pool. but excluding about
twenty-five acres Of the southwestern
portion and reducing the cost accord
ingly.
"Northeast Washington has now only
one small park, Stanton Square. and
the Patterson woods are most urgent
need ~