Evening star., 1924-03-16
ONE CENT FOR EACH AMERICAN
> is FUND PLAN FOR d. C.. PARKS
Senate Blu FaUorably Reported, Designed to Raise
100000 Yearly for Extension Of System.
Commission Is Provided.

gress to make proper provision FOL
the development OF an adequate park
: system for the National Capital the
Senate District committee has report.
= ed favorAbly a bill providing for
such development and for the estao-
lishnrent Of q commission which shall
be charged with recommending the
land to be developed as parks.
The committee In its report to the
Senate makes many specific recon-
mendations for the development OF
the park system here. It calls atten-
tion of the fact that the Park Com.
mission of 1901. composed Of Daniel
NJ Burnham. Frederick Law Ohm.
stead. jr, Charles F. McKim and Au-
gustus st Gaudens. recomme nded the
acquisition of flfty-three additions,
tracts within the District for the
proper extension of the park syste m
eom,,ss 1nt Of tn ti it., rssr en,, ssy, I'll, n,
! have been acquired. Many Of the
most beautiful and important OF these
tracts have been destroyed. Several
ARE now in the process Of destruc-
tion.
Effective Plan Imperatfve."
at seems imperative TO adopt al
once some effective method Of sys-
tematic park development for the
National Capital.
"In recent years and specially dur
ing the past few months, many forest
covered tracts in the outskirts Of the
city. including valleys and streams OF
great natural beauty, admirably locat.
ed for park extension and of ines.
Iimable value for that purpose, have
oeen destroyed. the trees cut down
the hills and valleys leveled. The di
version into sewers Of tn springs ant
rainfall Of the valleys tributary t,
Rock Creek must be stopped or the
beauty of the sream will be destroyed
washington has already fallen fal
behind many other American cities IL
the matter of outer parks and park.
ways. These are urgently needed il
the city were never to increase it:
.tial to provide for its certain and rapic
growth.
Lack Sport Areas.
The plan of the Federal City pro.
vided by the marvellous foresight OF
Washington, Jefferson and LEnfant
was bounded by the Potomac and An
acost1a rivers and on the north by
what is now Florida avenue, including
only a little less than one fifth of the
District of Columbia.
Besides generous grounds for the
Capitol and the Presidents house ant
Meeting them. the L'Enfant plan re.
served for parking at intersections o,
avenues and streets a considerable
number OF square, circular and tri.
angular spaces. These beautiful res.
yervations are so conspfcuously located
in the central portions Of the old city
that the casual visitor may get the i'm.
preston that the Capital Is well pro.
vtded with parks. However, not one
Of the parks reserved in the LEnfan,
. ~ Hz 10 t.. -
for athletic. fields or recreation pur-
poses, now demanded as essential fea.
lures of park system. Gradual recia-
nation of marshes Of the Potomac and
~Anacostia rivers will in time provide
for outdoor sports for those who car
reach the river areas. but many ex-
tensive stretches of the old city, en-
tirely occupied by buildings and
densely populated, are wholly without
Fairgrounds for children. or adults
sadly lacking in park Developments.
"The L'Enfant plan, prepared in
1791, provided for the city's growth
Of almost 100 years. Since 1890 the
city has overleaped the old limits
and and is growing today more rapidly
is nearly SOC. 900. GoNsfnlnent activi-
ties. including the Naval Observatory,
the Bureau of Standards. Walter Reed
Gnited States sues Solder. so tsa@s.p aosp''s ST.
Elizabeth's Hospital for insane, Boil
Ing Aviation Field, Fort Myer Arlfnk-
ton radio station, etc, are spreading
Tar outside the old boundary.
Table Of Park Lands.
1.-THE lands acquired for park exten-
sion and their cost during the entire
In the following table:
From L'Enfant's time, 1874,
Nnno
In 1890, Geological Park. i7o
In 1880. Rock creek Park, '1OO'000
1.s4o acres ........ ....... i, 200. .ooo
addition 26,Ss4
In 1sio. Montrose Park, 1e 10 ''O
In 1910, Meridian Hill Park, -'0''0O
10 acres ...:..:........... 100000
Dupont. Al acres. ......... 1884
In 1913, Rock Creek and Po-
tomac connecting parkway,
l59 acres, authorized cost
(nearIy all appropriately. .1,aoo, 600
From 1913 to 1923, none
small triangles or points
OF intersection Of Streets, 1s5.0O0
Total cost. s,sss, ,sss
- Total acres. 2.05S.
Chicago Figures CITED.
: AS compared with this, Chicago.
besides wonderfully extensive sys.
tom OF city parks and connecting
boulevards. has acquired forest re-
serve OF $4,000 acres outside the city
and Is proceeding to acquire 10000
acres more.
Chicago had at one time a bond
issue Of $3o.ooo.0e0 for park exten-
before 1912. $500, 900 on Golden idGSee Gste
Park alone, and it had thirty.three
other parks. Boston spent over
$21 100000 on extension Of its nark
system between 1893 and 1920. ST.
Louis has recently authorized the ex-
psnditure Of ss7,oo0.eDe, q consider
able part Of which Is for park exten-
sion.