Evening star., 1924-08-24
ROCK CREEK AREA
CALLED UNS|GHTLY
Sheriff. Urges Citizens to
Back Move for Beauti-
fication of Valley.

way is improved Is so great thai
every one interested in the future oi
the National Capital should aid in tho
movement for early Inauguration OF
the development work.
Outlining plans under considera.
ton. he pointed out that at presen,
Rock Creek itself. from L street tc
the river. Is used by the Chesapeake
and Ohio Canal Company. and mos,
of the land on the right bank Of the
creek. including that within the
parkway limits, Is controlled and
used by that corporation and the
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Com
pany. 1t is proposed. he said. to
place the creek and the canal in sep
arate channels, with the main leve
driveway on the strip of land be.
tween them. Between Pennsylvania
avenue and Q street 1t is proposed tc
build driveways at street level or
both banks of the creek. These bor-
greatly facilitate north and south
traffic and afford a fine frontage
overlooking the valley.
Plan Property Exchange.
The Parkway Commission recently
reported that a desirable plan for ex.
change of property between the
United States on the one hand and
the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Com
pany and the Washington Gas Light
Company on the other. is proposed, by
which the park boulevard can be
built through the property occupied
by those two corporations. without
undue injury and at a minimum cost
to the United States. Provision is
made in the taking lines, however
that even If the proposed agreement
with the canal company is not i'm
mediately consumated a permanent
parkway thofoughfare may be estab-
HShed In that region. According to
the commission, the negotiations with
the two corporations hold promise OF
an Ultimately satisfactory solution OF
the complicated problems affecting
their holdings.
Just when the first conception of a
great park in the Rock Greek Valley
took place. is not clearly established,
but the official records show that in the
early sixties Frederick Law Olmsted.
sr, who designed the present surround
ings of the United States Capitol. and
who then was member Of the Wash
ington Sanitary Commission, made a
personal inspection of the valley and
reported its wonderful advantages for
park purposes. In 1866 the Senate di-
rected that an inquiry be made for
sites for public park and "a presi-
Dental mansion" and in the following
year Maj. N. Michier Of the Corps OF
Engineers. made a report on the subject
strongly favoring the establishment of
a park in Rock Creek Valley. including
a much larger area above Calvert street
than is incorporated in the present park.
Nothing further appears to have been
done at that time
Congress Halted Move.
In 1850. however. Maj. r. l.. Hoxie,
assistant Engineer Commissioner Of the
District, advocated the acquisition of
approximately 5000 acres in the same
region and the building OF an immense
dam across the valley near the line of
Massachusetts avenue to increase the
water supply Of the city. That would
have made lake about four miles long,
completely submerging the valley now
occupied by the Geological Park and
much Of Rock Creek Park The plan
failed Of approval by Congress.
In 1886 the matter was taken I'D in
both the Senate and House, and finally,
in 1890. S1,200.000 was provided for
the purchase of certain areas in the
valley, including the site Of the Zoo.
In December. 1894, the acquired areas,
aggregating 1,6o6 acres, were taken
over by board of control, composed
Of the Chief Of Engineers of the Army
and the Commissioners Of the District,
None Of those purchases were between
Connecticut avenue and the Potomac
River, although citizens of Georgetown
had long urged that the park be ex
tended as far south as P street.
In 1904 portion of the valley area
between Connecticut and Massachu-
setts avenues was given the District
by Charles c. Glover, who always has
been strong advocate Of park ex-
tension. Various additions were made
from time to time in the areas be-
tween Massachusetts, avenue and the
District line. Little was done, how
ever, In an official way to INCORPORATE
the lower valley of the creek into the
District park system until 1893. In
that year Maj. w. T. Rossell, District
Engineer Commissioner, submitted a
scheme for a large conduit from
Massachusetts, avenue to the river,
but nothing was done beyond build :
ing the existing culvert at Massachu-
setts avenue. In the meantime a
map had been made for the Wash
ington Board of Trade showing an
open valley treatment from Massa-
chusetts avenue to L street and con-
Meeting with Potomac Park by way
of Twenty-seventh street. That plan
was essentially the. same as the one
submitted to the Board of Trade ten
years before.
Favored Open Treatment.
In 1901 the Commission on the I'M
provemefit of the Park System Of the
District, consisting Of D. H. Burnham.
c. F. McKim, Fred L. Olmsted, jr.,
and Augustus aint-Gaudens, pre-
sented comprehensive report to the
Senate showing that all the members
favored the open treatment OF Rock
Creek Valley. .S -..-
"1'he Massachusetts, avenue crossing
over Rock Creek" said the report,
has been designed and Is under con-
struction as a culvert and dn upon
the assumption that the first plan
will be carried out, but although this
fill will interfere with the perfect
execution of the open-valley plan, we