Evening star., 1925-12-03

T VI -lOuIlI street Is DtIIl- ueNciopVb'
and houses are being built in the area
west of Forty-fourth street. The Gov
ernment'S proposed purchase lies be-
tween Forty-second and Forty-fourth
streets, through to the river bank.
This would allow the development
Of parkway down the valley of the
creek TO connect with the Potomac
drive and the driveway along the Res
erVoir Heights to Great Falls. as
charted in the highway plan. This
would allow motorists along the river
10 swing north along Foundry Branch
and along the park roads up the ra-
vine.
Then there are two alternative
methods of connecting up the Glover
and Archbold park tracts, through the
Norment tract, eastward and south of
the Naval Observatory. to make A
connecting park drive into the Rock
Creek and Potomac Parkway south of
ssachusetts avenue and swinging
into Montrose Park.
One route is by way of w street TO
MassaC Chusetts avenue The other is
to continue along the raVine to Mon
trose Park, and then turn down the
connecting parkway to the Lincoln
Memorial or swing north into Rock
Creek Park. This proposed connect
ing roadway would give a much de-
sired outlet from the big Burleith sub
division into Massachusetts avenue
and direct highway to the center of
the city, eliminating the present route
through q street that is full of kinks
The Park Commission has not as yet
been able 10 carry out either Of these
plans.
Still Another Plan.
Still another hic development
through the Glover tract to furnish a
parkway drive out Of Rock Creek
Park toward the river, through the
western section of the District is
being studied. It is proposed to carry
the parkway north from Massachu
setts avenue. where the Glover tract
ends. to Wisconsin avenue. along Art
Zona avenue. The biz estate of Ad-
miral Cary Grayson, on the east side
of Wisconsin avenue, and the much
larger Friendship estate. owned by
Edward s. Mclean. on the west side
of Wisconsin avenue. may dedicate
enough land for connecting park
drive which would swing off the Ari-
coma avenue development about be-
tween Rodman and Sedgwick streets
and swing south of Tliden street along
the south side of the Bureau of Stand
ards. pass under Connecticut avenue
and down into Rock Creek Park near
its juncture with the Piney Branch
Parkway. This plan seems to be
blocked by a big fill at Connecticut
avenue.
The next natural route is to con.
tinue up Arizona avenue to north of
Pierce Mill road and follow Soap
stone Creek to Albemarle street
and Connecticut avenue. II this plan
Is carried out there would proba bly,
he a big circle At Connecticut ave-
rue and Alhemarle street afford
ing a new sic for a monument 10
some Of our heroes. From this
circle. the real purpose Of whicn
would he 10 afford suitable cross
ing of Connecticut avenue tf7e park
drive would follow the old creek run
ming south of Audubon terrace or
the route might he across Gates
road into the old Military road into
Rock Creek Park Just east of Piney
Branch terrace. This is the route
most favored
Another scheme of park drive de-
velopment is to continue the Arizona
avenue development to Grant road
where it would swing to the north
east. cutting into Connecticut ave-
nue. about at Ellicott street. This
would afford a park drive connec-
ton with the proposed ideal COM
munity school, athletic and recrea-
tional plant about the old Fort Reno
Reservoir on the highest land in the
District, from which there is a view
for so miles. If this project is car
ried out the drive will either swing
southWeStward at Connecticut ave-
nue. along the Military road into the
park, or it will curve to the north
west along Thirty-sixth street into
Broad Branch road and thence into
Rock Creek Park. opposite The inter
section Of the old Military road and
Ridge road
Would Preserve Watersheds
The big idea behind all these
projects is to preserve as far as
possible the watersheds as we'll as
To provide beautiful park drives
which will greatly relieve ira ffic on
consested highways and make short
cuts through the parks from one
section of the city to another
This shows the entire parkway
plan for the western section of the
city.
AS was mentioned before. $500 600
Is being asked this year by Col. Sher-
rill TO complete the purchase of land
required for the parkway connection
between Rock Creek and Potomac
Parks. Right now there is being spent
in this connecting parkway $50 900
In developing roads and building bride
paths. The lines of this connecting
parkway were laid down by the act
Dl congress approved MarCh 4, 1913,
and amended and revised in 1916. 1t
was then estimated that the total
cost of land would be 1900, 900. All
the land has been acquired thus far
by direct purchases and none through
condemnation proceedings. A consid.
cradle portion of it was bought below
the assessed value. For this land the
Government has paid. from 1915 to
date, S1,166 900. while the assessed
value was S1.196 900
The benefits to be derived from the
proposed development of Rock Creek
Valley can scarcely be overeStimated.
The rapidly growing morning and
afternoon traffic in general south
east and northwest direction is begin
ming to present d very serious prob
lem Perhaps IS per cent of this
traffic could be diverted from the city
streets to the park boulevards. where
it would not have to contend with
cross-traffiC.
The Rock Creek Valley. naturally
beautiful. furnishes a fit subject for
the best efforts of the landscape archi-
teCt. With comparatively small cost
It can he converted into parkway of
very unusual beauty. 1t is believed
that this development will cause an
Immediate improvement in property
over a considerable area abutting on
both sides of the parkway.
Rock Creek parkway development
has had an interesting legislative
history. The earliest references to
the possibilities of the Rock Creek
Valley being desirable for park pur-
noses was in 1866. when a Senate
resolution directed that an inquiry be
made in reference to the selection of
n site for a public park and for the
presidential mansion. Maj n. Michler,