Evening star., 1925-03-08
PARK EXTENSIONS
TO BEGIN AT ONCE
Athletic Fields, Monuments,
Roads and Tourist Camp
to Get Early Attention.


Extensive improvements in the Dis
trict of Columbia park system, in
Guiding athletic fields, monum ents,
roads and the tourist camp, will be
undertaken at once, according TO
Lieut.. Col. Sheriff., director OF public
buildings and grounds, who yesterday
expressed qualification at the liberal
appropriations made by the Sixty
eighth Congress.
''The last Congress gave generously
to the National Capital park system ''
said Col. Sheriff. "and with the
money now avavilable we will be able
to go ahead on many projects that
have been delayed for years"
With $4,000 available for the tour
ist camp in Potomac Park, work is TO
be started Immediately on program
to enhance the desirabilities of the
camp, not only for those who visit
the city by automobile, but with an
idea of blending the entire project
into the general park scheme. The
camp Is to remain at it's present To-
cation.
Encourage FIOored Tents.
1t is Col. Sherrilfs idea to encourage
the campers to live in fioored tents
sible, of the many kinds of individ :
ual auto tent accommodations. With
an orderly row Of well kept and sani-
tary tents, and with the proper facili-
ties, which are already provided, for
doing laundry work indoors, he be-
lieves that the camp viii become a
mecca for the great army of motor
lists who go South each year, and a
desirable addition to the many activi-
ties under his control
Although Congress appropriated s10.-
600 for the removal of the construction
work which had been started on the
west side of the Tidal Basin for a sec
ond bathing beach, the director pointed
out that no funds were provided for the
removal of the present bathhouses.
There will be no bathing in the Tidal
Basin this Summer under the auspices
OF the office of public buildings and
grounds" he asserted. THE present
bathhouse will remain there for a time
anyway, because Congress has given us
no money for its removal, but it will not
be used for bathing purposes. ] am hope
full that we can persuade Congress to let
IL remain and convert 1t into a general
locker room for the many athletic activi-
ties now carried on in the park. II would
make frst-class structure for that pur-
pose, and could be used by tennis. golf,
polo and base ball enthusiasts for dress
ing rooms"
Connecting Rock Creek Park with
Potomac Park by a fine boulevard is one
OF the projects that Col. Sheriff. is anx-
ious TO carry out. Forty thousand dol
lars was appropriated for this purpose
during the last session, $4,000 of which
is to be used for cleaning up and the
rest to begin work on the low-level road.
1T VIII take some years TO COM
plete this work" he said, but this is
the first time that we have had any
money to make a start and that is
why the sum appropriated is par
ticularly encouraging. The length of
the link when completed will be
about miles, and it is estimated
that it will cost in tho neighborhood
of $500, 900"
Two memorials, one to those who
drowned when the giant liner Titanic
struck an iceberg, and the other to
John Ericsson, Will soon be erected in
Potomac Park. Bids are to be asked
by the Titanic Memorial Association,
of which Col. Sheriff. is a member, on
the shaft, which is to be situated at
the foot of New Hampshire avenue
and Rock Creek Parkway. The me-
mortal Will be outside of the sea wall
on the Potomac and will have a solid
stone foundation. Work has al
ready started on the Ericsson me-
mortal, south of the Lincoln Memo
rial, at Twenty third and South B
streets.
Col. Sheriff. expressed himself as
particularly pleased that many small
Items in this years appropriations
were consolidated into one lump sum.
He said that IL would not only elimi-
nate great deal of bookkeeping,
but would enable the office of public
buildings to expend additional
moneys on certain projects, if savings
in others could be effected. Twenty
seven items were incorporated into
the lump sum, with total appro-
priation Of $4,000 to cover them
Projects to BE Started.
Among the projects to be under
taken at once and which have already
been appropriated for. are:
Installation of electric elevators in
the State, War and Navy Building to
replace the antiquated hydraulic ma
chimes. Col. Sheriff. said that three
of the lifts had already been replaced.
but that with the fund of $4,000
which had been provided, the entire
10 would be renewed. a complete
generating plant also will be in
stalled.
Replacement of the elevator in the
Monument. In this connection the
director pointed out that the Monu-
ment lift had become balky at times
that 1t was impossible to bring it to
stop between the top and bottom,
and that 1T was deemed wise to re-
place 1t with a high-speed modern
eleya tor. Thirty thousand dollars
was appropriated for this purpose.
Improvement of Meridian Park on
10th street. This was the only item
on which Col. Sheriff. expressed dis
satisfaction, because at the present
rate Of appropriation he said that ii
would take something like 40 years
to complete the work The sum or
$4,000 was given, $4,000 of which
will be used for general Improvement
and the rest for maintenance.
For continuance of work in Ana
costa Park $4,000 was provided.
For permanent comfort station
and lodge in Rock Creek Park. s10
600.
For band concerts in Potomac Park
$4,000 was appropriated. Col. Sheriff.
said that this amount was sufficient
for 100 concerts because the only ex-
pense entailed was the moving of
the bandstand.
Appropriations of $4,000 for wild
ening the Inlet Bridge in Potomac
Park, and $4,000 for maintenance of
roads and bridges in Rock Creek
Park, complete the list of important
projects that will be carried out
through the liberality of the last
Congress.