Evening star., 1925-03-31
CONGRESS TO HEAR OF URGENT
NEED OF PARK ADDITIONS HERE
Committee of BOqrd OF
Trade to Seek Action
to Saue Tracts.
Money Provided Less
Than, amount CiUen
in Original Plan.

The Washington Board of Trade
committee on parks and reservations
will redouble its efforts during the
coming year to impress upon congress
and others interested the urgent
necessity of Immediately adding TO the
present park system of the National
ranital those areas that are in dan
ger of being rendered useless for park
puruoses or becoming more costly by
delay.
With much accomplished during the
mast the committee which originated
in 1899 under the chairmanship OF
Charles j. Bell will now, under the
leadership of Fred G. Coldren, en-
deavor to place the parking system
of Washington on plane comparable
with the great parkways of other
cities.
With the ultimate purpose Of carry
ing out the plan of the park commits
sion of 1901 and other authorized
plans, which call for large park
areas in the District and its environs.
4 park boulevard encircling the city
and connecting the Civil War forts,
and parkway that will extend from
Mount Vernon to Great Falls on
either side of the Potomac, the COM
mittee will first endeavor to obtain
for the city those sites most urgently
needed.
Pressing Projects.
Some of the most pressing projects
for the development of the park sys-
tom are Acquiring the Rock Creek
Valley for six or eight miles above
the District line, acquiring both
banks of the Potomac 10 Great Falls,
The Fort Drive the widening of Piney
Branch Parkway west OF Sixteenth
Viyfypo oil pf he 4 noI
Valley, the Patterson tract in the
transforming of the Eastern Branch
marshes into a water park and the
preservation of the Sligo and North
west Branch Valleys.
Efforts will also be made TO have
Congress appropriate annually the
S1IOO,OO0 authorized for the parks
establishing the National Capital
Park Commission. Despite the au-
Jhorization of this amount by Con-
gress only $500 900 has been appro-
oriated, which will have to cover
period of almost two years.
Slightly less than 5000 acres OF
parkways have been purchased since
1871, when LEnfant and Washington
planned that the most beautiful city
in the world should rise on the banks
of the Potomac in the midst OF beau
tiful natural parks.
The history Of Washington's parks
did not begin until 1890. and for 100
years prior to that time no effort
was made to carry out the plans of
these two men. Since that time sew
eral large parkways and other small
er ones have been purchased. Main
~ through the efforts OF the Park
Commission of 1901 d plan for the
parking system of the Nations S
capital and its environs was drawn
up. This commission was composed
of Daniel H Burnhan, Frederick
Law Oldsted. jr.; Charles f. McKin
and Augustus Saint Gaudens. The
prosperity of this plan now rests in
the hands of the newly created Ma
tional Capital Park Commission if
supported with adequate appropria-
tions.
Details of Project.
Here are some of the items recon-
mended to be carried out and some of
the lands to be acquired in order
ultimately to place the parking sys-
tenn of the city on a level with those
In other cities.
The lands to be acquired include:
/. The valley of Rock Creek north
ward from the District line practical
" to its sources. together with all of
its feeders land branches. and the
these streams.
>. Both banks of the Potomac from
Washington to Great Falls, including
the preservation of the cliffs and
bluffs and the streams and forestry
along both the Maryland and Nir-
ginia banks.
2. The development of park boule-
wards on the Virginia side of the
Potomac TO Mount Vernon and on the
4,
Washington.
T. The acquisition of the Sligo
Valley, just beyond Takoma.
s. The acquisition of the forest
area just outside the District of
Columbia, near the northern end of
Sixteenth street.
8. The cooperation with Maryland
and Baltimore City for two park
boulevards to Baltimore; one of the
boulevards to follow along Rock
creek to its headwaters just east of
Rockville, thence northeastward; the
other to go from the northern end of
sixteenth street, utilizing the forested
valleys and tributaries of the North
west Branch and Paint Branch of
the Anacostia River the Big Patuxent,
Little Patuxent and Middle Patuxent
and the Patapsco forest reserve.
I. The acquiring of the Civil War
forts.
s. Development of three park
boulevards from the Virginia ter
minus of the proposed Memorial
Bridge-one to Arlington National
Cemetery, one up the Potomac con-
Meeting with the Lee Highway and
the proposed park boulevard to Great
Falls, and one down the river, con-
meeting with the proposed park
boulevard TO Mount Vernon. 's.
Of fort hOtlp-
ward following the hills encircling
the city.
10. Widening Piney Branch Park
way from Rock Creek to Sixteenth
street, preserving at the same time
the forested hills and the Indian
quarry described by. DR.. Holmes of
the Smithsonian Institution as "the
greatest aboriginal bowlder quarry
known"
il. Acquiring the remainder Of Kiln
gle Ford Valley, a natural entrance to
Rock Creek Park and connecting link
between the upper and lower Rock
Creek Valleys.
II. The Patterson tract, in North
cast Washington, and the preserva-
tion of it's hardwood forest.
IS. The transformation of the Ana
costa Flats above Benning Bridge
into a water park.
II. Tracts on the outskirts of the
city at proper intervals for play
grounds.
10. The acquisition Of all lands
fronting on the Capitol grounds not
already under Government owner
ship, and of all property on lower
Pennsylvania avenue near the Capt.
tol.
Is. The extension of Piney Branch
Parkway under and northeast from
10 a
unless this last project is. carried out
L. hridrrn itSnlf r1ril ha rardor-