Evening star., 1925-02-03
Capitals Park Development;
How the Cost Is to Be Met

(Extract from annual report of presi-
dent of Association of Oldest Inhabi-
tants of District of Columbia, Theo-
dore w Noyes, December 7, 1924)
The putting into practical operation
of the legislation providing a park
commission for the National Capital
and authorizing large appropriations
and expenditures for this purpose is
today's vital objective in the fight to
make the city more beautiful and
more healthful
Much of Washington's strength. like
that of woman, is in it's beauty; it's
face is its fortune. Experience indi-
Gates the wisdom of those who labor
to increase the cfty's material pros
perity by developing its external at
tractiveness
Its parks and reservations consti-
tute the city's conspicuous and char
acteristic charm; and also one of its
most valuable assets as a residence
and show city.
Warrington has always-at any rate
since 1S7s-reco cognized this direct re-
lation between the prosperity and
health of the community and the
citys breathing places and natural
or artificial beauty spots.
Washington's policy has ever been
to preserve it's priced park heritage.
to protect its existing parks, its pub
lie breathing places, against all in
furious Crespassers, whether rail-
roads, individuals or the brick and
mortar or stone of public buildings
and to enlarge, improve and adorn its
reservation areas.
In 1898, 1899 and 1900. in connec-
tion with the celebration in 1900 of
the one hundredth anniversary of the
removal of the seat of government to
the District of Columbia, able ma
tional leaders and the local commu-
nifty co-operated in a vigorous cam
paign for the systematic improve
ment of the National Capital and
Federal district in a manner and to
an extent commensurate with the
dignity and resources of the Ameri-
can Nation.
Rejecting the keen community in
terest in this campaign in my 1899 re-
port as president of the Board of
Trade park development was the
main text, and on the basis of the
plans therein outlined it was de-
termined by the committee on parks
and reservations of 1900 that a sys-
tematic effort should be made by the
committee to develop on broad,
artistic, practical lines the park sys-
TEN of the District.
Board of Trade Resolution.
In pursuance OF this settled policy
the Board of Trade on December IA,
1900, unanimously adopted the fol-
lowing rest lutions foreshadowing
the Macmillan park commission sub
sequently appointed, which, with it's
natural successors, has done such fine
and wonderfully effective work in de-
veloping Washington as the city
beautiful"
Whereas it has long been mani
fest that a comprehensive and
symmetric plan of treatment for
the parks and reservations, public
building sites and bridges of the
District could no longer be de-
ferred without detriment to the
original designs of President
Washington and his associates
.: Therefore,
Resolved, That the Board of
Trade earnestly recommend to
both Houses of Congress that an
appropriate legislative act be
passed at the earliest practicable
date to authorize the President to
appoint a commission of three or
five building and landscape archi-
tects, each eminent and expert
enced in his profession, whose
duty it shall be to devise and re-
port to Congress suitable and ade-
quate plans for the development
of the Capital City in subordina-
tion to the plan of its founders
and yet sufficiently expanded in
dimensions to typify a century's
growth of the republic.
As the community in 1S99-1900 and
the Immediately subsequent years,
through the Board of Trade and its
committee on parks and reservations.
participated vigorously and helpfully
in the park campaign, which resulted
in the original Macmillan Park Com
mission, so the community, through
the same Board of Trade committee
on parks and reservations, has been
and is conspicuously active and help
full in the corresponding campaign
of today, which has resulted in the
wise creation of the National City's
park commission, which, with it's fine
organization, intelligent vigor and
unstinted enthusiasm gives promise
of great things In Washington's de-
This carefully considered legfsla-
the sense that you will find willard
Straight being, and doing, in this
ine erIx to