Evening star., 1925-11-29
BOULEVARDING OF POTOMAC
WAITS ON ADEQUATE FUNDS
Creation of Parks on Both Sides Of River From Capt.
tai to Great Falls Projected in Connection
With Arlington Memorial Bridge.

| clothed their banks have been cut,
and in private hands the surround
| ingS may be so injured as to detract
| greatly from the beauty and grandeur
| of the scene. Without interfering
with the future utilization of the wa
| ter power, the surroundings of the
Great Falls on both sides of the river
| should, in our opinion, be converted
into national park, to be connected
with the city by a continuous drive.
The beauty of the scenery along
the route Of this proposed noble river
side improvement is 50 rare, and. in
the minds of the commission, of SO
great value not only TO all Washing
ton. but to all visitors. American and
foreign. that it should be safeguarded
in every way. No buildings should be
allowed between the drives and the
river"
While an extensive plan for the
treatment of the District Of Columbia
approaches to the Arlington Bridge
has been laid down To cover period
of 10 years, including the boulevard
! ing of street northwest, from the
bridge to the Capitol. the Virginia ap-
proacheS have not been so definite
Among projects on. a program for the
approaches from the Virginia side. in
addition To the Lee Highway. should
come. ii was pointed out, Il great
boulevard connecting the capital with
| the shrine at Mount Vernon and an
other boulevard making 'availa BILE the
full beauties of the Potomac and its
banks, connecting the bridge with the
great cataract at Grea Falls.
Senator Fernald is not at present in
the city, and 1t was not known at his
office whether he would again intro
rpSnIllfinn n hn
gress directing the chief of engineers
or the National Capital Park Commits
sion 10 make survey with d view to
getting definite information on the
project for parkway and boulevard
on the Virginia shore of the Potomac
from the Arlington Bridge to Great
Falls.
Conduit Road Boulevard.
Charles Moore, chairman of the
Commission of Fine Arts, said that
nothing definite had been done on the
recommendations contained in the Nc
MILAN plan of 1901, but that the COM
mission still held to the views con-
| talned in that report. He did saw.
however, that prompt steps should be
taken to boulevard the Conduit road
and to purchase tracts of land which
would prevent the encroachment of
shackS between the road and the river.
He also urged a roadway connecting
the Conduit road with the Canal road
at the latter'S terminus at the Chain
Bridge.
While those deeply Interested in the
development of the park system of the
District of Columbia fully realize the
Importance OF the shore boulevardS on
either side of the Potomac between
Washington and Great Falls. and par
tcularly the Virginia boulevard. on
which no definite steps have been
taken, it was pointed out that unless
Congress should see fit to take spe-
enc action on such q project il is
likely 10 lie dormant with the National
Capital Park Commission until prof.
ects of immediate Importance in the
District of Columbia which are in
danger of being lost forever as mark
ways are taken care OF.
All of the money for the Park Com
mission provided for use this year
5000, o,0VO-had long ago been spent or
obligated, and II was not near enough
TO handle the imperative projects I'm
DER the law creating the Park Com
mission, there is authority to appro-
pirate one cent for each inhabitant of
the United States, or S1,100,0OO. but
Congress did not provide the full
amount IN its first appropriation for
the use Of the commission in the pur-
chase of park lands. 1t does no, even
have enough money with which TO
make such a survey for the Virginia
project as was provided for in the Fer
nald resolution. Therefore, 1t was
pointed out, some special provision
should be made for the commission. or
special fund provided. with which to
acquire the lands promptly and save
them from destruction as the city's
population advances with the growth
Of the great metropolitan districts.