Evening star., 1925-08-10
Waterfront Improvement.

The question of the improvement Of
the water front comes before the pub
lie again in a report to the District
Commissioners by the District wharf
committee. The water front of Wash
ington, on the Potomac and Eastern
Branch, gives an opportunity to add
to the elegance of the Capital. 1t is a
great natural asset to Washington
which has not been adequately util-
lied, and with an expenditure of an
adequate amount of money could be
made a distinguished feature of the
city.
London has effectively treated it's
frontage on the Thames. Its water
front today shows 40 suggestion of
the ooze, rotting wharves and slums
Of which Dickens wrote. Paris has
developed it's frontage on the Seine in
a way to make the river an important
feature of the French capital. Vienna
has taken care of its frontage on the
Danube and the Danaukanal, and
Budapest made its Danube front a
world toast. Havana boasts of its
Malecon.
Some work has been done on the
Washington water front, but what
has not been done is emphasized by
the remarkable work opposite the
water front in the creation of Potomac
Park. The stupendous work of recla-
nation in the Eastern Branch, which
will set one of the worlds fine parks
opposite the south and east sides of
Washin gton, nears completion.
The wharf committee in its report
to the Commissioners says: "One i'm
portant element which should not be
overlooked is the fact the Government
cannot expect to get tenants at this
time that would be willing to pay the
rental representative of fair return
on the cost Of improving and develop
ing the water front. The City of New
York has had a sad experience in this
direction. Several years ago that city,
at considerable cost, completed piers
on Staten Island, only to have them
remain untenanted. The situation in
Washington is probably different. Any
expenditure for developing the water
front of the National Capital in an at
tractive way can certainly be justified.
even though many tenants may not be
found that could pay the rental the
Government would expect to receive -
The commercial phase is one ele-
ment in the question of water front
Improvement. The Potomac and East
ern Branch should be made ready for
any commercial activity which may
come to them. The shipping outlook
is not bright. Shipping on the Poto-
mac, and on every river forming part
Of the Chesapeake system, has de-
clined. 1t is probably a fact that ship
ping has declined on every river in
the United States. The tidewater
country south Of Washington is poor
ly served by railroads. No line of
track runs to the mouth of the river
on either the Maryland or the Vir-
ginia side. 1t cannot be said that
railroads are responsible for the de-
traffic was decreasing before the auto
mobile and smooth, hard roads were
known, but the decline has been rapid
since the automobile came into use
Good roads are building in Maryland
and Virginia, and the automobile and
autotruck are increasing in number.
Once there was considerable water
borne commerce between Washington,
Philadelphia and New York, but this
has greatly lessened.
One cannot see that water trans
portation on the Potomac has a hope
full outlook, but the wharves Of Wash
ington, for accommodation of such
commerce as we have, and such as
we may get, should be permanent and
neat, the dock-line should be regular
and the main waterfront streets
should be handsome boulevards.
There should be short-way connection
between South Washington and Poto-
mac Park and between Southeast and
Southwest Washington and Anacostia
Park.