Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-02-21
ANACOS7|A FLATS
SAVING PLANNED
Land Above Benning Bridge
Can Be Had Cheap if
Work Starts Now.
BY WILLIAM j. WHEATLEY.

Savings Of thousands of dollars to
the Government will result by tmme-
diately beginning the work Of reclaim
ing Anacostia River flats above the
Benning Bridge In conformity with a
new plan worked out in the cfIlce of
Maj. j. A. O'Connor, United States
Army engineer officer for this dis
trict. The savings will come from the
retention of the expensive plant built
for use in the reclamation work be-
low the bridge, now practically COM
plete and ready for park treatment
and improvement, and in the pur-
chase Of hand. the values of which. it
is believed, haye been sufficiently
stabilized to warrant the removal of
the restriction In appropriations for
the past several years to small
amounts above the bridge.
The report on the plan and the de-
sign for the proposed parkway was
worked out in Maj. O'Connor's office
by E. A. Schmitt, engineer in the of
flee, and the belief Is expressed that
the time Is opportune for the begin
ming Of development work. Obtec-
tions to starting the work above the
bridge, which have come because Of
the great expense of putting draws in
Benntng road have been obviated by
new design which would permit a
changing Of the piers so that dredges
and work boats could go under the
bridges, and doing away with a pro-
posed bridge connecting the lakes pro-
posed for both sides Of the roads. In
the place of the proposed bridge,
which would cover the connecting
waterway between the two lakes, a
wv ~ !.
pense has been designed.
Would Extend Lake.
In the case Of the treatment Of this
present marsh land between the Ben
there will be a continuation on til
north side of the road of Kingman
Lake, at present established on the
south side Of the roadway. In addi-
ton, provision is made for another
lake on the east side of the navigation
channel to be known as East Lake
and in this vicinity also will be in
cluded the lily ponds, now privately
owned, and declared to exist because
Of the peculiar acid water. This
would be one of the scenic attractions
Of the proposed parkway. On the
west of the Kingman Lake lies Mount
Hamilton, which is proposed for a ma
tional aboretum.
A line drawn through the center Of
the city map shows that this proposed
parkway is about in the same rela-
tive position in the eastern section
of the city that Rock Creek Park Is
in the western section. But 1t will
be q direct contrast to Rock Creek
Park, as planned by the engineers.
In the place of the wild, rocky fea-
lures of Rock Creek Park, there will
be a low level park with level lake.
not affected by the tides, which will
permit Of its use by small boats
which can be brought up on the
sloping banks.
The area below the bridge has prac-
tically been completed, but nothing
has been done in the way Of park i'm
provement. Maj. U. S. Grant, Sd. di-
rector of the Office Of Public Buildings
and Public Parks, says that no money
is available now for improvement
work in this area. A permit has just
been issued to the local school authori-
ties, however, for a 60-acre parade
ground for the use of the cadet corps
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