Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-08-15

into a parkway across the eastern end
Of the city. with lakes, riverside drives
and recreation centers. is about nan
completed today. but it is estimated
il will take l. years 10 carry the
project to its limit at the District line
al the present rate Of approprlatlng
for the work.
However. the reclamation process
Will he finished as far as Benning
Bridge in less than two years. and the
reclaimed area south of Bennlng ROAD
Will be available for park treatment.
In fact. one sector on the eastern
side Of the AnacoStia River near the
Eleventh Street and Pennsylvania
Avenue Bridges has already taken on
the appearance of a park and gives a
partial vision of how the banks OF the
river will look when the engineers
have finished their tedious task. This
section has been given landscape
treatment and is already marked by
an attractive fieldhouse, several tennis
courts and base ball diamonds.
Thus il will be possible for MAJ
Grant. director of the office of public
buildings and public parks. to proceed
during the next few years with the
gradual establishment of the area
south of Benning road. while inc
Army engineer office, under MAJ.
James \. O'Connor, goes on with the
work Of retaining the MARSH lana
north of Benning road.
S2l9O,OOO Still Needed
The sum still needed to complete
the reclamation work is $2.120, 900
At the present time Congress and the
budget authorities are allottlng $lio,'
600 a year to the process or bulldlng
the SeaWallS filling in the marshes
and designing the lakes--a process
that will gradually create along the
Anacostia River an area similar 10
Potomac Park.
The estimate of l. years TO complete
the reclamation project is based on 2
continuation of this rate or making
available $4,000 a Year, In past
years the engineers nave recon
mended that the work go forward at
the rate of 100000 annually, when
if followed from now on, would bring
about completion TO the DlStflct line
in seven years.
Since the World War the District
has had an accumulation of essential
work to take care of, such as the nVe-
year school building program, enlarge
ment of the water supply ana afrea>
age of street repairs. These munclpal
requirements undoubtedly have made
ii difficult 10 increase expenditures on
less urgent undertakings.
District officials say that with much
Of this essential municipal work still
awaiting attention. the prospects are
that the Anacostia Park reclamation
will continue at the present rate of
appropriation for the immediate tu
ture.
Two Large Lakes. Planned.
one of the essential features of the
Anacostia Park project will be two
large lakes on which the people of
WASHINGTON will be able TO enjoy
bOating and canoeing. and the com
p.etion of these lakes must await the
carrying out OF the reclamation WORN
above Benning road.
Thus far the appropriations for the
project have restricted work to the
area below Benning Bridge. but en-
eiueers who have followed the prof.
Get feel that the time has arrived
when some preliminary work should
be started above Benning road II the
entire development is to be carried
on to a conclusion without Interrupt
ton
The marshes above Benning road
are to he converted into park land,
inst as was done below that point. by
dredging SOIL from the river dliu IMAM
ing the necessary fills along the
banks But before this can be done
the retaining wall must be built along
the river and engineers say that the
foundation for the wall should be laid
Il year or TWO before the top OF the
wall is built in order TO allow time
for natural settlement.
Since the work below Bennlns road
will be finished within two years, the
engineers are DESTROYS of beginning
now TO put in the foundations for the
wall above that road. If Congress
does not authorize the preliminary
foundation work above Benning road
until all work below the road is fin
ished the engineers would have TO
wait " lille the settlement is taking
place north of that point, or follow
The alternative of erecting the sea
wall without waiting for the founda-
ton to settle. On the other hand, ii
is pointed out, that if he foundations
above Benning road could be started
now the process of building the sea-
wall would go on without Interrupt
ton.