Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-02-27
FILLING LAST LINK
|NL0NG PARKWAY
Continuous Route From Rock
Greek to Hams Point Soon
to Be Ready.
BY WILLIAM J. WHEATLEY.

BH WILLIAM y. NHEAILEH.
Twelve years of effort to provide
continuous parkway from Rock
Creek and the District line to Hains
Point, in East Potomac Park, are cul
minating into reality, az the last
connecting link is being raised from
the bed Of the Potomac River to dry
land. This progressive step in the
development of the Capitals parks is
carrying with 1t the destruction OF
two historic landmarks, which have
stood on the river banks for half a
century, sending forth Washington
water sportsmen on their pleasure
jsunts. They are the Analostan and
Cumberland Boat Club houses. These
cd buildings, acquired by the Gov
eminent, now are being RACED. ana a
long line of trucks Is continuously
rolling in, dumping the earth into
what was the river bed.
While this is an important step III
the development of Rock Creek ana
Potomac Parkway, nevertheless It Is
being done without ceremony under
the direction of the officials or the
Office of Public Buildings and Public
Parks of the National Capital. This
work also brings one step nearer
completion the proposed Titanic Me
mortal to those who lost their lives
in that great sea disaster. The site
for this memorial Is located In what
IL now the water. but what VIII De
land when the fill In completed, and Is
at the junction of New Hampshire
avenue and E street.
Work Being Done Rapidly.
So rapidly is the work OF razing
going on, followed by the dumping
into the river bed, that officials pre-
dict that in about one month the drive.
wav will be available for use, at least
for horseback riders. The dumping
of the clay is being followed by the
LAYING Of a bed Of ashes. and wnen
this is completed it VIII De possln,e
for horse riders to make a continuous
trip from the end of Rock Creek Park.
at the District line, to East Potomac
Park and return, without once COM
ing in contact with city streets or
motor or other vehicular traffic. AT
the present time, these riders now
have to come on the city streets IN
this vicinity.
The filling in and the completion OF
the bride path is to be followed py
other improvements. including the es'
adjustment of an automobile drive
way as fast as funds are provided.
However. there is one more important
step to be taken before this becomes
a fact. and that is the completion OF
1925 feet OF sea wall, which will pre-
vent the river, which makes a turn
at this point, from washing the earth
into the channelway.
Request was made this year for
5000 600 for completing this wall, in
Guiding repairs to work already done.
or this amount $25, 600 would be re.
ouired to repair and bring UP to date
the deterioration Of the early work.
This construction furnishes q concrete
example of what it costs the Govern
ment to delay in its expenditures. as
this $3.50 could have been saved by
appropriating the money several years
ago. The water has done Just that
much damage to the open ends or the
sea wall already completed, it was said.
The District appropriation bill now
carries an appropriation of $25. 200 for
these repairs, and officials say that II
this money is provided this year the
repairs will be made, and then 1t 10
believed that Congress will provide the
remainder of approximately $4,000
next year for the completion OF the
sea wall.
Mrs. HammOnd's Appeal.
Mrs. John Hays Hammond. who for
II years has been head of the Titanic
Memorial committee, made personal
appeal to the House committee hav.
ing the District appropriations in
charge, for completion of the sea wall.
so that the work may go forward on
the Titanic Memorial. She told the
congressional committee that the tt.
tanic Memorial organization had col
~.,fat AtS AA12
be all that was needed. Then, she
said. Congress passed an act which
gave them the site at the foot of New
Hampshire avenue, where the statue
could be placed. The organization
then expended more than $1,000 for
the construction of the foundation. The
sea wall is approaching on both sides.
she continued. but all the money that
has been spent viii be wasted, and
the foundation that has been paid for
will go to rack and ruin unless the
whole wall Is completed, and there is
a foundation upon which the statue
can be placed.
The site for the memorial now IL
so located that 1t would be unwise
and dangerous to place the memorial
there at this time, because the river
might undermine it, but when the sea
wall Is placed there it will protect it
The forces Of the Office Of Public
Buildings and Public Parks. under the
direction of Frank r. Gartside, chief
Of the parks maintenance division, are
following closely on the reclamation
work with landscape improvements.
Already between X street and the site
OF the present I'LL there has been
considerable improvement. During
the Fall and Winter months the area
behind the gas houses has been turned
from the appearance of a dump, with
its ash heaps, debris. etc, into an at.
1ractive parkway, with the aid of
grass seeding and the planting of
shrubbery and trees. and the latter
to some extent offset the tall gas tanks
on the edge OF the parkway there. AS
soon as the All Ia completed at New
Hampshire avenue and E street the
same treatment will be given.
Parkway Improvements.
Improvement 10 going forward in
the entire parkway which extends
from the Geological Park to West
Potomac Park. The roadbeds are
being laid and bridges constructed at
certain points. The subgrade Of the
roadway between the Geological Park
and Massachusetts avenue has been
laid. and it is planned to open the
roadway between these two points
this Spring. A bridge Is being con
constructed across Rock Creek at one
point this part Of the drive, using
steel bridge spans from the Aqueducl
Bridge in Georgetown. AS rapidly as
the work can be pushed, the roadwa,
will be brought south OF Massachu
setts avenue, but at any rate a full
length bride path will be provided as
the entering wedge. The bride path
will go under Massachusetts avenue
using the present culvert which car
ries Rock Creek under this highway