Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-07-06
PLAN NEW WALLS
ON MERIDIAN HILL
Officials Will Ask for Bids to
Garry Forward Park
Development.

Another big step toward transform
ing the Meridian Hill Park tract into
one of the Capitals notable beauty
spots will take place within month
| it was learned today, when bids will
be asked for completing. with one
small exception, the inclosing wall.
Plans in the hands of Horace w.
Peaslee, architect. are virtually COM
plete.
Already trees and shrubs, which are
to be used in parking the picturesque
! hillside, have been purchased and
placed temporarily in Government
| nurseries. They will be ready to
| transplant in the Fall.
While additional appropriations to
complete Meridian Hill Park will be
| necessary, the construction and plant
| ing work in immediate prospect will
go far to help transform the barren
waste, which slopes away to the
south along Sixteenth street from the
already developed park on the hilltop,
to conform to the rest.
Some Money Available.
Work is to proceed under funds in
the District appropriation act for the
Park and Planning Commission and,
according to officials, will be pushed
ahead to completion. The exact time
limit for the contracts has not as yet
been determined, but the contractors
are expected to get to work in
August.
Ninety-f1ve thousand dollars is in
cluded in the act for development of
Meridian Hill Park, walls and grading,
and there is an additional $12,50O,
which also became available with the
beginning of the fiscal year July
for minor walls and structures.
The general features of this park,
which have received the approval of
the Fine Arts Commission, include a
series of cascades ripping down the
hillside from the statue of Joan of
Arc In a widening stream to reflect.
ing pool in the middle of the lower
area. This pool Is to be fianked on the
east side by the Buchanan Memorial
and on the west side by a beautiful
garden. A wide, dignified entrance to
the lower garden is provided. letting
Immediately into the garden, with
vistas of the pool and the Buchanan
Memorial in the distance.
Further Action Necessary.
While some details of the general
scheme remain to be approved and
much more money must be appropri-
ated by Congress before the concep.
ton can become complete reality,
the steps to be taken this Summer and
Fall by the Government and expected
to be taken shortly by the donors of
the Buchanan Memorial will go far
toward carrying forward the progress
of project which has been making
steady but slow advance for years.
Final plans for the walls, on which
work will start soon, have been
changed somewhat from earlier ideas,
principally in the matter Of entrances.
Under the new plan there are to be
eight gates to the park, including a
service entrance and those of formal
architectural grandeur. Five en-.
frances already are provided. The
wall was extended last year from
Chaplin to Belmont street. The new
walls will begin at the Belmont street
small service gate and run south on
Fifteenth street to the corner at w
street, where there is to be a corner
entrance. The wall will then proceed
Solidly without break along
w to the. corner at Sixteenth, where
there is to be another corner entrance.
Northward along Sixteenth street the
wall will be interrupted by the formal
large entrance to the Italian garden,
and will then run on up Sixteenth