Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-01-18

| tivities will be made available to nun
dreds of boys as yet unreached.
metropolitan region. The cost Of each
| separation of grades makes the QueS-
ton of finding the best practicable
method on each case a matter of pri-
mary Importance.
"A plan which considers only ques-
tions of Identification and public prof.
ects having an aesthetic value, such as
our great public buildings program, even
though it may be artistically splendid,
will net be complete economically IN so
| far as it fails to provide for the less at
tractive and perhaps less inspiring, but
equally or more important, unitarian
| and commercial needs of the commu-
nifty The rail and water terminals are
most important elements of this kind.
Upon their adequacy and wise location
may depend the business life OF the city;
| while bad locations for such facilities
may do incalculable damage to valuable
! resident property or other potentlal
| uses. The regional plan must therefore
provide spaces for future terminal de-
velopment and refrain from setting up
| any strong counter interest in the 10
caIities so indicated. For washington
the commissions finds such potential
possibilities in the BuZzards Point re-
gion, together with reconciliation OF
water front and boulevard needs along
the existing water front.
| Airport Needs Are Studied.
Aviation has forced upon our cities
a new type of terminal of special inter-
est to us today. The commission has
made a very full study OF possible sites
in the Washington region and has made
it's recommendations, In accordance
with law, to the appropriate executive
authorities and to Congress. With a
| this problem, we look forward to having
AUTHORITY at an early date to provide
! for the air terminal needs OF the Ma
tional Capital. With this prospect before
MS. we have been interested in designs
made by Mr.. Gallison to illustrate the
possible development Of the Gravelly
| Point site as a municipal airport.
1.-THE highway plan OF l893-98 was
| strictly a street plan and did not ex,
! tend into the new areas even the local
citv parks so profusely scattered
| throughout the plan of L'Enfant. Al
| though some important park proJects
were adopted individually, such as the
Rock Creek Park, which retains pic
| turesque sylvan valley for the recTea-
ton of the city dweller, ana the .l nii my
! in of the Potomac flats, where little less
| than a thousand acres have been re-
claimed by the United States engineer
oficer and turned into a most important
center of public recreation and athletlcs,
connrisinc 8 nine-hole golf courses,
2 polo fields. IA base ball fields, ~
tennis courts, foot ball fields: arcnery
courts, a large basin for boating, eEoc,
vet in general park needs were Delng
overlooked. L'Enfant's plan, with us
central axial avenue, was forgotten ana
/ MANY changes In this central system
were being developed In manner tnat
| would have soon made reverS1on 10 tne
original plan impracticable, wnen m
| 1899 my predecessor, Col: blngnaH, sos
| the old plan out of the f1les ana StaICeo
| an uproar with the help OF the amer.
con Institute of Architects. In 1901
Senator Mcmillan, chairman OF the DIS
trict of Columbia committee OF the sen
| etc secured authority for a study py
aynerts of the steps that should De
taken TO develop and beautify the CITY
in manner appropriate 10 us
| purpose.
| Submits Park System.
"For the park system Of the District
of Columbia. which will be made pos
sihle Of realization when the Capper-
| Cramton bill becomes law, the commas
sion submits a general plan. The COM
| mission now has authority TO acquire
| land for parks and an annual appro-
| priation which has permitted 1t 10 MAKE
considerable progress toward carrylns
out this program. However, every
| dollar expended is to bring IN lts max max,
| Mum return in land. the whole capltal
| investment should be made within a
short period, say three years, to avoid
the development for other purposes OF
| the land needed and the excessive IN
| crease in cost.
There is economy in the purchase
| of the deep-cut valleys and their reten-
| ton as natural parks, since the use OF
| the stream for surface drainage saves
| considerable expenditures for storm
| sewers. In the case of the ROCK Greek
and Potomac Parkway this saving
reaches several millions. not 10 spear
road connecting the important residence
district of the Northwest and CHEVY
Chase In Maryland with the Federal
buildings and central area OF the CITY
| without crossing at grade any OF Ine
street thoroughfares north OF Pennsyi-
vania avenue. Philadelphia rev years
ago spent nearly $4,000, 600 TO cut 1us1
such an artery through a wholly puilt-
up section, and I am told Is now oerlv-
ing annually an income equIVaienc W ~
the entire first cost on the appreciated
values that have resulted thereirom.
one wonders why this project In wash
ington, adopted Is years ago. cannot De
brought now promptly to concluSloh'
Outlines Extensive Studies.
"For so great purpose as the design
of a general park system for the region
of our National Capital extensive stud
les have been requisite. l can only stop
long enough to indicate the character
| IN hQ0in n.
showing ground having slopes over 10
per cent Indicates the area so steep as
not to be generally suitable for urban
or even suburban residential develop
| ment and therefore the area which can
be reserved for park use with the least
loss in potential development Tor otner
purposes, also the land generally most
picturesque and interesting Tor outoocr
recreation other than organized Sports.
with the help of the experts in the de-
partments of the Federal Government
we were able to plot on similar map
the places worthy of preservation II.
their natural condition because note
worthy as bird refugees, or especially
interesting to the botanist, biologist or
geologist. A regional park system
should certainly include such features
as the Great Falls of the Potomac, its
gorge and tributaries. 1t should also
include or give access to as many points
Of historic interest as possible and to
points of architectural or engineering
or other special interest. Among the
latter we can number the single-span
masonry arch bridge built by Gen. Meigs
In 1864; among the former Washing
tons home at Mount Vernon and across
the river LEnfant's fortress of For:
Washington. Indeed, these two features
form ideal termini for the Lower Poto-
mac Park project, the Mount Vernon
| half of which is already in course of