Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-10-18
Capital Sidelights


D1 WILL
With the National Capital enjoying
and welcoming people from all parts of
the country to Rock Greek Park, adj
mittedly the most magnificent tract of
land for natural park purposes near
any large city in the whole United
States, 1t Is interesting to note that
although legislation creating this park
was introduced in Congress in 1866, 1t
was not until 1892 that the measure
secured the Presidents approval. The
Bicentennial celebration next year,
bringing a great surge of people here
from all the States, who will delight
in the park facilities, will also be the
fortieth anniversary of the park.
In anticipation Of the great throng
using the park who will need con-
venient outlet to the new Arlington Me-
mortal Bridge, past the Lincoln Memorial
and on over the new memorial highway
to Mount Vernon, work Is being pushed
rapidly on the connecting link between,
known as the Rock Creek and Potomac
Parkway, which will allow a flow of
traffic from the park to the riverside
drive and Hams Point opposite the War
College.
Construction work Is In progress be-
tween Massachusetts avenue and P
street, where curbing Is completed
, and the pavement Is to be laid soon
along the valley. The road Is completed
from the Zoo south to Massachusetts,
avenue. There Is an open space be-
tween p and K streets which is not de-
veloped, but an agreement was reached
, this week whereby bridge will be built
carry the parkway over the creek. New
! pavement has been completed from K
street past the gas works along the
! water front to connect Arlington
Bridge and a contract has been let
to continue the paving of the ap-
proaches and the bridge plaza.
At the Massachusetts, avenue entrance
to the parkway on the south there Is
being put in elaborate overpaSs sys-
tenn, including a bridge to carry traffic
over the parkway itself. This eliminates
the making Of turns across the street
in traffic.
In addition to President Harrison
many leaders in our national life helped
to make this great park reality. The
late Senator Arthur Pue German OF
Maryland, who worked his way up from
. page In the Congyess, stressed the
costly experience Of Baltimore in its
treatment of Jones Greek. Washing
ton," he said, "can now get magnifi-
cent park for what 1t cost Baltimore
to wall up mile of its creek"
Senator B. Crate Brown of Missouri
grandson of the famous John Brown
Of Virginia and Kentucky, was one OF
the most eloquent early advocates Of
the measure, in the Thirty-ninth Con-
gress. At the beginning of the Fifty
! first Congress Senator John j. ingalls,
of Kansas, a native of Middletown
Mass, and Senator Sherman sponsored
Rock Creek Park bill. which was
passed in 1890. Three citizens appoint
ed by the President to the difficult task
of selecting lands for the park prop
erty were Gen. H. v. Boynton. S. P
Langley and r. Ross Perry With Gen
Thomas L. Casey, chief Of Engineers
| Col. Robert, Engineer Commissioner
they formed the commission for plat
ting the park. Capt w. T. Rossell socr
succeeded Col. Robert as Engineer Com.
missioner and a member of the Rock
Greek Park Board
The movement of the Association OF
Oldest Inhabitants to raise funds for q
new home or to have a museum hall in
the new District of Columbia municipal
group being erected on the north side
OF Pennsylvania avenue between Third
and Sixth streets, recalls the old VOL
unteer fire companies in one of whose
famous houses the association now
holds its meetings. In the early days
there were six efficient fire companies
the Columbian, the Columbia, the
Washington, the Franklin, the Phoenix
and the Anacostia. In Georgetown
there were three-the Vigilant, the
Eagle and the Columbian. A later com
panv was the Union, in whose house
at Nineteenth and H streets the asso-
citation now holds its monthly meet
ings and has on exhibition a rich col
lection of old relics. souvenirs and
trophies Of early Washington.
y X
The recent use by the President am
Secretary of State of the telephone II
| transoceanic and transcontinental ne
| gotiations which resulted in the Worlc
War foreign debt moratorium. which
revolutionized international diplomacy
the passing Of many historic landmark.
| in the National Capital, and the seriou
condition of the electrical wizard
! Thomas A. Edison-all prompt III,
writing Of this "sidelight."
| Washington has many historic spot
which unfortunately must be wiped on
by the forward march of progress.
Many Of these are of epochal business
and industrial development, though
| most of them have their particula,
interest through connection with tn,
! life of the Government.
Shortly after Alexander Graham Bel
invented the telephone. more than s.
years ego in an attic in Boston, with
Thomas A. Watson as the only othel
person present at the birth of this de.
vice, which has revolutionized modern
life, Emile Berliner produced the frs
notable improvement on this origina
invention. Berliner's contribution to tn,
marvellous chain of telephone develop.
ment was the making of the transmit.
| ter. Working as a drygoods clerk dur.
ing the day time, he spent his evenine
hours studying and experimenting in
small room on the third floor of the
house at 8l2 Sixth street northwest
Washington, D. G.
| Mr.. Berliner's invention has played 6
most important Part in the transac tior
! of Government and privARe business
not only in the National Capital, bu
| throughout the entire United States, ant
the world at large, for more than half .
century. 1t will be remembered thai
Alexander Graham Bells invention wa.
| simply telephone receiver. One talked
into it and then received the reply from
the same instrument. Berliner invented
a transmitter that was more closely the
| fcrerunner of that used today
| Berliner received a patent on his In.
vention, but two weeks later Thomas A
Edison invented transmitter and the
Western Union Telegraph Co. claimed
his was the prior invention. After Bell!
supporters took up Berliner's patent TIT
case became involved in the historic
controversy between the Bell System
and the Western Union, finally result.
ing In a decision by the United State.
Supreme Court that Berliner, and not
Edison, was the original inventor Of thu