Evening star., 1935-11-07
BIDS ARE FINAL j.
ON MERIDIAN HILL
Excavation and Planting
Operations to Mark
Parks Completion.

Officials of the National Park Serv.
ice of the Interior Department will
open bids tomorrow for excavations
and planting work in Meridian Hill
Park, as the Government enters on
the last lap toward completion of the
project. 1t has been under way more
than 20 years and will cost altogether
$872, 900.
In room 1918, Navy Building. at II
am. tomorrow, the bids will be pub
hcly opened. The major work under
this contract will cover the excava-
ton for hedge trenches, planting beds
and tree pits: delivering and placing
topsoil and the furnishing delivering
and planting of a wide variety of plant
material, which will include deciduous
trees, evergreens, hedges, deciduous
shrubs. evergreen shrubs, vines and
perennials.
Mass Planting Planned.
Frank T. Gartside, assistant super
ntendent of the National Capital
parks, explained that on the hillsides
there will be mass planting of ever
greens on either side of the cascades,
to eliminate the present barren ap-
pearance.
An interesting point in connection
with the projected contract is that
the successful contractor must agree
he will buy no bituminous coal to use
on or in the carrying out of the
contract from any producer unless he
is member of the bituminous coal
code, in accordance with the bitum-
inous coal conservation act of 1885.
approved August 80 of this year.
Another major contract to be en-
tered into by the park authorities
will be formulated when bids are
opened at II am November IS for
structural and other work in Meridian
Hill Park Gartslde explained this
will include items on sidewalks, ramps,
steps, cCrhs, seats, walls. cutters and
catch basins of the east ascent, to-
gether with necessary electrical work,
sealing in the niche Of the upper wall
on the Sixteenth street side. closing
the gap in the lower wall and solu-
ton of a number of drainage prob
lens, as well as construction on the
great terrace.
Will Be Completed.
When these and existing contracts
are finished, Gartside explained,
Meridian Hill Park, which is the
only formal development of its kind
in the National Capital, will be COM
pleted.
The lighting of the park will be
another major item under the exist
ing program which is made possible
out of the sl,0o0,000 Public Works
Administration grant for improving
parks In the Capital.
Gartside revealed plans for q band
stand not far from the Joan OF ARG
Monument have now been shelved.
The Fine Arts Commission has sp-
proved each step in the program.
Gartside asserted.
Rejecting a proposal to construct
a rooae court in Meridian Hill Park,
the park officials have advised play.
ers of this game that a court can
be constructed in the newly pro-
jected area of the old reservoir. near
Sixteenth and Kennedy streets.
Gartside and his associates have as
yet heard nothing from these play
ers. he said today. The assistant park
chief pointed out that development
of a rogue court is expensive, as
formal concrete coping is required.
Armillary Sphere.
Visitors to the park recently have
evidenced interest in the armlllary
sphere at the south end Of the park.
This will be kept covered, Gartside
declared. until the present contracts
are completed and protecting plant
ing strip and fence have been built
around it. As yet no dedicatory date
has been set for the spheres unveil-
ing, said Gartside.
The engineers are having delicate
lob, GartSide asserted. inasmuch as
the armillary sphere has to be located
exactly on the meridian of Washing
ton. C. Jennevein, prominent New
York sculptor. designed the arrnillary
sphere.