Evening star., 1939-10-22
Fifty Years Ago
In The Star
A considerable portion of the annual
report of Capt. T. A. Symons. assistant

report OF Capt. T. A. Symons. assistant
to the Engineer Com
Rock Creek Park missioner of the Dis
Recommended trict, is devoted to
the recommendation
that large area bordering on Rock
Creek be purchased and set aside for
park purposes. The comments of Capt.
Symons included the following, printed
in The Star of october 18, 1889:
There lies within the District of Co.
lumbia a region of marvellous natural
beauty; region of rugged rocks, running
water and stately trees, of lovely, deep
and shady valleys; steep forest. covered
slopes and rolling, sunny uplands. This
region, yet largely in a state of nature
and lying just beyond the present city
limits, seems specially designed by the
Creator for the recreation grounds of
this large and rapidly growing city. and
set deeply in the hearts of all citizens of
Washington worthy of the name is the
desire that it may be secured to them
and to all who come after them for a
grand public park.
The present condition of the District
Of Columbia and its evident future ad-
monish us that provision should at once
be made for such park as the popula-
tion Of large and prosperous capital
city demands. The extraordinary natur-
al beauty of the proposed park has this
far been preserved, but its subdivision
and the subdivision of portions Of it
would undoubtedly result in great injury
in this direction. Rock Greek drains
large section of the country and flows
through the City Of Washington. If resi-
dences should be placed along its banks,
and sewage should be emptied into that
stream and necessarily endanger the
health of the city, the consequences
would be either that this continuous risk
must exist or that this picturesque creek
must be covered and used exclusively as
a sewer.
That portion of the creek along which
dwelling houses have already been built
is now an open sewer flowing through the
city. from which disagreeable and nox-
ious odors constantly rise, greatly to the
detriment of the health of the people
sAAoAA6 Aeo SuAAho 0hA ~ lAlC AlJuIy O4 plOps
erty in that section, and the time is near
at hand when this portion of the creek
must be covered over or some other mode
of protection adopted at cost of many
thousand dollars. The preservation of
both banks of Rock Creek will at once
avoid this danger and cost and preserve
the existing beauty of a large territory
Looking at this measure merely as a
practical business matter it seems to be
wise. Such preservation of the natural
beauties of section so near the city will
conduce greatly to the physical as we'll
as to the moral improvement of the peo-
pie. 1t is certainly most economical
and practical means of providing all
old and young, rich and poor-with the
greatest of all needs-healthy exercise in
the open country.
Twenty years ago there were but two
well advanced rural parks in America.
Now there are more than 20. London,
Paris, Brussels and Liverpool have In the
last 20 years more than doubled their
recreation grounds. All the cities of the
British Islands 30 years since possessed
but four parks worthy of the name, and
they now have 30 as large in acreage as
Franklin Park In Boston.
mo city on the globe of equal impor-
tance is as badly provided as the City of
Washington with large parks In its vicin-
ity for purposes of recreation, in which
all classes, rich and poor alike, can spend
leisure hours in summer amid inviting
shade and fresh air. The Soldiers Home
is only at time subject to public use and
never except upon its roadways, and can
be used only through courtesy.
'The ground for the use of national
park In this city can now be condemned
at a reasonable cost, and prompt action
will not only save many thousands of
dollars, but prevent the destruction of
the natural beauties of the country along
Rock Greek, which are second to those of
no other locality adjacent to any city in
the world. Looking to the city Is it pow
Is, and more particularly to the great
future which Is assured for it, q national
park which shall not only meet present
requirements but those Of after years as
well, Is, in my opinion, one Of It's great
est needs"