Evening star., 1940-06-02

defense of its position
Zoo Park concerning the estab-
Arguments lishment in this city Of
national geological
garden:
The superintendent of the Central
are only two free menageries in the
country, one at New York and the other
at Chicago, and only four in the world,
the third being at Paris and the fourth
at Vienna, supported by the Emperor.
Washington has not the means to go into
partnership with the United States to
conduct free geological gardens, which
are to be national in title, and will doubt
less be maintained on a scale creditable
TO the Nation. Only the richest cities
have, 1t appears, been able to support
such establishments. Members of Con-
gress confuse the geological garden with
Rock Creek Park when they intimate
that the people of the city have been
clamoring for the establishment of the
former partly at their expense The
movement for the garden was a project
OF the Smithsonian Institution, which
already had a collection of animals, be-
longing to the Government and accom-
modated on Government property, and
desired more suitable quarters for these
animals. Congress ought to correct at
once the mistake Of making a partner
Of the District in this affair. If the
garden is to be permitted to remain a
semi-national, semi-local property, will
Congress permit Washington to charge
for admission to its half of the exhibit
in accordance with the precedent in the
case of similar local exhibits of even
wealthier cities? Either the project
should be solely national, or Washing
ton as part owner should have the
right to raise the money to pay its share
OF the expense by turning to profitable
account in the usual manner the prop
erty in which it has an interest. WASH
ington seriously needs the geological
garden money for other purposes. AS
hint of the cost to the compulsory in
vestors in wild animals an alarming re-
port comes from the Central Park me-
nagerie. Its superintendent states that
the war between the English and the
Mahdi has not only driven North African
animals further into the interior, but
has destroyed the posts where those who
captured the animals bought and sold
them to the agents and the price of such
animals has gone up with suburban real
estate rapidity. A good specimen of
the giraffe would cost $4,000 where 10
years ago one could have been bought
for $500 or $400. Zebras which 10 years
ago could be bought for $500 now cost
$1,000. One could hardly give away a
lion 10 years ago. but today males are
scarce at 81 900 each. Evidently the bulls
have entirely subjugated the bears in
the animal market, and Uncle Sam will
bankrupt his little partner by ruinous
investments in lions, zebras and giraffes."
Final action to provide for q city post
office was taken by Congress on May "a
and site selected
CITY Post comprising the square
Office Site facing Pennsylvania
avenue and bounded
by Eleventh. Twelfth, c and D streets.
No sooner had plans been announced
for construction of the building than
proposals were made to enlarge the
structure to accommodate other public
offices. The Star in its issue of May
81, 1890, makes the following editorial
comment:
IF an $4,000 building, spread over
more than $4,000 square feet of surface
and occupying whole square, can be
well built for the money to q greater
height than the one or two stories which
the local post Office will need. and q
co-tenant with the local of1ce becomes
a necessity, the important duty will arise
of determining who that co-tenant shall
be. Washington will hope that If any
other branch Of the Government must
be housed with the post ONCE 1t